CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In a thrilling overtime clash, Illinois emerged victorious against Purdue with a score of 50-49, highlighted by a decisive 25-yard touchdown pass from Luke Altmyer to Pat Bryant. Dylan Rosiek played a crucial defensive role, sacking Purdue’s Ryan Browne during a critical 2-point conversion attempt, sealing the win for the No. 23 ranked Fighting Illini.
Illinois improved its record to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, while Purdue’s struggles continued, leaving them at 1-5 and winless in conference play at 0-3. This marked a significant turnaround for Illinois, who has struggled against Purdue in recent years, having lost four consecutive games against them and seven of the past eight matches. Additionally, Illinois had not registered a victory over the Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium since 2010.
With the game on the line, David Alano kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired in regulation, leveling the score at 43 and extending the game into overtime. Ahrmad Branch scored on a 3-yard run on his only carry of the day in the extra period for Purdue, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Altmyer showcased his skills, completing 20 of 34 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns. Josh McCray also had a notable performance with 78 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and a receiving touchdown, while Bryant tallied four receptions for 104 yards.
Ryan Browne, who stepped in as a starter after Hudson Card was sidelined with a concussion, turned in a commendable performance himself. The redshirt freshman rushed for 118 yards on 17 attempts and completed 18 of 26 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, overcoming a lackluster first half where he only threw for 9 yards.
Max Klare was a standout receiver for Purdue, making six catches for 133 yards, while Mockobee added 102 yards on 11 carries. Despite facing a daunting 27-3 deficit at halftime, Purdue mounted an impressive comeback, scoring two touchdowns within a blink of an eye: a 53-yard touchdown pass from Browne to Jahmal Edrine and a fumble return by Will Heldt.
After a double-reverse flea flicker resulted in a 62-yard completion to Klare, a 24-yard field goal from Spencer Porath climbed Purdue to a 27-20 deficit. Altmyer then halted Purdue’s momentum, running for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Yet, Browne responded with an 8-yard touchdown pass, followed by a successful 2-point conversion to knot the game.
Illinois regained the lead at 40-28 thanks to McCray’s 3-yard touchdown run, but with less than two minutes remaining, Purdue surged back, narrowing the gap to 40-35 with a 2-yard touchdown run by Mockobee. Following an onside kick recovery by Ben Freehill, Browne found Mockobee again in the end zone, pulling Purdue ahead for the first time at 43-40 with just 46 seconds remaining in regulation.
Moving forward, Illinois can now focus on upcoming challenges after their hard-fought victory over Purdue, which has historically been a troubling opponent. They look ahead to crucial back-to-back Big Ten matchups, hosting No. 24 Michigan and traveling to face No. 3 Oregon.
On the other hand, Purdue faces tough prospects, having lost five straight since their initial win against Indiana State. Despite showing flashes of improvement, their upcoming schedule features formidable opponents, including three of the top four teams, presenting a significant challenge to their efforts.
In the realm of rankings, while Illinois’s narrow overtime victory over a struggling Purdue team may not boost their standing in the AP Top 25, it should also prevent a drop due to their essential win against a desperate adversary.