Illinois knocks off Minnesota 28-24 with late defensive touchdown
After overcoming an early deficit, it looked like Minnesota was going to survive on the road at Illinois to remain unbeaten in the Big Ten, but the Fighting Illini did not go down quietly.
Up 24-21 midway through the fourth quarter, Minnesota standout running back David Cobb (22 rushes, 118 yards, 2 TDs) took a handoff off right tackle and looked up field, only to be stripped by Illinois linebacker T.J. Neal. Illini cornerback V’Angelo Bentley was there to scoop up the fumble and return it for a touchdown. Bentley’s scoop and score gave Illinois a 28-24 lead – a lead it would not relinquish.
The big play from Neal and Bentley capped off an impressive effort for the Illini defense that held the vaunted Gophers rushing attack to just 171 yards on 4.2 yards per carry. After Bentley’s touchdown, Minnesota reached the Illini 26-yard line, but Illinois’ defense stiffened and stopped the Gophers from scoring.
With backup Reilly O’Toole (118 yards passing, 59 yards rushing, 2 total TDs) making his second consecutive start at quarterback, the Illini got off to a great start, reaching the end zone on two of its first three drives en route to a 14-3 halftime lead.
Minnesota's offense came out with a renewed sense of urgency in the second half. The Gophers scored on three consecutive drives in the third quarter, including two Cobb touchdown runs, to take a lead heading into the fourth.
The Gophers even had a chance to widen the gap to 27-21, but Ryan Santoso missed a 40-yard field goal early in the final frame. That miss proved crucial once Illinois retook the lead on Bentley’s fumble recovery. Instead of trailing by a single point, the Gophers’ deficit was four points. Instead of potentially retaking the lead down the stretch with a field goal attempt, the Gophers were forced to go for six and came up short.
The loss was ill-timed for Minnesota. The Gophers sat alone atop the Big Ten West standings with the brunt of their schedule (Iowa, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin) on the way. This loss, coupled with Nebraska’s win over Rutgers, creates a tie for first between the Gophers and Huskers in the division.
On the other side, this is a big win for Illini head coach Tim Beckman. It’s just the second conference victory during his tenure and it improves the team’s record to 4-4 on the season. Not only does it do wonders for Beckman's job security, it means Illinois is just two wins away from bowl eligibility. Next on the schedule for Beckman’s team is a trip to Ohio State.
For more Illinois news, visit OrangeandBlueNews.com.
For more Minnesota news, GopherIllustrated.com.
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
