Minnesota Downs Illinois, 24-17; EIU Loses

In a game featuring big hits and back-and-forth momentum swings, Illinois lost 24-17 at Minnesota Saturday.

Freshman quarterback Cam Thomas saw his first action for the Fighting Illini on Saturday, as the Chicago Heights, Illinois, native split time with Jeff George, Jr. Thomas became the 21st Illini freshman to play this season, the most in the nation.

Thomas finished with a couple of completions for 33 yards and led Illinois in rushing with 79 yards.
Opportunistic Illini Defense

The Illinois defense forced three Minnesota turnovers on Saturday.

Julian Jones pounced on a loose ball jarred free by Bennett Williams with a textbook tackle on Minnesota running back Rodney Smith.

The turnover gave Illinois a short field, setting up a six-yard Ra'Von Bonner touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.

The forced fumble by Williams is the 13th of the season for the Illini defense, most in the FBS. Williams also added a career-high 14 tackles.

A pair of picks kept Illinois alive late in the game.

Stanley Green caught a tipped pass from teammate Nate Hobbs to end a Gophers drive.

On the next Minnesota possession, Cameron Watkins made an acrobatic catch on the sideline. Watkins' interception set up Chase McLaughlin's 28-yard field goal to tie the game 10-10 in the fourth quarter.

Following an impressive showing against Rutgers a week ago, freshman wide receiver Ricky Smalling continued his solid play for the Illini offense. Smalling hauled in eight catches for 71 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter.

TEAM NOTES

• Illinois' last nine straight offensive touchdowns have been by true freshmen dating back to the USF game.

• 11 of Illinois' 13 offensive touchdowns (84.6 percent) this season have been scored by true freshmen.

• Illinois held Minnesota to 5-of-15 passing for 47 yards. It was Minnesota's lowest passing yards total in a game this season.

• Illinois started eight true freshmen (DB Nate Hobbs, DB Bennett Williams, DE Bobby Roundtree, RB Ra'Von Bonner, WR Ricky Smalling, OL Alex Palczewski, OL Larry Boyd, OL Vederian Lowe).

• 2017 Freshman Starters by Game: 3, 7, 10, 8, 8, 9, 8  (program record before this season: 5)

• Illinois' eight true freshmen starters are tied for the third-most in a game in program history. The record of 10 was set at South Florida earlier this season.

• Illinois' most cumulative true freshmen starts in a season: 53 (2017), 34 (1977), 33 (2006)

• Illinois started three true freshmen on the offensive line for the third time in program history and for the third straight game (T Larry Boyd, G Alex Palczewski, T Vederian Lowe).

• Illinois started four freshmen on the offensive line (three true freshmen + r-Fr. Doug Kramer) for the third straight game.

• Illinois has played 21 true freshmen this season, after QB Cam Thomas debuted at Minnesota. The Illini and LSU were tied for the national lead with 20 true freshmen played entering the week.

• Illinois has used 26 first-time starters in 2017, the most in the nation (added LB Shogbonyo and RB Austin Roberts today).

• Illinois trails in the all-time series against Minnesota, 29-38-3. Illinois is 12-22-2 all-time at Minnesota.

• Illinois captains: RB Ra'Von Bonner, DE James Crawford, K Chase McLaughlin

INDIVIDUAl NOTES

• Freshman RB Ra'Von Bonner had 18 carries for 57 rushing yards and one touchdown.

• Sophomore QB Jeff George, Jr. was 17-of-22 passing for 143 yards and a touchdown.

• Freshman QB Cam Thomas played for the first time and led the team with 79 rushing yards.

• Senior WR Malik Turner has caught a pass in 27 straight games. His 26-game streak was 18th-best in the nation entering the week.

• Redshirt freshman LB Ayo Shogbonyo started for the first time in his career.

• Freshman WR Ricky Smalling caught his second career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

• Freshman DB Bennett Williams had his first career forced fumble in the first quarter. He led the team with 14 tackles, including eight solo.

