Huskies Get Out Of The Blocks, Beat Illinois To Finish Line

Even with rain cascading down hard at kickoff, the University Washington football team looked ready to play against Illinois.

To know this was to scan the Husky Stadium sideline before anyone took the field and locate starting offensive guard John Mills.

He was the one head-butting fellow freshman Donovan Robinson.

Robinson, a linebacker, wore a helmet -- Mills did not.

After going four consecutive games without scoring in the first quarter, the Huskies strapped their hats on, pushed across a game-opening touchdown to break that drought and didn't stop until they had emerged with a 42-25 victory over the Illini.

A week after a tough loss at Michigan, the UW (6-2 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) became bowl eligible with this outcome and matched last season's win total.

"We came out ready to go today," UW coach Jedd Fisch said. "I really like the way they answered the bell."

Denzel Boston signals first down while Carver Willis shares in the moment. | Dave Sizer photo

It helped that offensive tackle Carver Wills and Mills were cleared to return to the offensive line after three- and two-game absences. They did their part to give quarterback Demond Williams Jr. an impenetrable pocket.

Williams threw a touchdown pass to freshman Dezmen Roebuck on each of the Huskies' first two possessions, linking up with him from 13 yards each time, and this slow start stuff was put to rest for now.

Like it or not, Mills had to wear a helmet all this time.

From the outset, the Husky big three came to play.

Williams completed 26 of 33 passes for 280 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Wide receiver Denzel Boston had a career-best 10 catches and 153 yards to go with a scoring grab, and threw a touchdown pass.

And running back Jonah Coleman scored his 14th and 15th touchdowns of the season, one by rush and the other on that trick pass play from Boston.

Defensive tackle Simote Pepa has his helmet ripped off and gets a hand to the face against Illinois. | Dave Sizer photo

"I'm just thankful for my protection today," Williams said, going without a sack for just the second time in a game this season.

After taking the opening kickoff, the Huskies used 10 plays to move 75 yards and put one on the scoreboard. Williams went 5-for-6 passing in getting his team upfield. The scoreboard crackled to life with the first UW first-quarter score at home since the UC Davis game 49 days earlier.

Williams found Roebuck in a crowd of of three Illini defenders just inside the end zone and threaded the ball to him at the 9:31 mark of the opening quarter.

Once Illinois (5-3, 2-2) responded with David Olano's 33-yard field goal, the UW moved for another first-quarter touchdown, with Roebuck doing the scoring honors once more.

This time, the first-year pass-catcher hauled in a Williams pass as he ran right to left in the end zone, just getting a foot down with a defender trailing him.

"Just grateful for every opportunity and to capitalize when the ball comes my way," Roebuck said.

With 46 seconds left in the first period, the Huskies held a14-3 lead and felt a little vindicated after so many documented slow starts.

Now the trick for the UW was to play the next three quarters like they mattered, too.

However, Illinois wouldn't make it easy. The Illini made the second quarter their domain for the longest time by taking the lead on a pair of Luke Altmyer TD throws.

Denzel Boston tries to elude a couple of Illini tacklers. | Dave Sizer photo

He first lobbed a 2-yard pass to wide receiver Collin Dixon, who beat cornerback Ephesians Prysock to the ball, capping a 14-play, 75-yard drive.

After a 3-and-out, the Illini cranked out a 79-yard drive in 10 plays with a similar finish. Altmayer threw another soft one for the end zone, this one going to tight end Tanner Arkin over the reach of safety Alex McLaughlin.

With 1:55 left in the half, Illinois led 17-14 and plenty of momentum, with the Husky defense often back on its heels.

Yet there was just enough time for the UW to score again, once more on a touchdown pass, only not how you might imagine it.

Jonah Coleman catches a touchdown pass from wide receiver Denzel Boston against Illinois. | Dave Sizer photo

On first-and-10 from the Illini 12, Williams threw the ball backward to Boston, who showed off a talent not seen before on Saturdays.

The junior wide receiver delivered a perfect spiral to Coleman, who easily hauled in the football in the end zone without anyone near him. With 40 seconds until intermission, the Huskies had reclaimed the lead for good at 21-17.

"It was great when they made the play call," Boston said. "We've been practicing it over a year. I just took a deep breath and let it rip."

The third quarter belonged to the Huskies, who pushed across the only score over those 15 minutes with Coleman providing a dazzling short-yardage run.

On second-and-1 from the Illini 7, Coleman took a handoff and headed to the right. He made one tackler miss and leaped over another, and landed in the end zone for a 28-17 UW lead with 7:45 remaining in the period.

Near the end of the quarter, the Huskies picked up something else that had been eluding them.

A takeaway.

Linebackers Xe'ree Alexander and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale bring down Illinois back Aiden Laughery. | Dave Sizer photo

Cornerback Tacario Davis intercepted an Altmayer pass at the Illinois 30, which. was caused by UW freshman linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale who trailed the receiver, and Davis returned it 34 yards to the Illinois 36.

Seven plays later and into the fourth quarter, Williams threw a 6-yard TD pass to Boston and the Huskies led 35-17 with 14:39 left to play.

Illinois wasn't finished hanging around. The Illini used a pair of penalties on the same play -- roughing the passer and sideline interference -- to move into scoring position.

With the crowd booing loudly, tight end Jordan Anderson took a handoff and scored on a 1-yard plunge. Altmyer threw a 2-point conversion pass to another tight end, Cole Rusk, and the UW led 35-25 with 11:07 remaining.

The UW tacked on a last touchdown when Williams rolled to his right and dumped off a 2-yard scoring toss to tight end Decker DeGraaf for a 42-25 advantage with 8:16 to go.

To the end, the Huskies survived Williams ill-advisedly taking on an Illinois tackler head on in a big collision, bouncing off and jumping to his feet unharmed, having won that battle. Still, that was extremely risky.

"Understanding it was third-and-long, I was just trying to get a first down for my team," the quarterback said.

Countered his coach, "I don't like to see it. It was quite a play. We have to continue to remind him. We could got for it on fourth-and-2."

Boston went down after tiptoeing down the sideline to get close to the end zone and limping badly had to be helped off the field by a couple of trainers.

Yet a short time later, he was running back on to the field, waving his arms to get a response from the crowd and offering an amazing recovery.

For the Huskies, it's not how you start, but how you finish. But starting fast makes things just a little bit easier.

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