It may not have been the decisive triumph they wanted, but Illinois will certainly take a hard-fought 23-17 win over Florida Atlantic in Champaign Saturday.
The Illini, who had lost two consecutive games, got a total of 510 yards of offense in the game, their highest output of the season in the victory.
Quarterback Luke Altmyer threw for 303 yards and a touchdown, and picked up another rushing score as the Illini evened their record at 2-2 on the season.
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Wide receiver Isaiah Williams had eight catches for 120 yards, and Reggie Love and Josh McCray combined for 158 rushing yards for Illinois.
As has happened on several occasions this season, Illinois found itself down early, with Florida Atlantic earning a 10-0 lead after the first quarter. LaJohntay Wester, who had 137 yards and 13 catches in the game, scored the touchdown as the clock hit zero in the frame, leaving the Illini coming from behind once again.
Illinois responded with a seven-play scoring drive of their own, with Altmyer and Griffin Moore connecting for a 46-yard touchdown to make it a 10-7 game early in the second quarter.
Just before the half, the Illini put together another scoring drive, with Altmyer rushing in for a seven-yard touchdown with 1:45 remaining in the half to give Illinois a 14-10 lead.
Big Ten
After a Florida Atlantic punt to start the second half, Illinois put together an 8-play, 94-yard drive to extend their lead. A huge 45-yard catch by Williams had 15 yards added to it thanks to a facemask penalty, and Aidan Laughery rushed for a three-year score to make it 20-10 Illinois.
A field goal later in the half seemed to set the stage for a breezy Illini win, but a 13-play, 97-yard drive for FAU tightened things up, with Daniel Richardson hitting BJ Alexander for a nine-yard touchdown with 4:19 remaining.
Illinois was able to kill the clock with two first downs earned by Josh McCray on the ground, then Kaden Feagin rushed for 25 yards to seal the win.
Next Saturday will bring a tough test for Illinois as they head to West Lafayette to take on Purdue, a squad led by former Illini defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.