Illini bowl over Minnesota, 44-17
The bowl talk can continue now without risk.
A victory last week only made the Illinois bowl eligible. By overwhelming Minnesota 44-17 in a Big Ten Conference football game Saturday night, the Illini are bowl-bound for the first time in six seasons.
The Illini can begin thinking about a warm-weather destination after handing Minnesota its eighth straight loss. Illinois ended a four-game Metrodome losing streak that dated to 1994.
Illinois manhandled the Gophers, piling up 429 yards of offense.
The Illini led 34-10 at halftime. Quarterback Juice Williams connected on two first-quarter touchdown passes and finished with a season-high 207 yards passing - falling 20 yards short of his career high. Williams had 174 yards passing in the first half.
Illini junior Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, scoring on runs of 64 and 33 yards to give him 16 TDs to break the school's single-season record. He also has 1,314 yards this season, only 16 yards short of the Illini single-reason record.
Illinois improved to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. The Illini hold third place in the league standings heading into a game at No. 1 Ohio State next Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC).
With one more win, the Illini would match their victory total in the last four years combined - an amazing turnaround under third-year coach Ron Zook.
Minnesota fell to 1-9 overall and 0-6 in the Big Ten in the first season under coach Tim Brewster, a captain when the Illini played in the 1984 Rose Bowl.
Williams completed touchdown passes of 47 yards to Jacob Willis and 22 yards to Jeff Cumberland for a 14-0 lead with 4:16 left in the first quarter.
Williams added a seven-yard touchdown run, and Mendenhall raced 64 yards for another score to build the 24-point halftime lead.
This game set up well for the Illini, who entered as the nation's eighth-best rushing team. Illinois averaged 240.6 yards rushing in its first nine games. Meanwhile, the Gophers had trouble stopping anybody on the ground.
Minnesota gave up 791 yards rushing in its previous two games - losses to Michigan and North Dakota State of the champiosnhip subdivision (formerly NCAA Division I-AA).
Minnesota's defense is ranked last nationally in total defense (536.7 yards per game) and passing defense (332.2) while also ranking last in the Big Ten in rushing defense (204.5).
The Gophers had given up 93 plays of 15 yards or more in their first nine games. Illinois had nine gains of 15 yards or more in the first half.
John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. For more coverage, read his Illini Talk blog at www.sj-r.com and www.pjstar.com.