Minnesota entered Saturday’s Big Ten matchup with Illinois as a 9.5-point favorite, but when the clock struck zero it was the Fighting Illini with a dominating 55-31 win over the visiting Gophers.
Illinois running back Reggie Corbin scored on a 72-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. On their next possession, the Illini struck with another 72-yard score, this time on a run by Dre Brown.
The scoring plays were shorter from there, but still explosive.
- 67-yard pass from A.J. Bush Jr. to Rickey Smalling.
- 3-yard run by A.J. Bush Jr.
- 30-yard pass from A.J. Bush Jr. to Daniel Barker.
- 77-yard run by Reggie Corbin.
- 12-yard run by A.J. Bush Jr.
Corbin finished with 13 carries for 213 yards, a bonkers average of 16.3 yards per carry. Bush rushed for 127 yards as the quarterback while also completing 18-of-25 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns.
Illinois rushed for 427 yards and had a whopping 643 yards of total offense.
Mohamed Ibrahim scored two first-half touchdowns for the Gophers, who didn’t score touchdowns again until two long strikes from Tanner Morgan to freshman wide receiver Rashad Bateman in the fourth quarter. The first went for 61 yards and the second was an 84-yard catch and run.
Bateman padded his stats with seven catches for 175 yards and two scores.
The loss drops the Gophers to 1-5 in the Big Ten and last place in the West division.
Up next: Gophers host Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 10.
