Cal Hands Illinois Loss in Redbox Bowl

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Illinois dropped a 35-20 decision to Cal in the Redbox Bowl in the Illini's first bowl game since 2014. The Illini outgained Cal, 450-395, but did not force a turnover on defense for the first time this season.

Brandon Peters passed for 273 yards and one touchdown for Illinois (6-7) in his return after sitting out the regular-season finale with a concussion. Peters, who was shaken up again after diving out of bounds following a scramble late in the fourth quarter, completed 22 of 37 passes and added a team-high 68 rushing yards.

Cal's Chase Garbers threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Christopher Brown Jr. ran for 120 yards on 20 carries, and Makai Polk caught five passes for a season-high 105 yards as Cal (8-5) won its first bowl game since 2015.

Garbers, who had been in and out of the lineup all season because of a shoulder injury, got going after being sacked on the first play from scrimmage and throwing an incomplete pass on the second. The offensive MVP of the game, Garbers completed 22 of 31 passes for 272 yards with TD passes of 4, 3, 2 and 6 yards. He also scored on quarterback sneak from the 1 early in the second quarter while helping the Bears set a season-high for scoring.

Highlights

Team Notes

• Illinois played in a bowl for the first time since 2014. 

• Illinois finished the season winning four of its last seven games.

• Illinois had at least one takeaway in all 12 regular season games this season, but did not get a takeaway in the Redbox Bowl. 

• Illinois had 28 takeaways in 2019, the most in a season in program history.

• Illinois fell to 6-4 when QB Brandon Peters starts and plays into the fourth quarter.

• Illinois' 15-play touchdown drive in the first quarter tied for its most plays in a drive this season (15 plays, 75 yards, 6:59). Illinois had a 15-play, 80-yard touchdown drive against Michigan.

• Illinois started four transfers (WR Josh Imatorbhebhe, OL Richie Petitbon, QB Brandon Peters, LB Milo Eifler).

• Illinois captains: LB Dele Harding, LB Jake Hansen (injured), P Blake Hayes, OL Doug Kramer (injured), OL Alex Palczewski
Individual Notes

• Senior LB Dele Harding had six tackles and 1.5 TFLs in his final game for Illinois. His 153 tackles this season are sixth on Illinois' all-time list and the most in the last 25 years.  

• Junior LB Milo Eifler, a native of nearby Berkeley, had four tackles and one sack before being ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter. 

• Senior RB Reggie Corbin had 14 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown in his final game for Illinois. He finished his Illinois career with 2,361 rushing yards, the 12th most in Illini history.

• Senior RB Dre Brown had 11 carries for 31 yards in his final game for Illinois. 

• Junior QB Brandon Peters was 22-of-37 passing for 273 passing yards and a touchdown.

• Sophomore WR Donny Navarro had a team-high six receptions for 77 yards. 

• Freshman QB Isaiah Williams played snaps at wide receiver and had three receptions for nine yards. 

• Junior P Blake Hayes finished the season with a punting average of 44.6, the second best in Illinois history. Hayes owns three of the top 11 single-season punting averages in Illinois history. Hayes set Illinois single-season punting records for fewest touchbacks (2), lowest touchback percentage (2.6), punts inside the 20 (32), inside the 20 percentage (41.6), and 50+-yard punts (22).

• Junior RT Alex Palczewski started for the 36th straight game.

• Junior LT Vederian Lowe started for the 26th straight game.

• Sophomore C Kendrick Green started for the 25th straight game.

• Junior C Doug Kramer missed the game with an injury, snapping a streak of 27 straight starts.

• Junior LB Jake Hansen, a Butkus Award semifinalist, missed his fourth straight game with an injury. Hansen averaged 0.78 forced fumbles per game this season (7 FF, 9 G), which would have been the second most in NCAA history (stat begin in 2000), but he did not play in the NCAA's minimum of 75% of games to earn a spot on the list. Hansen's seven forced fumbles are tied for the seventh-most in the NCAA since 2000.

• The following Illinois players missed the game with injuries: DB Tony Adams, C Doug Kramer, LB Jake Hansen, WR Jordan Holmes, WR Josh Imatorbhebhe 

• The following Illinois players were previously announced as out for the year with injuries: DB Marquez Beason, WR Edwin Carter, RB Mike Epstein, DB James Knight, DL Bobby Roundtree, WR Trevon Sidney, WR Ricky Smalling, DB Dylan Wyatt