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Illinois vs. Purdue Football: Live Game Blog and Updates

Instant analysis as the No. 23 Illini host the Boilermakers in Week 7 with the Cannon Trophy on the line

Jason Langendorf

Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Luke Zardzin (42) recovers a fumble in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Luke Zardzin (42) recovers a fumble in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
In this story:

Overtime: Illinois 50, Purdue 49

Down by 1, one 3 yards away from one of the biggest college football upsets since ... well, since last week. But after entering the game at 1-4, considered three-touchdown underdogs and relying on his backup quarterback, maybe Boilers coach and former Illini defensive coordinator Ryan Walters figured he had nothing to lose. (Narrator: He did.) QB Ryan Browne found himself immediately backpedaling out of the shotgun in the face of blitz pressure, and it was LB Dylan Rosiek who bore down, gave chase and dropped Browne for a sack that ended the game and brought the house down at Memorial Stadium. Illini win, 50-49. What. A. Finish.

Overtime: The Tie That Binds?

At this point, why not go for broke? On the first play of overtime, QB Luke Altmyer fakes the late handoff, spies his favorite target breaking into the end zone with one defender to beat, then lofts a beauty over the top to WR Pat Bryant – touchdown. On the extra point, K David Olano gives Illinois a 50-43 lead. Think it'll last? Nope. After Boilers RB Devin Mockobee scats for a big gain on Purdue's ensuing possession, WR Arhmad Branch takes the handoff for a right-to-left end-around scoring run. Surely the Boilers kick to tie the game and keep this thing going, yeah?

End of Regulation: Illinois 43, Purdue 43

Fourth Quarter: How Did We Get Here?

Inside a minute left, taking over on their own 27, the Illini are forced to swing for the fences. QB Luke Altmyer connects, finding WR Pat Bryant in single coverage along the right sideline for a 32-yard gain. A play later, Altmyer is sacked for a loss of 7, dropping the Illinois out of field goal range. Over? Not yet. Two plays later, on third-and-17 and with just 13 seconds left, Altmyer scrambles and finds WR Hank Beatty on the left sideline for a first down. After taking a last-gasp shot at the the end zone, the Illini turn it over to K David Olano for a 38-yarder to tie the game. And it's good. Somehow, it's knotted at 43-43 and the Illini and Boilers are starting fresh.

Fourth Quarter: Unreal and Un-Realer

Disaster for the Illini: QB Ryan Browne is nearly sacked twice and picked off once, but he slips away and marches the Boilers downfield to set up a 2-yard scoring run by RB Devin Mockobee with 1:35 to play. With Purdue having cut the lead to 40-35, Illinois just needs to field the kickoff cleanly and grind out a first down to put the finishing touches on a too-close win. Instead, the onside kick squirts through the first line of Illini and hops into the hands of Boilers DB Tarrion Grant. Unreal. Even un-realer: Two plays after the Boilers take over just inside Illini territory, Browne tosses a terrific ball to Mockobee on a corner route into the back left of the end zone for a touchdown. After Browne – the unlikeliest of heroes – throws for the 2-point conversion, Purdue goes up 43-40.

Fourth Quarter: Breathing Room?

With the offense sputtering just a bit on third-and-7 from the Purdue 24, Altmyer calls his own number again, slipping up the middle off the dropback for a 14-yard gain. Moments later, with 5:05 left to play, RB Josh McCray bulldozed from 3 yards out to finish off the drive and score his third touchdown of the day. Even after a failed 2-point conversion, the Illini are able to put a bit more distance between themselves and the Boilers, 40-28.

Fourth Quarter: Key Conversion for Illinois

Big moment: Third-and-6 from the Illinois 45, Illini ball. If the offense fails to convert, Illinois is one Purdue drive away from somehow surrendering the lead. Instead, QB Luke Altmyer drops back, scrambles right and, after luring in a pair of Boilers defenders who were caught between the quarterback and RB Josh McCray, dumped over the top to McCray for a big gain and a first down. Crisis – for now – averted.

Fourth Quarter: Purdue Won't Pack It In

QB Ryan Browne play action freezes the Illinois D just enough to open up the middle for TE Max Klare to break into the open and snag a floater from Browne. Moments later, on first-and-goal from the Illinois 8, Browne a well-designed play from the Boilers left the Illini chasing WR Jaron Tibbs on a corner route where Browne connected easily. Purdue cuts the lead again, now to 34-28 after a successful two-point conversion.

Fourth Quarter: Altmyer Gets His Legs Under Him

Early in the fourth, on second-and-7 at midfield, QB Luke Altmyer drops back, looks right – where all his receivers are occupied in coverage – then looks left and finds ... nothing. So it's off to the races. Altmyer tucks and runs down the right sideline for a 36-yard gain. Two plays later, Altmyer strikes again, running a fake draw out of the shotgun and following a lead block into the end zone for a 13-yard score. On the extra kick, Illinois extends its lead to 34-20.

Third Quarter: Illinois 27, Purdue 20

Third Quarter: There's Trickery Afoot

After the Illinois offense failed to convert on fourth-and-short late in the quarter, the Boilers, on second-and-nine from their own 31, pulled off a flea flicker that fooled the Illini secondary and gave QB Ryan Browne all the time in the world to underthrow TE Max Klare just a touch – just to be certain – on the right sideline. Klare nearly rumbled into the end zone with Illini DB Kaleb Patterson hanging on for dear life. The (only) upshot for Illinois: The D shut down Browne and the Boilers inside the 10-yard line and held Purdue to a field goal.

