How to Watch Illinois vs. Rutgers
Game Time: 11 a.m. Saturday
TV Channel: NBC
Online Streaming: Peacock
Odds: ILL -12.5, O/U 62.5
Quick Hits:
Illinois Fighting Illini (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Bret Bielema (5th season)
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Last Game: 42-25 loss at Washington
Gameday Reading:
‘Getting better daily’: What lies ahead for Illinois down the stretch
‘This is as good as it’s going to get’: Illinois football needs an offseason reset
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten)
Head coach: Greg Schiano (17th season)
Last game: 27-24 win over Purdue
What Happened the Last Time These Two Teams Played?
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Illinois leads the all-time series 6-3.
Nov. 23, 2024: Illinois 38, Rutgers 31
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — From a missed game-winning field goal… to a game-winning touchdown… in 10 seconds.
Down 31-30 with 12 seconds left in Piscataway, Illinois’ Ethan Moczulski lined up for the go-ahead 58-yard field goal. Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano called timeout to ice the kicker, so Bret Bielema put his offense back on the field.
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It paid off as a 4th-and-13 turned into a huge connection from Luke Altmyer to Pat Bryant as the senior wideout found the endzone and the Illini stunned the Scarlet Knights, 38-31. Illinois picked up a safety on the game’s final play as Rutgers threw a lateral pass into the endzone.
With the victory, Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) has only its sixth eight-win season since 1990 — and the Illini hit that marker for the second time in four years under Bielema.
It was not all good for the Illini in this Big Ten matchup.
The Illini did not lead until the 3:07 mark in the fourth quarter. It did not matter.
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After a shaky start, the Illini QB did not waver.
In the fourth quarter alone Altmyer had 151 passing yards, with Bryant pulling 140 of those himself.
Just one week after Bryant set his career high in receiving yards, he did it again, slashing the Scarlet Knights defense finishing with 197 yards.
Altmyer did not only rely on his arm, but used his legs as well.
A 30-yard QB keeper touchdown run in the explosive fourth, pushed Altmyer’s rushing total to 74 yards, leading all Illini rushers.
