Illinois defense reigns supreme in blowout win over Virginia

CHAMPAIGN, Sick. — That’s the way you actual revenge.

After a shaky begin, Illinois fully turned the sport round, dealing with Virginia in a 24-3 blowout on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Only a yr in the past, Illinois (2-1, 0-1 Large Ten) went into Charlottesville and was dominated in each style in a 42-14 loss. Nevertheless, the Illini flipped the script on Saturday, and the massive story was the protection.

Nevertheless, the Illini didn’t start the sport in promising style. Early miscues much like those that plagued them in final weekend’s loss at Indiana confirmed up once more, because the offense dedicated two turnovers within the first 2:11 of the sport.

Happily, these turnovers didn’t come again to hang-out the Illini. Ryan Walters’ protection constructed off its success from final weekend, holding Virginia (1-1, 0-0 ACC) to solely 3 factors in its first two possessions — each beginning in Illinois territory.

After a fourth straight Illini possession yielded in no factors to start out the sport, a Hugh Robertson punt deep into Virginia territory resulted in a fumble restoration for an Illini landing.

This enhance from the particular groups appeared to jumpstart the Illinois offense. Tommy DeVito threw two touchdowns within the subsequent 6 minutes, giving Illinois a commanding 21-3 lead early within the second quarter.

“We’re form of a do-your-job sort group,” mentioned head coach Bret Bielema.

The rating would keep the identical till a 23-yard area objective by Caleb Griffin prolonged the result in 24-3 within the third quarter. From then on, the rating wouldn’t change.

Whereas the offense dedicated a season-high 4 turnovers and Griffin missed two area targets, it didn’t appear to matter.

The protection dominated the sport from begin to end, and it started with the stress on Virginia QB Brennan Armstrong. What’s stunning is how the Illini protection shut down Armstrong after his breakout 2021 marketing campaign.

In 2021, Armstrong had a area day towards the Illini protection, throwing for a whopping 405 yards and 5 TDs. This time, nevertheless, was drastically totally different. The gritty, swarming Illinois protection restricted Armstrong to 13-for-32 (41% completion) for 180 passing yards and two interceptions, with lots of these completions and yards coming in rubbish time. The completion proportion and passing yards on the sport have been profession lows for Armstrong as a starter.

“It’s simply one other nice indicator of how a lot development we’ve had in a yr,” Bielema mentioned.

Armstrong wasn’t the one one on the Virginia offense who struggled. The group had eight 3-and-outs and have been 1-for-16 on third down, as their failure to execute mirrored rather a lot on what Ryan Walters has improved from final yr’s defensive squad.

“I don’t know throughout my profession if I’ve ever felt nearly as good about my two coordinators,” Bielema mentioned. “It’s particular to work with these guys.”

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Jack Jungmann // TCR

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Though repeated offensive errors prevented the Illini from working up the rating, the protection confirmed out, which is all that mattered in Saturday’s win.

In the long term, the Illini will need to repair these errors heading into Large Ten play. Proper now, it’s time to loosen up after a hard-fought win.

• The particular groups unit scored its first landing of the season (and of the sport) on a punt that went deep into Virginia territory. Sydney Brown delivered an enormous hit to knock the ball unfastened and Matthew Bailey fell on it within the endzone.

• DeVito accomplished his longest move thus far in an Illini uniform to receiver Pat Bryant on a 42-yard lengthy ball within the second quarter. The next play led to an Illini landing, which made the rating 21-3.
• Caleb Griffin’s kicking struggles proceed as he missed a pair of area targets. He’s 4-for-8 now on this season.

DeVito finds sixth-year participant Michael Marchese for his first-career landing catch.

• Chase Brown is the nineteenth participant in program historical past to hurry for greater than 2,000 yards as an Illini. In opposition to the Hoos, he rushed for 146 yards on 20 makes an attempt. Brown leads the NCAA with 496 speeding yards on the season.

• This win marked the Illini’s first non-conference Energy 5 win since 2011 — the final season through which the Illini received a bowl recreation.

The Illini might be on a bye subsequent week, however will play Chattanooga on Thursday, Sept. 22 at Memorial Stadium.

Kickoff might be at 7:30 p.m. CT on Large Ten Community.