Third Quarter: Illinois' Protection Breaks Bad

At 7:43 in the third, on Illinois' first offensive snap after the defense gave up a big play, the offense followed suit: The Boilers' sent extra pressure on a QB Luke Altmyer dropback that was doomed from the start. Altmyer eluded one defender streaking off the edge, but never saw the Boilermaker bearing down from the back side. Altmyer coughed up the ball on the hit, and Boilers DE Will Heldt scooped it off the bounce and zipped into the end zone to cut Purdue's deficit to 27-17 after the extra point.

Third Quarter: Illini D Gives One Away

First-and-10 from the Purdue 47, QB Ryan Browne finally catches a break – literally. WR Jahmal Edrine found himself in a field of green downfield after the Illini badly busted a coverage, and Browne – who passed for just seven yards in the first half – connected for a 53-yard touchdown. After the kick, Purdue cuts the Illinois lead to 27-10.

Third Quarter: Wind? What Wind?

QB Luke Altmyer and the Illini air raid take a few shots through the winds swirling into Memorial Stadium but come up empty. No worries: K David Olano cranks a 49-yarder into the wind with leg to spare. Illinois nudges its lead to 27-3.

Halftime: Illinois 24, Purdue 3

The Illini are officially heating up. "Hot Ones" host and Illinois alum Sean Evans knows what's up:

Second Quarter: Weird, Wild Stuff

Inside 2 minutes left in the half, the Illini kick off after Franklin's score, only to have the ball literally come right back to them. With the kick hung up in the air, Purdue failed to field it and the ball caromed backwards into the waiting hands of Luke Zardzin. Moments later, on third-and-20 QB Luke Altmyer and WR Zakhari Franklin played pitch and catch for a 27-yard gain – which led two plays later to Altmyer rolling out and dumping off to RB Josh McCray for an six-yard TD reception. Illinois goes up 24-3 headed into halftime.


Second Quarter: Illini Find Paydirt Again

With QB Luke Altmyer getting time from his offensive line, he found a rhythm on a drive late in the first half, spreading the ball around and, finally, finding WR Zakhari Franklin on a nifty little play-action pass that allowed the senior to jog in to the end zone from eight yards out. Finally! After the extra point, Illinois extends its lead to 17-3.

Second Quarter: Illinois' Defense Wraps Up

With Purdue's offense threatening after a key third-down conversion, a brutal unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Illinois and a breakout run by Boilers RB Devin Mockobee, Illini LBs Seth Coleman and Dylan Rosiek stepped up on back-to-back plays with probably touchdown saving tackles – Coleman snuffing Purdue QB Ryan Browne and Rosiek bringing down a Boilers receiver on third-and-goal in the open field, holding Purdue to a field goal. Illinois leads 10-3.

Second Quarter: One Heckel of a Tackle

After a clunky three-and-out for the Illini offense, a low punt from P Hugh Robertson created an opportunity for Purdue return man Dillon Thieneman – until it was snatched away by freshman DB and gunner Tanner Heckel, who shed his blocker and timed a superb solo tackle to limit Thieneman to no gain.

First Quarter: Illinois 10, Purdue 0

The Pat Bryant Show is live. On third and 12 late in the first quarter, WR Bryant gets single coverage when split wide right and shakes loose on a post route, and QB Luke Altmyer finds him for a big gain. On the next play, Bryant goes in motion, reverses course and snags a flip from Altmyer in the flats to convert another first down. That sets up an 11-yard scoring run to RB Josh McCray, who cuts back against the grain and scampers into the end zone untouched. Altmyer is up to 111 passing yards (a career high in a first quarter), and David Olano's kick gives Illinois a 10-0 lead.

First Quarter: K David Olano Converts

After a long pass over the middle from QB Luke Altmyer that put the Illini in scoring territory, K David Olano thumped one through the uprights for a 30-yard field goal. Illinois continues its success on opening drives.

First Quarter: OL Brandon Henderson in the Lineup

Brandon Henderson, one of the Illini heroes at Nebraska, makes his first college start – at right guard – against Purdue.

First Quarter: Purdue QB Ryan Brown Gets Loose

So ... Boilermakers QB Ryan Browne, a first-time starter replacing injured Hudson Card, can run. On Purdue's first drive, he scrambled to convert the Boilers' first third-down situation, then picked up another first on a designed run moments later. When Browne completed a quick-hitter to the sideline on fourth-and-short in Illini territory, DB Torrie Cox Jr. made an excellent solo tackle to snuff the threat.

Pregame Injury Report

The big news: Running back Kaden Feagin is out for this one. With Illinois' excellent depth and varied collective skill set at the position, and with Purdue allowing 239.2 rushing yards per game, the Illini shouldn't worry much about missing Feagin's contributions. FS1 reports that Aidan Laughery will start in Feagin's place.

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Jason Langendorf
JASON LANGENDORF

Jason Langendorf is a longtime journalist who has covered football and basketball, among other sports, for ESPN, Sporting News, the Chicago Sun-Times and numerous other publications.

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