#9 Illinois Cruises to Victory over Western Michigan

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 9 Illinois shut out Western Michigan, 38-0, on Saturday evening in entrance of the 78th sold-out crowd in Gies Memorial Stadium. This marked the Illini’s first shutout since Aug. 29, 2024, after they defeated Eastern Illinois, 45-0.

Luke Altmyer went 17-for-26 passing, finishing 11 straight at one level, for 196 yards, two passing touchdowns, and a speeding rating.  

Hank Beatty as soon as once more led Illinois in receiving with six catches for 53 yards and a landing, his first receiving landing of the season. Ashton Hollins caught his first two passes of the season for 41 yards and his first profession landing.

Kaden Feagin surpassed 100 yards on the bottom, carrying the ball 20 occasions with a rating. Ca’Lil Valentine carried the ball 10 occasions for 63 yards and a landing.

Illinois took a 10-0 lead on the break with Beatty’s first receiving landing of the season from six yards out and a 28-yard discipline aim from David Olano. Kenenna Odeluga snuffed out Western Michigan on fourth-and-goal from the one yard line to finish the primary half.

The Fighting Illini protection compelled a three-and-out to start the second half and on the following Illini drive, Feagin powered into the tip zone from three yards out to open the scoring within the second half, 17-0.

Altmyer later scampered in from two yards out close to the tip of the third quarter for his first speeding landing of the season, ballooning the Illinois result in 24-0. Ashton Hollins would later catch a 6-yard landing go for his first rating of the yr to surpass the 30-point threshold, 31-0.

Valentine capped the sport with a 2-yard landing run to offer Illinois the 38-0 win. This is the primary time since not less than 1995 that Illinois has not recorded a turnover via the primary three video games of the season. Additionally, the Illini protection has not allowed a landing at dwelling of their final eight quarters of play.

The No. 9 Fighting Illini return to motion on Saturday, Sept. 20, after they hit the highway to Bloomington, Ind. to tackle the No. 22 Hoosiers. Kickoff is scheduled for six:30 p.m. CT on NBC.

HIGHLIGHTS

PRESS CONFERENCES

Coming quickly. 

POSTGAME NOTES

Team Notes:

• Illinois prolonged its profitable streak to seven video games.
  

  • The seven-game profitable streak is this system’s longest profitable streak beneath Bret Bielema.
  • Illinois is tied for the longest lively streak within the nation.
  • The streak is Illinois’ longest since profitable seven straight from 2010-11 (2010 Texas Bowl + the primary six video games of 2011). 

• Illinois is 38-12-2 all-time when ranked among the many AP Top 10.
• Illinois began 3-0 with three straight nonconference victories for the second straight season.
• Illinois has received eight straight nonconference video games for the reason that 2023 loss at Kansas, together with wins over groups from the ACC, Big 12, and SEC.
• Illinois has performed 12 of its final 13 video games as a ranked group. 

  • The Illini are 9-3 whereas ranked over the previous two seasons (2024-25).

• Illinois is 22-6 all-time in opposition to present MAC applications.

  • Illinois is 3-0 in opposition to MAC applications beneath head coach Bret Bielema.

• Bret Bielema improved to 31-22 throughout his Illinois profession.

  • Among head coaches who’ve led Illinois to 30+ wins, Bielema’s .585 profitable share is the third-best of all-time, behind solely Robert C. Zuppke (.618) and John Mackovic (.663).

• The Illini outscored the Broncos 28-0 within the second half on Saturday.

  • Across the group’s first three video games, Illinois has outscored opponents 80-9 within the second half this season.

• Illinois has now recorded zero turnovers via its first three video games of the season.

  • The Illini don’t have any turnovers throughout their first three video games for the primary time since not less than 1995.
  • The Illini are certainly one of two Big Ten groups with out a turnover via the primary three weeks of the season (Rutgers).
  • The Illini are certainly one of 9 FBS groups with out a turnover via the primary three weeks of the season (Alabama, Bowling Green, Houston, Illinois, Rutgers, San Diego State, Temple, UConn, UTSA).

