Illinois is heading into a much-needed bye after one of its wildest wins of the season.
The Illini snapped a two-game skid Saturday with a 38-37 overtime escape against Michigan State, a game that swung on freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II stepping in for the injured Katin Houser. Clayton threw two touchdown passes, and the biggest one came in overtime when he found Hudson Clement for the winner. Illinois then finished the job on the other end by stopping Michigan State’s two-point conversion try.
Now sitting at 3-3, Illinois gets the weekend off before returning home to face No. 13 Oregon at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct.
- Kickoff will be either 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m.
CT, and the television network has not yet been set.
While football catches its breath, basketball is about to take center stage. Illinois men’s basketball opens exhibition play Saturday with a road trip to Cincinnati for a 4 p.m. CT tip.
Brad Underwood’s group enters the preseason after its first Final Four appearance in 21 years, and there’s still plenty of familiar production on hand. David Mirkovic, Andrej Stojakovic and the Ivisic twins are among the names expected to lead the next step for a roster trying to build on last season’s run. The Illini still have two more exhibitions before the regular season starts Nov. 2 against Fairleigh Dickinson.
Elsewhere, Illinois volleyball is trying to reset after a tough one. The Illini pushed No.
16 Purdue to five sets Sunday but came up short, dropping to 11-6 overall and 3-3 in Big Ten play. They’ll be back on the court Thursday against Michigan State.
Illinois soccer is also back home this week after a 2-1 loss to No. 10 UCLA. The Illini host Northwestern on Sunday as they work to turn around a difficult Big Ten season.
In Other News...
Illinois Suddenly Has A Bigger QB Question After Michigan State Win
Illinois got the win it needed against Michigan State, but the postgame conversation shifted quickly to the quarterback spot after Katin Houser left with a left hand injury. Freshman Michael Clayton II stepped in and gave the Illini a jolt, completing 6 of 8 passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns while helping push the game into overtime before Illinois came away with a 38-37 victory.
Claytons performance was notable not just because it steadied the offense in a tense spot, but because it put him in rare company in program history. He became the first true freshman at Illinois to throw at least two touchdown passes in a Big Ten win, which leaves the Illini with a much different kind of postgame question than they expected when the injury first hit. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Still Waiting On A Key Piece To Fully Join In
Illinois has been working through its preseason prep without David Mirkovic, a reminder that even in October, roster availability can shape the rhythm of a teams buildup. Mirkovic is coming back from offseason foot surgery, and he has finally started taking part in limited on-court practice, a small but meaningful step after spending the months since his injury on the sideline.
Brad Underwood said Mirkovic will not be available for the upcoming exhibition game, and there is still no set timeline for when hell fully return. For now, the Illini keep practicing and planning without one of the pieces they were expecting to have in the mix, which leaves his next step as one of the more closely watched parts of the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Sydney Brown Is Giving Illinois Fans A Real NFL Story To Watch
Sydney Browns latest NFL stop has given Illinois fans something concrete to follow, and it has come with a much bigger role than he had in Philadelphia. After the Falcons brought him in through a trade built around draft pick swaps, the former Fighting Illini safety has been on the field more often and has started to make that usage count, piling up 20 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass deflection in five games this season.
For Atlanta, Browns arrival matters beyond the box score because the secondary could look different after the season, with some of the safeties set to hit free agency. For Illinois, it is the kind of pro story that keeps a former standout in the conversation, and Browns run with the Falcons is now tied to a larger decision about where he fits next, either in Atlanta or somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]