Illinois found a dramatic way to score its first victory over a Division I opponent since the last game of the 2002 season Saturday.
Down four points with 3 minutes 20 seconds to play, the Illini rallied to defeat Western Michigan 30-27 before a crowd of 51,452 at Memorial Stadium.
“I’m sure with three-something to go there were not a whole lot of people who gave us a chance to win,” Illinois coach Ron Turner said. “The guys showed what kind of heart and character they have. Down the stretch the offense stepped up, the special teams really stepped up and the defense stepped up when we needed them to.
“E.B. Halsey was great down the stretch.”
Halsey, a sophomore running back, laid the groundwork for the do-or-die drive when he returned Adam Anderson’s 54-yard punt 40 yards to the Western Michigan 40.
“That return definitely gave everyone some confidence, and me especially,” said redshirt freshman quarterback Brad Bower, playing in place of injured starter Jon Beutjer.
After the Illini drove to the Broncos 4-yard line in five plays, Halsey slashed through the middle to score with 62 seconds remaining. Thus did Illinois end an 11-game losing streak against Division I schools and improve this season’s record to 2-1.
“I knew the big ol’ guys [in the offensive line] wanted to run the ball,” Bower said. “Definitely, they were going to open a hole for E.B.”
Broncos quarterback Ryan Cubit had been having his way with the Illini defense, including a 3-yard TD pass with 6:56 left that gave the Broncos a 27-23 lead. But after allowing a first-down pass on the second play of Western’s next-to-last possession, the Illini defense stiffened and forced the punt that went to Halsey.
“Our defense made a great stop,” Halsey said. “We had to make a play to change the momentum. In my head I said, `Please, give a little time so I can make a play.’ I got it.”
Halsey caught the ball and headed up the middle, then veered to the left sideline before Scott Robins and Josh Behrens finally brought him down.
“Illinois came up with the big play when they really needed something,” Broncos coach Gary Darnell said.
It was the second of two outstanding special-teams plays by the Illini’s dynamic duo of sophomore running backs. The first was a 99-yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff by Pierre Thomas, who got a key block from Morris Virgil.
“After I passed up my wedge, in the corner of my eye I saw a defender coming across and I saw Morris,” Thomas said. “When I looked back again, the defender was gone. Then and there I knew we’d sprung it.”
If Thomas’ spectacular run created the illusion that this was going to be an easy game, the notion was quickly dispelled as Western Michigan dominated the game offensively. Cubit completed 27 of 41 passes for 273 yards as the Broncos rolled up 406 total yards to Illinois’ 353 and ran 76 plays to the Illini’s 64.
“No question, the defense stepped up at the right time,” Turner said.
Highlighting the defensive stand that put the finishing touches on the victory was James Cooper’s sack of Cubit that pushed the Broncos back to their own 7. On fourth-and-14 at his own 26, Cubit had his protection break down again, forcing him to scramble. He was hit and fumbled at his own 19, where Arthur Boyd III made the game-ending recovery for Illinois.
