No. 19 Indiana Overwhelms No. 9 Illinois In 63-10 Victory

Fernando Mendoza threw 5 landing passes and D’Angelo Ponds scooped up the punt he blocked and returned it 11 yards for a rating Saturday evening, main No. 19 Indiana previous No. 9 Illinois 63-10 for its first win over a high 10 foe in 5 years — and simply probably the most lopsided.

Indiana’s earlier greatest was a 31-10 victory at then No. 9 Ohio State in 1987. It marked the primary time since 1950 the Hoosiers and Combating Illini squared off with every ranked.

Ponds’ blocked punt return opened the scoring, and Mendoza went 21 of 23 with 267 yards to turn into the primary Hoosiers participant with a number of video games of 5 or extra TD passes in three quarters. He additionally accomplished his last 17 passes as Indiana (4-0, 1-0 Massive Ten) prolonged its faculty report dwelling successful streak to 12, all coming beneath second-year coach Curt Cignetti.

“We’ll get individuals’s consideration with this one,” Cignetti mentioned. “The group actually laid it on the road tonight. There’s nothing higher than being the Grinch within the second half with a giant lead. I like that feeling.”

Elijah Sarratt caught 9 passes for 92 yards and two scores whereas Omar Cooper Jr. had six receptions for 78 yards and one TD. Khobe Martin rushed for 107 yards and two TDs and Kaelon Black added 89 yards dashing and one TD.

The Combating Illini offense struggled as quarterback Luke Altmeyer was beneath stress all evening. Illinois (3-1, 0-1) allowed 5 sacks and rushed for less than 3 yards within the first half, falling into an insurmountable 35-10 deficit. Indiana sealed the win with TD drives on every of its first two second-half possessions.

It was the worst lack of coach Bret Bielema’s tenure at Illinois and the worst for the Illini since a 63-0 rout at dwelling in opposition to Iowa in 2018.

“We didn’t reply to any adversity. It began with the blocked punt and by no means actually bought something on offense or protection,” Bielema mentioned. “Embarrassing and perplexed.”

Altmeyer was 14 of twenty-two with 146 yards and one interception whereas being sacked seven instances. Receiver Hank Beatty was restricted to 2 catches for 13 yards and Illinois’ solely significant scores got here on a 59-yard TD move from Altmeyer to Collin Dixon within the first quarter and a 46-yard area aim to shut the half.

The takeaway

Illinois: Bielema did not like his group’s first half efficiency final week and this one was far worse. Apart from profiting from a uncommon, early protection bust, Illinois could not maintain something offensively. Count on a giant slide on this week’s Related Press Prime 25.

Indiana: Those that questioned the Hoosiers after beating Outdated Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State to start out the season bought their reply Saturday. The Hoosiers dominated this matchup in each potential approach, and final yr’s largest shock group ought to begin climbing within the rankings this week.

Early exits

Illinois began Saturday’s sport with out one key defensive again, Xanai Scott, due to an injured ankle then misplaced one other — group captain and main tackler Miles Scott — on a concentrating on penalty early within the second quarter.

However Miles Scott additionally wears the radio helmet to relay the defensive play calls so when he left, the play-calling duties got to Mac Resetich, who left within the fourth quarter with a potential harm. The Illini additionally misplaced defensive again Kaleb Patterson, who injured his proper foot and was on crutches within the first half.

Up subsequent

Illinois: Will attempt to rebound subsequent Saturday when it hosts Southern California.

Indiana: Hits the street for the primary time this season when it visits Iowa subsequent Saturday.

Reportng by The Related Press.

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