• Sophomore DB Stanley Green had his first career interception in the third quarter. He also had 13 tackles.

• Sophomore DB Cameron Watkins had his first career interception in the fourth quarter.

• Freshman P Blake Hayes had a career day, averaging a career-high 54.2 yards per kick on five punts, including a career-long 59 yard boot. He dropped two punts inside the 20 and had three points over 50 yards.

• Junior WR Mike Dudek, sophomore S Patrick Nelson and sophomore LB Dele Harding missed the game with injuries, as well as LB Tre Watson, RB Mike Epstein, DB Tony Adams, TE Nathan Echard, LB Jake Hansen and DB Evan Jones.

Jacksonville State 30, EIU 14

Eastern Illinois became the first Ohio Valley Conference team to post a halftime lead against Jacksonville State since the Panthers last beat the Gamecocks on Nov. 16, 2013 as EIU built a 14-9 halftime advantage.  In the second half the third-ranked Gamecocks scored 21 unanswered points to beat EIU, 30-14,  during the Panthers 100th homecoming game.
 
JSU moved into sole possession of first place in the OVC race at 6-1 overall, 4-0 in the OVC.  It was the 28th straight OVC win for the Gamecocks.  EIU fell to 5-3 overall, 4-1 in the OVC.  The Panthers will play at UT Martin next Saturday at 2 p.m. with the game selected as the OVC Game of the Week that will be aired on ESPN3.
 
EIU has been using turnovers gained to its advantage all season as the Panthers entered the weekend ranked 12th in the FCS in turnovers gained.  In the first quarter Tray Mitchell forced a fumble that was recovered by Nick Horne.  On the following possession EIU drove 77 yards on seven plays capped by a Darshon McCullough 40-yard pass from Bud Martin to give EIU a 7-0 lead with 4:37 to play in the first quarter.
 
JSU would answer with a touchdown of its own on its next drive with Tramel Terry taking most of the carries in the backfield.  Terry would score from 5-yards out at the 13:24 mark but would trail 7-6 after going for a two-point conversion and coming up short on the run.  The drive did set the stage for Terry’s day in the backfield as he led the Gamecocks with 84 yards as JSU rushed for 227 yards in the game.
 
Following a defensive stand by EIU midway through the second half, EIU extended its lead to 14-6 with Isaiah Johnson scoring from two yards out with 7:05 to play.  Johnson was held to 40 yards rushing on the day, a week after he posted the eighth best rushing day in school history with 236 yards at Murray State.  As team EIU rushed for only 28 yards on the day.
 
Cade Stinnett made it 14-9 at the half as he made one of his two long field goal attempts in the second quarter.  Stinnett’s first attempt from 49 yards hit the left upright and bounced off.  He would come back on the next Gamecocks drive and connect from 50 yards with that kick hitting the right upright and bouncing through with 23 seconds left in the first half.
 
Reggie Hall picked off a Martin pass to end the Panthers opening drive of the second half.  JSU cashed in with Krenwick Sanders catching the first of two touchdown passes from Bryant Horn with 11:04 to play in the third quarter.  The touchdown put the Gamecocks up 16-14.  Sanders added a 5-yard touchdown pass at the 2:22 mark of the third quarter and JSU was able to put the game away.  Sanders had five catches for 53 yards and the two scores.  Horn passes for 164 yards going 15-of-27.
 
De’Marcus Flowers scored an insurance touchdown with 1:16 left in the game.
 
Aaron Gooch was the Panthers top receiver on the day with six catches for 39 yards.  Martin passed for 219 yards.
 
Bradley Dewberry, Mitchell and Joe Caputo all finished with double figure tackles for EIU.  Dewberry had 12 tackles while Mitchell and Caputo both had 11.
 
Marlon Bridges led JSU with nine tackles including two tackles for loss.