Instant Recap: Michigan 42, Illinois 25
The Michigan Wolverines' football team defeated Illinois, 42-25, this afternoon in Champaign in a game that was closer than expected, improving its record to 5-1.
Here's how the entire matchup unfolded:
First Half
The onslaught began early this afternoon, with Michigan stringing together a five-play, 65-yard drive on its first possession of the day that concluded with a 29-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman running back Hassan Haskins, giving the Wolverines a 7-0 lead.
All five of the series' plays occurred on the ground.
The Maize and Blue had a chance to tack on to their lead on their next possession, but redshirt junior kicker Quinn Nordin missed a 34-yard field goal at the 5:13 mark of the opening quarter.
A four-play, 70-yard touchdown drive ensued on U-M's next series, however, with redshirt freshman tight end Luke Schoonmaker concluding things with a 25-yard scoring grab to give his club a 14-0 lead with 59 seconds to go in the first quarter.
The Wolverines' special teams then made a huge impact early in the second frame when fifth-year senior linebacker Jordan Glasgow blocked an Illini punt, allowing senior safety Josh Metellus to recover it at the UI seven-yard line.
It only took U-M's offense one play to find the end zone, with freshman running back Zach Charbonnet cashing in from seven yards out to put the Maize and Blue up 21-0.
Charbonnet made a crucial mistake on the team's next possession though, fumbling and allowing Illinois to recover at its own 40-yard line.
The Illini went three-and-out, and U-M grabbed a 28-0 lead when it took the ball 80 yards in five plays, with senior quarterback Shea Patterson finding redshirt junior tight end Nick Eubanks in the end zone for a four-yard scoring strike with 4:33 remaining in the half.
Illinois grabbed some momentum right before halftime though, when redshirt freshman quarterback Matt Robinson hit redshirt junior receiver Josh Imatorbhbehe on a 23-yard touchdown pass with 55 seconds remaining before the break to trim U-M's lead to 28-7.
The Wolverines were then content to run out the clock and take their 21-point edge into the locker room.
Second Half
The Maize and Blue offense started the second half with consecutive punts, before Illinois made things interesting late in the third quarter.
It took the ball 80 yards in 15 plays on a drive that took 7:27 off the clock, capping it all off with a one-yard quarterback sneak by Robinson with 30 seconds left in the third quarter, making the score 28-17.
U-M's second half struggles continued when senior running back Tru Wilson fumbled at his own 36-yard line, and the Illini recovered it at the 14:55 mark of the fourth quarter.
Illinois capitalized off of Michigan's mishap, as fifth-year senior running back Dre Brown found the end zone from a yard out, and his ensuing two-point conversion rush was successful to cut the Wolverines' lead to 28-25 with 12:50 remaining.
U-M executed on a crucial drive with the three-point lead. Patterson found junior receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones for a five-yard TD pass that capped off a 10 play, 79-yard scoring drive with 8:47 remaining to extend the Wolverines' lead to 35-25.
A couple possessions later, it was the defense's turn to pick it back up, as Michael Danna forced a fumble that Carlo Kemp recovered and ran to the Illinois 1-yard line. Patterson scored with a quarterback sneak on the next play, giving U-M a 42-25 lead with 6:21 left.
U-M was able to force an Illinois punt and then run the clock out, giving the Wolverines the road victory.
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