CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois didn’t need long to separate itself from Southern Illinois, and once the Illini found their rhythm, the game turned into a showcase for Collin Dixon and a comfortable 48-10 win Saturday.
Katin Houser did most of the setup work, throwing two second-quarter touchdown passes to Dixon as Illinois pulled away. Dixon finished with eight catches for 131 yards, and his scoring surge kept rolling: he now has seven TD catches, which is already the single-season record at Gies Memorial Stadium with four home games still to play.
“Collin's start is incredible,” said Illinois coach Bret Bielema. “He's extremely talented, so humble, and he works his absolute (backside) off every day. He's really special.”
Houser was sharp throughout, going 23-of-29 for 305 yards with one interception. Hudson Clement added five receptions for 69 yards, extending his streak of games with a catch to 30 straight, the sixth-longest active run in the nation.
The biggest run of the day came from Aiden Laughery. On the play immediately after Houser was sacked for the first time this season, Laughery burst 77 yards down the Illinois sideline for a touchdown late in the first quarter to push the Illini ahead for good, 14-7. It was the longest run for Illinois in five years, and Laughery finished with 93 yards on just four carries, plus a score.
Illinois also got a defensive touchdown when Matthew Bailey jumped an overthrown D.J. Williams pass and returned it 88 yards for a score in the fourth quarter.
Southern Illinois entered with some momentum after a strong turnover stretch, but Illinois limited the Salukis to just one takeaway, an end zone interception by Sebastian Vargas in the third quarter. That was a big part of the difference, because Southern Illinois needed extra possessions to hang around and never got them.
Williams finished 20-of-38 passing for Southern Illinois (2-2). He had been in the mix for the Walter Payton Award last season, but Illinois kept him from making much happen on the ground, holding him to 7 rushing yards on seven carries after he ran for four touchdowns last week against Southeast Missouri. As a team, the Salukis managed only 29 rushing yards.
“There were some good moments, but the bottom line is we just got beat 48-10, so it should be a quiet locker room,” said Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill. “Now it's time for (Missouri Valley Football Conference) play and they all matter.”
For Illinois, the day offered some signs of progress in areas that had been shaky early. The tackling looked cleaner, and the run game was more effective than in the first two games. Whether that holds up against tougher competition is still to be seen, but it was a step forward.
The result also kept Illinois perfect against FCS teams since the division was formed in 1978. The Illini are now 21-0, and Bielema is 4-0 in those games, with Illinois outscoring those opponents 176-13. Southern Illinois was reportedly paid $525,000 for the trip to Champaign.
Illinois opened the season with three home games, and this one closed with a familiar kind of separation. The program also has a bit of history against the Salukis: former Illinois star and two-time Super Bowl champion Howard Griffith ran for an NCAA-record eight touchdowns in the Illini’s 56-21 win over Southern Illinois in 1990.
Illinois heads to No. 6 Ohio State next Saturday. Southern Illinois visits Murray State next Saturday.
In Other News...
Illinois May Have A New Offensive Star Before Big Ten Play
Illinois rolled past Southern Illinois 48-10, and the biggest sign of what might be coming for the Illini offense came from Collin Dixon. Katin Houser found him for two second-quarter touchdown passes, and Dixon finished with eight catches for 131 yards while adding another entry to the record book at Gies Memorial Stadium with a single-season touchdown reception mark.
Bret Bielema had plenty of reason to praise Dixon after the game, especially with Big Ten play looming and Illinois looking for reliable playmakers who can tilt the field. Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill was left to absorb the loss and turn the page toward conference play of his own, while Illinois gets a clearer picture of how dangerous this passing game can be when Dixon is involved. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Dixon Is Forcing Illinois Fans To Rethink The Record Book
Collin Dixon has turned the first three games into a conversation piece for Illinois fans, and not just because of how quickly he has piled up yards and touchdowns. The wide receiver has seven receiving scores and 369 yards so far, enough to put his name on top of the record at Gies Memorial Stadium and to start drawing a fresh look at what the Illinois passing game can produce when one target keeps finding the end zone.
What makes it even more intriguing is how much history he is already chasing this early in the season. Dixon is close to tying and possibly breaking the Illinois single-season receiving touchdown mark, and he is already halfway to the career record as well, which says plenty about the pace he has set. The bigger question now is whether he can keep this kind of scoring run going long enough to turn a hot start into something that rewrites the record book. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Win Eases One Concern But Raises Another For Fans
Illinois opened the season with a comfortable 48-10 win over Southern Illinois, and the kind of result fans wanted to see after a summer of questions. The offense had stretches that looked sharp, with the line doing its part and Katin Houser putting together a productive day through the air, which at least gave Illinois something to build on heading into a tougher stretch.
Still, the final margin did not hide everything. Even with Southern Illinois limited to 10 points, there were defensive issues that showed up enough to keep the staff's attention, and the performance left a mixed feeling for fans who wanted a cleaner all-around start. One concern may have eased, but the next one is already waiting. [Read more 🡒]