ILLINI GAMEDAY Live Blog: FINAL - No. 16 Michigan 42, Illinois 25
Good morning from Memorial Stadium as Illinois (2-3, 0-2) hosts No. 16 Michigan (4-1, 2-1) for an 11 a.m. kickoff. Illinois, which is a 23-point underdog this morning, is coming off a 40-17 loss at Minnesota in which they gave up 332 yards rushing. Illinois is now starring down a two-game stretch where they host Michigan and Wisconsin next week for Homecoming.
We're a few hours away from game time with weather conditions via Weather.com in Champaign calling for a constant 15-20 mph wind after a consistent morning rain drizzle.
NOTE: We're live from the Illini Maven home office today but please join us as we live-blog and discuss the Illini vs. Gophers game here in our weekly Illini Gameday Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and in the bottom right-hand corner of the Illini Maven logo and click the follow button.
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No. 16 Michigan at Illinois
Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2019: 11 a.m. CST, Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.
Surface: Field Turf
Capacity: 60,670
Records: Michigan 4-1, 2-1 in Big Ten Conference, 10-3, 8-1 in 2018; Illinois 2-3, 0-2 in 2019, 4-8, 2-7 in 2018.
Line: Michigan by 23. Since 2000, Illinois has only been a double-digit home underdog against Michigan once (2004, Illini were 18-point home underdog) and the Wolverines won 30-19.
Series notes: Michigan holds a 70–23–2 lead in series. The Wolverines have won four in a row and have lost in Champaign only once since 1983 (a 38-13 victory over Michigan in 2009).
TV: ABC; Dave Pasch (PBP), Greg McElroy (analyst) & Tom Luginbill (sidelines)
Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Wes Lunt (analysis) & Steve Kelly (Pre/HT/Post) » The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, Sirius (134) / XM (210) satellite radio & SiriusXM Internet (968), and at FightingIllini.com.
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Illinois quarterback Matt Robinson (12) will start today for the Illini against No. 16 Michigan.
Jesse Johnson/USA TODAY Sports
BREAKING NEWS: Illinois head coach Lovie Smith announces on WDWS pre-game radio that Matt Robinson will start at QB today. Brandon Peters (undisclosed injury) is out today and freshman Isaiah Williams is available to play today.
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Uniform update: Illinois will be in blue helmets with a orange block 'I', blue jerseys with orange numbers and blue pants. Michigan will be in the classic wing-T helmets, white jerseys with blue numbers and blue pants.
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Chase Brown eligible to play: Illinois announces sophomore tailback Chase Brown is eligible to play today vs. No. 16 Michigan. Brown has been forced to sit out the first five games of the 2019 season after transferring from Western Michigan. The Canadian native had 71 carries for 352 yards (5.0 ypr), 10 receptions for 75 yards (7.5 ypc) and 12 kickoff returns for 227 yards (18.9 ypr) in the 2018 season.
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Two Michigan starters out: According to Michigan beat writer Angelique Chengelis of the Detroit News, two Wolverines starters are out today. Michigan will be without DB Lavert HIll or WR Nico Collins. Hill has started each of the first five games of the season at cornerback and has two interceptions this season. Collins is second on the team in receptions (13) and has two touchdowns.
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According to Jeremy Warner at IlliniInquirer/247Sports.com, the Illinois starting safeties today are Sydney Brown and Stanley Green. Tony Adams not starting today.
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FIRST QUARTER
Michigan wins the toss and defers to the second half. Illinois will get the ball first today.
13:22 left in 1st: No score - Illinois goes three and out and Blake Hayes shanks the punt. Nothing going right early for the Illini.
12:45 left in 1st: No score - Michigan has two first downs on two runs. There were missed tackles but the ball-carrier was already at least 7-8 yards downfield.
11:20 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - The Wolverines go 65 yards on five runs including a 29-yard touchdown run by Hassan Haskins - his first rushing touchdown of the season. Haskins gets out of a missed tackle and scores on a 29-yard TD run.
10:38 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - Illinois puts in freshman QB Isaiah Williams and the Illini go three and out after a sack, an encouraging run by Corbin and an incompletion.
6:48 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - Michigan continuing its dominance with the run game. Michigan has attempted one pass and has 15 total yards.
5:13 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - Another productive drive by Michigan stalls after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and a badly missed 34-yard FG by Quinn Nordin. The Illini get a stop and salvage some momentum.
4:52 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - Dre Brown with two productive yards and the Illini tempo is allowed to get going.
2:52 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - Matt Robinson showing some moxy in the pocket as Illini cross midfield but a false start and an intentional grounding call moves Illini back.
2:04 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 7, Illinois 0 - Hayes' punt after Illini drive stalls is shanked again - 22 yarder.
