By IlliniGuys Staff

October 19, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - 22nd ranked Illinois' defense forced three turnovers and sacked Michigan quarterback Jack Tuttle five times to score a dramatic 21-7 win Saturday afternoon.

The game marked the rededication of Memorial Stadium 100 years and one day after the famous Harold "Red" Grange scored six touchdowns in an Illini win over the Wolverines at the historic venue. They did in front of the stadium's 77th sellout crowd (ironically, Grange's uniform number was "77") as 60,670 jammed the stands on a sunny mid-October day.

Illinois marked the occasion by wearing 1920s-styled uniforms and helmets painted to resemble the leather headgear worn back in the day.

Illinois (6-1, 3-1 in Big Ten) becomes bowl-eligible as its continues one of its best starts in decades, posting its third win over a ranked team this season after victories over then-19th ranked Kansas and Nebraska when it was #22 in the polls.

It's the first time Michigan (4-3, 2-2) has been held under 10 points since suffering a 31-0 shutout at Notre Dame in September, 2014.

Illinois had a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter when Gabe Jacas forced Tuttle to fumble and teammate Malachi Hood recovered. That led to another David Olano field goal and a 6-0 lead.

On the next series, it was Matthew Bailey's turn to force running back Donovan Edwards to cough up the ball with Miles Scott recovering at the Illinois 49-yard line. The Illini turned that into a Luke Altmyer to Tanner Arkin 2-yard touchdown pass and a 13-0 advantage.

But that may not have been Arkin's biggest play of the day. After Michigan scored a touchdown just before halftime and managed just a three-and-out on the first series of the second half, Illinois' first offensive series sputtered after just three plays. But Arkin took a direct snap on a fake punt on 4th down, carrying the ball 38 yards for a first down. Four plays later, Altmyer dove across the goal line for a one-yard touchdown and a 21-7 early third quarter lead.

The defense took it from there, led by Jacas. The junior from Port Saint Lucie, Florida, was a one-man wrecking ball, recording 13 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks. Michigan was able to drive the ball, but came up empty on every trip. Ezekiel Holmes blocked a 28-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter before Matthew Bailey stopped the next Wolverines drive with an interception on the Illinois' two-yard line.

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for complete postgame coverage.