• The Illini haven’t allowed a landing at dwelling throughout the primary eight quarters this season.
• Illinois posted its first shutout since recording a 45-0 win in opposition to Eastern Illinois on Aug. 29, 2024.
• The official attendance was 60,670, the Illini’s first sellout of the season and the 78th in Gies Memorial Stadium historical past.

  • Illinois has received three straight video games when promoting out Gies Memorial Stadium (2024 Kansas, 2024 Michigan, 2025 Western Michigan).
  • Tonight was Illinois’ first sellout in opposition to a non-Power-4 opponent since Sept. 6, 1986, vs. Louisville.

    • Illinois may have not less than three consecutive sellouts for the primary time since 2008, because the group’s subsequent two dwelling video games in opposition to USC (Sept. 27) and Ohio State (Oct. 11) are additionally bought out.

  • Saturday marked the third dwelling sellout beneath head coach Bret Bielema.
  • The Illini are 3-0 in dwelling sellouts throughout Bielema’s time at Illinois.

Player Notes:

• Hank Beatty led the Illini in receiving with six catches for 53 yards and a landing.
  

  • Beatty turned the primary Illini with a speeding TD, receiving TD, and punt return TD in the identical season since E.B. Halsey in 2003.
  • Has 50+ yards in every of the final 4 video games.
  • Hauled in his first receiving rating of the season and the second of his profession.

• Luke Altmyer went 17-for-26 with 196 yards and three whole touchdowns (two passing, one speeding).

  • Has not less than three whole touchdowns in every of the primary three video games of the 2025 season.

    • Has a passing landing in eight consecutive video games, relationship again to final season, and in 13 of the final 14.
    • Recorded his ninth profession speeding rating and his first of the season.

  • Completed 11 consecutive passes throughout a stretch between the second and fourth quarters.
  • Last 22 video games at Illinois (after 4 INT sport vs. Penn State in 2023): 390-613 (63.6%), 4,738 yards, 40 passing TDs, 9 interceptions, 6 speeding TDs, and has led Illinois to a 16-6 file

• Kaden Feagin completed the evening with 100 yards on 20 carries and a landing.

  • Earned his second profession outing with 100+ yards on the bottom and his first for the reason that 2024 season opener vs. Eastern Illinois (16 carries, 108 yards).
  • Posted his third speeding landing of the season, which got here within the third quarter.

    • Has a landing in all three video games this season.

• Ca’Lil Valentine amassed 63 yards on his 10 carries and a speeding rating.

  • Set a brand new career-best speeding yardage whole, surpassing his earlier better of 53 yards.
  • Secured the third 50-yard speeding sport of his profession and his second such outing of the season.
  • Tallied the third speeding rating of his profession and his second of the season.

    • Has speeding touchdowns in consecutive video games for the primary time in his profession.

• Ashton Hollins totaled two catches for 41 yards and a landing.

  • Hauled within the first landing of his collegiate profession.
  • His 35-yard catch within the fourth quarter marked a brand new career-long.

• Xavier Scott logged three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and two go breakups.

  • Registered a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss.

    • Had 2.0 profession TFLs coming into the competition.

• Leon Lowery Jr. recorded his first sack of the season, which got here within the third quarter.
• Malachi Hood and Matthew Bailey led the Illini protection with six tackles apiece.
• David Olano made his one field-goal try, a 28-yard kick, whereas going 5-for-5 on PATs.

  • Is now 13-for-14 on discipline targets inside 40 yards throughout his collegiate profession.

