3-2-1 Recap: Illini Complete Miraculous Comeback at Michigan State in 37-34 win
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After the largest comeback in school history, Illinois is bowl eligible.
The Illini (6-4, 4-3 in Big Ten) managed to outscore Michigan State 27-3 in the final quarter and completed the comeback with a five-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Peters to tight end Daniel Barker.
"It's insane," Illinois tailback Dre Brown said. "We keep adding to the accolades. Wisconsin and this game are probably two of the bigger wins in Illinois football history, so to be a part of that is amazing. I'll be glad to be watching it on BTN Classic someday, and it'll be a lot of fun."
Peters finished with a career-high 369 yards and three touchdowns through the air. The Michigan transfer completed passes to eight different receivers and led a three-minute comeback drive to give Illinois its only and final lead of the day.
"I mean, for some programs, getting to bowl game may not be that big of a deal," Illinois head coach Lovie Smith said. "For our program and where we are right now, we needed to cross this hurdle to take some more big steps."
Illinois trailed 28-3 and completed the 25-point comeback for the biggest comeback in program history. The previous highs were 20 points at Michigan in 1999 and 20 points vs. Rutgers in 2005. ESPN's win probability calculator gave Michigan State a 99.6% chance to win entering the third quarter. Illinois' 27 fourth-quarter points vs Michigan State were the third-most by an FBS team in a game this season. (UCLA 29 vs. Washington State, Wake Forest 28 vs. Louisville)
After a month-long hibernation, the Michigan State offense finally got its wake-up call playing an undermanned Illinois defense.
Without the services of defensive end Oluwole Betiku Jr., linebacker Jake Hansen and linebacker Milo Eiffler (after his first-quarter ejection), the Illini defense lacked much of any punch in its front seven. Michigan State, which had 17 points total in its last three games, found wide-open receivers and huge running lanes in the middle of the field.
Since Sept. 7, Michigan State freshman tailback Elijah Collins hadn't topped 76 yards in a game this season. The Detroit native reached the century mark early in the third quarter and finished with 170 yards on 24 carries thanks to missed assignments and tackles by the Illini's front seven. Michigan State (5-4, 3-3), which arrived Saturday as the 13th-best rushing attack in the Big Ten Conference, became the 12th team in the last two years to top the 200-yard mark on the ground against Illinois.
Michigan State junior Cody White, who was asked to pick up the slack for injured leading receiver Darrell Stewart, abused the second and third level of the Illinois defense for 128 yards on seven catches.
The Illini offense was limited to just 36 on the ground through three quarters and quarterback Brandon Peters was harassed all day (12 quarterback hurries and three sacks). Illinois (6-4, 4-3 in Big Ten) had seven drives end via the three-and-out variety.
If it weren't for two Michigan State turnovers late in the second quarter and a goalline stand on MSU's first drive of the second half, Illinois could've easily been staring down a 42-3 deficit in the first half. However, the takeaway magic of Lovie Smith's defense and a 46-yard bomb with "0:00" reading on the first-half clock, gave Illinois a reasonable chance at a come-from-behind victory.
Illinois will now have two more chances to increase its win total for possible better bowls. The Illini will travel to No. 18 Iowa on Nov. 23 and host a 1-8 Northwestern squad on Nov. 30 to close out the regular season.
Here are three major takeaways from this exhibition win for the Illini:
Illini big-play offense defeats physical MSU defense
Illinois quarterback Brandon Peters finishes with 369 yards and three touchdowns and most of them on one-on-one sideline throws vertically down the field. After being reduced to nothing but big plays in the pass game in its last two games, Illini offensive coordinator Rod Smith dialed up the deep throws one more time and found success against a physical defensive secondary playing press man-to-man coverage. Illinois' 27 fourth-quarter points vs Michigan State were the third-most by an FBS team in a game this season. (UCLA 29 vs. Washington State, Wake Forest 28 vs. Louisville)
Lovie Ball saves the Illini 'D' once again
Two takeaways in the second quarter, interceptions by Sydney Brown and Stanley Green nipped very positive drives by the Spartans offense. Throughout the game, MSU quarterback Brian Lewerke had three turnovers and nearly a fourth on a fumble if the Big Ten Conference replay officials hadn't overruled a goal-line stand strip by the Illini.
Brown would have a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown that everybody in the stadium thought would tie the game but James McCourt pulled the extra point wide left leaving MSU ahead 31-30.
Illini's doughnut defense dominated in the middle
There must have been a point early in this loss where Illinois senior linebacker Dele Harding looked to his left and right and might not have recognized his teammates standing there. Without the services of injured weakside linebacker Jake Hansen and strong-side linebacker Milo Eiffler due to an early ejection, the middle of the field was open and vulnerable to this Michigan State passing game. Fifth-year senior quarterback Brian Lewerke constantly hit White several times against backpedaling Illini linebackers and safeties and also utilized the two-headed monster at tight end named Matt Dotson and Matt Seybert.