0:59 left in 1st - No. 16 Michigan 14, Illinois 0 - Illinois fails to set the edge on the run and Haskins goes for 28 yards around the end. Michigan then finds the end zone on a play-action pass from Patterson to Schoonmaker. Michigan goes 70 yards in five plays.
End of 1st - No. 16 Michigan 14, Illinois 0 - The Wolverines came into Champaign averaging 128.4 yards per game. After one quarter, they have 162 yards and 11.4 yards per rush.
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SECOND QUARTER
14:29 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 14, Illinois 0 - Back-to-back holding penalties for Lowe pushes the Illini back but Robinson showing some form here.
Next play is a sack on a poor decision by Robinson because...of course.
12:19 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 21, Illinois 0 - Illini's rugby-style punt is blocked. Michigan scored on the next play on a 7-yard TD run by Charbonnet. Everything falling apart quickly for Illini.
11:40 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 21, Illinois 0 - Isaiah Williams back in the game at quarterback for the Illini. Illinois has 75 total yards of offense. Illini go three-and-out.
10:59 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 21, Illinois 0 - A 70-yard punt by Blake Hayes that rolled 30-plus yards is downed at the 1-yard-line.
8:28 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 21, Illinois 0 - Michigan tailback Zach Charbonnet is ruled to fumble by the review is going on now. Ruling on the field is confirmed - fumble. Illinois ball.
7:15 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 21, Illinois 0 - On an intended incomplete pass, Williams' arm isn't fully forward after a sack. The ruling is a fumble. The ruling is reversed - incomplete pass.
6:22 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 0 - A 71-yard pitch-and-catch to Ronnie Bell includes a wide-open middle of the field and three missed tackles.
4:33 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 0 - MICHIGAN TD - A play-action pass by Patterson goes for a TD. Patterson is 7 of 10 for 150 yards and 2 TDs.
2:59 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 0 - Illini offense with Williams goes three-and-out (fifth today and third straight). Illinois with only four first downs today.
0:55 left in 2nd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 7 - Robinson returns and leads a 67-yard scoring drive that ends with a 23-yard TD to Imatorbhebhe.
Halftime - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 7 - Michigan has 205 yards rushing and Illinois has 133 total yards today. Illini are 0 of 7 on third downs. Michigan is averaging 21.4 yards per completion.
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THIRD QUARTER
11:13 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 7 - Michigan forced to punt and Matt Robinson has reinvigorated this Illini offense with his legs and his arm.
10:14 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 10 - ILLINOIS FG - After a 31-yard drive, James McCourt gets a 50-yard field goal (his third of 50 yards or more this season).
8:21 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 10 - Michigan RB Christian Turner fumbles the ball and it is recovered by Illinois defensive back Nate Hobbs. However, it appeared and was ruled Turner's knee was down.
6:28 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 10 - Illini tempo offense with Robinson behind center is making an aggressive Michigan defense play on its heels a bit.
5:15 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 10 - Josh Imatorbhebhe with an excellent 1-on-1 catch but also a solid throw by Robinson down the sidelines for 35 yards.
0:47 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 10 - Illinois uses its third and final timeout of the game on 2nd and goal from the 1-yard-line. Current third quarter yardages: Illinois 113, Michigan 6.
0:30 left in 3rd - No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 17 - ILLINOIS TD - A one-yard quarterback dive by Robinson and suddenly we have a game here in Champaign. A 7-minute, 27-second drive by the Illini that went for 80 yards.
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FOURTH QUARTER
14:54 left: No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 17 - The 14th fumble of Michigan's season is forced by Jake Hansen and recovered by Stanley Green. Illinois ball and the Illini are inside the red zone.
13:01 left: No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 23 - ILLINOIS TD & REVERSAL Robinson ruled with a TD on a quarterback draw but the review will show he's down at the 1-yard-line.
12:50 left: No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 25 - ILLINOIS TD & 2-POINT - Dre Brown goes for 1-yard TD. Illinois goes for two and gets a pass interference call on a broken play. Dre Brown gets the conversion on a run.
Matt Robinson's current stats: 15 of 23, 191 yards, TD - Redshirt freshman has played solid after the first drive of this game.
11:03 left: No. 16 Michigan 28, Illinois 25 - Penalties have killed the Illini all day (10th one for 95 yards is a personal foul facemask).
8:57 left: No. 16 Michigan 35, Illinois 25 - Michigan gets a 4th-and-3 with a Patterson draw call. Two plays later, Patterson gets his third TD of the day a 5-yard TD pass to Peoples-Jones.
FINAL: No. 16 Michigan 42, Illinois 25 - Illini (2-4, 0-3) score 25 unanswered points but can't dig out of 28-0 hole.