QUOTES

Head Coach Bret Bielma

Opening Statement:

“I’m super excited to get out with the W. Obviously, it didn’t go according to plan the first half. I give a lot of credit to Western Michigan. You know, I said, and watching college football today, they took North Texas to overtime last time, and I think you saw the score, North Texas beat Washington State, I’m assuming, pretty good. It was in the fourth quarter when I last watched. And really good football team did a lot of good things. At halftime, we came in and, you know, kind of had some conversations about where we needed to go, and I thought our guys responded very, very well defensively at the end of the half there to make that stop was huge. And then offensively, I think we scored the next three times we had the ball. What we got to do is find out how to get them rhythm in that first half, I grabbed Luke at the end of the game there and just said, hey, whatever we got to do, however we need to do it. Make sure we get not just the players but the coaches. Let’s figure out what we need to do to be better the first half. I think injury wise, I know Xavier, I think he just at the end. Melvin a little bit at the end, but I don’t expect anything there. J-Bow, we did lose him in the first half there. So, I don’t know exactly where we’re at with him. I do think Aidan Laughery and Dylan Rosiak, on Wednesday, we ran them. They just weren’t right where we needed to be. And then Thursday, we kind of ruled them out. I do expect to have them back this week, it’s Indiana, a Big Ten matchup game. We’re super excited to get over there and see where we’re at with that.”

On Larry Gies:

“Thank you to Larry Gies, we’ve had a lot of special memories over the last couple days. Just an awesome, awesome person. It sounds crazy; to give $100 million and that’s obviously an awesome thing in itself, but what I’ve just been blown away the things that he gives personally. His time, his mentorship with our players, his care. He says a lot of great things about Josh. I don’t think that gift ever happens if it went for Josh Whitman, his relationship with with Larry Gies, and to have $100 million jump on our stadium and everything else that Josh and his crew will put together just speaks volumes of where this program is at.” 

On flipping the swap at halftime and what will be performed at follow to keep away from that being obligatory:

“You know, I think we got to learn from our opportunities. I’m going to take a glass half full over the glass half empty. The good news was we responded really well in the second half. We’re 80 to nine in the second half. Obviously, we got to improve on the first half, but I am really excited about our growth at the halftime. And what was, what was that moment and how we responded to it.”

On Luke Altmyer’s consolation within the RPO and proceed to unlock with him and throughout the offense:

“I think a little bit of you have to take what the defense gives you. But on the same account, Luke’s a really intelligent player. He’s an accurate ball placer. I think you do some things at the line of scrimmage once he’s in rhythm. Luke is a rhythm guy, though, so I think that the key is to find that rhythm and get him stay with it. That could be just as important as the play call itself, in my opinion.”

On the runnings backs getting right into a rhythm:

“Once I knew Aiden wasn’t going, we kind of knew offensively he was going to carry the workload. I always, in my career, have always grabbed the running back when he runs that play, and I just grab it when I said, today’s your day. I think today will be a day we look back on, and you feel that you could put the team on your back. And it’s kind of ironically how it happened in that third and fourth quarter. And, you know, Ca’Lil comes in there and has a nice change of pace. But, Kaden Feagin, I thought this week began to show some things that you’d seen him kind of get close. There was a play last week where he could have just pulled his leg through. And then today, there are several of those. I thought he did. And then he just listen, you got a business decision when you want to make a tackle on him right, you don’t know if you’re gonna go high or low or jump onto the back or or fall down, but it was a really big, powerful back with a lot of great attitude and really good upside. “

On connecting with Ashton Hollins and the way he is regarded in follow:

“Consistency, a guy who is the same person everyday, defendable. A guy who has kept his head down and worked and worked, been in this program with coach Fleming for a while, a man of great faith, a man of great character. He’s rangy, creating a catch radius. He got speed out there, we put him in for that play because of his speed, his ability to run and stride and to make two great back to back plays. Nobody was surprised, done it in practice, banged up his two shoulders last year, so it’s really cool to see his resiliency and his character stand out. Coolest moment for our whole staff to see the whole night, really excited for him and excited to see where he goes with it”

On the locker room at halftime:

