Illinois may have to finish its game against Michigan State without Katin Houser after the quarterback appeared to injure his hand late in the third quarter.
The sequence came after Houser scrambled, then overthrew Collin Dixon in the middle of the field. That pass was intercepted and returned back into Illinois territory, and Houser made the tackle on the play. Right after that touchdown-saving stop, he was seen heading to the locker room.
There was no immediate report on the injury, but Houser did not return for the next Illinois drive. True freshman Michael Clayton II took over at quarterback.
The timing could hardly have been worse for Illinois. The team was ahead by 13 points when Houser went down, and Michigan State scored on the possession immediately after the interception.
For the night, Houser had gone 20-of-29 for 194 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
Clayton wasted little time settling in. On his first pass, he connected with Dixon for 14 yards, a strong opening for the freshman in Orange and Blue.
The move also gave Illinois an important look at its quarterback depth. Bret Bielema had said the backup competition was between Carson Boyd and Clayton, and now Clayton was the one thrust into the spotlight with a chance to help close out a win.
Boyd later entered the game in more of a running role, and that decision paid off as his run pushed Illinois deeper into Michigan State territory. Clayton then capped his first college drive with a touchdown pass to Dixon.
In Other News...
Illinois Suddenly Has A New Quarterback Story After Wild Michigan State Win
The Illini left East Lansing with a wild 38-37 overtime win over Michigan State, but the result came with a fresh twist at quarterback. Katin Houser was injured during the game, and Michael Clayton II stepped in to guide Illinois through the back-and-forth finish. It was the kind of chaotic conference road win that can reshape a depth chart as much as a standings line.
Claytons performance gave Illinois a different look in a high-pressure spot, and it now adds another layer to the teams quarterback conversation as the season moves on. The finish itself had no shortage of drama, either, with Xavier Scott ending Michigan States final chance to pull it out and preserving a victory that may carry more significance than just one more win. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Suddenly Has A New Reason For Hope After Surviving Michigan State
Illinois overtime escape against Michigan State looked like the kind of game that can either knock a team off course or reveal a little more resilience than expected. Losing starter Katin Houser to injury could have sent the day spiraling, but freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II settled things quickly, throwing a touchdown on his first drive and then again in overtime as the Illini pulled out the 38-37 win.
For a team still carrying real questions on defense and some unevenness in the play-calling, the bigger takeaway may have been how the offense kept functioning when the plan changed on the fly. The offensive line also did its part, giving Illinois enough stability up front to survive the chaos, and now the intriguing part is whether Claytons showing changes the conversation around the quarterback situation moving forward. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Underwood Just Earned The Praise Illinois Fans Love To Hear
At Big Ten Media Days, Brad Underwood picked up a kind of compliment that tends to land especially well in Champaign: respect from the coaches who know the league best. Tom Izzo praised Underwoods toughness and his commitment to Illinois, while Fred Hoiberg pointed to just how hard it is to line up against one of Underwoods teams.
It is the sort of public nod that fits where Illinois basketball sits under Underwood after nine seasons and a Final Four run. The Illini have become a program that is taken seriously again inside the conference, and hearing those words from Izzo and Hoiberg only reinforces the idea that Underwood has built something opponents notice long before the bracket does. [Read more 🡒]