“Extremely frustrated, a whole lot of frustration. We knew this wasn’t us, and respected what they were doing. We weren’t really unified, somebody each play just not clicking or to play good football it’s all of the guys doing the right thing. There’s too many times were they miss a drive or it didn’t happen, they capitalize on it in the first half, frustration because we know we are better. I got to be better across the whole offense, and we know we will attack our weaknesses, maximizing our strengths is what it’s going to be. We are excited man”

On when he felt like he discovered his rhythm within the second half:

“Yeah the first drive for sure, got the ball, playing fast. We did some things the first half, i think beating them on the attack and being the aggressor in the second half. Playing fast and not giving them a whole lot of time to communicate,our talents are really great, we are able to use our abilities just to get on the ball and roll off, be physical and be fast. A lot of energy. No one was moping around at halftime, if anything it was a wake up call for sure. We were frustrated, we were not upset or sad . We just attacked. We knew that the second half was going to be a good one for us.”

On the defensive room after the shutout:

“I imply it is vital, all of us acknowledge that it is a exhausting factor to do to maintain a group at zero, however they performed properly. I feel that we simply did that. We performed the sport how we needed to play it, and it is superior to see that donut on the scoreboard.

On Kenenna‘s aim line cease:

“I mean that’s huge just the awareness of him being on the edge and making that play. I was in there I got a glimpse of it, but it was really cool to see. He’s playing great football, and I love to see that.”

On what that cease meant for the group:

“I think it’s huge. It proves our DNA, you know that toughness factor, like it doesn’t matter what happened that we got down into that zone, we just have to make the plays and ultimately, be tough enough, be aware enough. Like I said, get a stop essentially.”

On the second half mentality:

“I imply he was saying some phrases that we would have liked to listen to, basically, and all of us knew that, finally all of us knew that defensively, we’re doing issues that have been uncharacteristic of us and issues that we do not wish to placed on tape. And so, yeah, I feel it actually simply was reinforcing the issues that we have been already pondering in our thoughts. And it is good to see from him that he is aware of, he is aware of that we will be higher too. He believes in us. 

On messaging from Coach Bielema that sparked improved second half:

“It’s just energy. It really helps the whole team to know we got to get it going, right now. We can execute. We know how to run these plays, but we just have to do our one eleventh. That was a big thing this weekend with our keys of victory because you just have to do your job. That’s all it really was. We knew the plays, we knew what were were doing, but just do your job.”

On getting going within the second half:

“Yeah it definitely felt good to get going again and get the rhythm going. It’s been a long road coming from this injury, so just to have success and go out and have success again feels really good.”

On the sensation amongst the group within the halftime locker room:

“I mean very raw. We were all pretty frustrated with the way we performed, but a lot of guys were saying, ‘keep your head up because all we got to do is execute’. Just do your job, it’s that simple. I mean, we were all ready to get back out there in the second half and do our job like we were all saying.”

On 4th and aim on the finish of the half:

“You know, going into that, we know that they’re on the goal line. That we got to get a stop here or they’re going to get a touchdown. We don’t want them to get that momentum going into the half. One thing our coach always preaches is double-dipping, and we know that is probably one of their game plans in that moment. So doing everything we can to get them off the field and our 1/11th was everything that was going through my mind.”

On what he noticed to make the TFL:

“I saw open space, I saw tight end flashing back and just reacting off the ball knowing a split-second matters. It was definitely something that I’m thankful for my coaches putting us in a great call to be able to execute like that. Thank you to my teammates for being able to hold their gaps and do their 1/11th. At the end of the day, I may be the one who made the tackle, but if it wasn’t for everyone else, it’s not going to be there.”

On Coach Bielema’s demeanor at halftime:

“He said his hand hurt, that’s the biggest thing. But one thing about Coach B is he’s always going to try and get us back on the straight and narrow. Try to get us focused on the task at hand and call us out when he thinks we can do better. He tries to squeeze everything out of us. The way that he does it is a way that we respond to well. You want a coach that can be able to push you like that, knowing that you can play much better than you’re showing right now. It really speaks to his forward thinking, knowing that we have a tough schedule going on ahead and knowing we need to play better every game.”