Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) Declan Duley (31) and Devin Hale (53) celebrate with the Purdue cannon after the team’s 50-49 overtime win over Purdue in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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CHAMPAIGN — Luke Altmyer threw a 25-yard touchdown pass in overtime to Pat Bryant, and Dylan Rosiek sacked Purdue’s Ryan Browne on a 2-point conversion attempt to give No. 23 Illinois a 50-49 victory Saturday.

Illinois (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) had lost four straight and seven of its last eight against Purdue (1-5, 0-3). The Illini hadn’t beaten the Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium since 2010.

Illinois’ David Olano made a 38-yard field goal as time expired to tie it at 43 after Purdue rallied to take the lead for the first time.

Ahrmad Branch, on his only carry of the day, scored on a 3-yard run in OT for the Boilermakers.

Purdue coach Ryan Walters said he went for the 2-point conversion in OT “because we were in control of the game at that point. We clawed back in the game, something we hadn’t done this season, and I wanted to give us a chance to win. I hate losing.”

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer celebrates his touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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Altmyer completed 20 of 34 passes for 379 yards and 3 touchdowns. Josh McCray ran for 78 yards and 2 TDs and caught a scoring pass. Bryant caught 4 passes for 104 yards.

“We did enough bad things to give them the game,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “If you let a team stick around like that, that’s what happens. I still think we’re a good team knocking on the door of doing something cool.”

Browne, a redshirt freshman making his first start with Hudson Card sidelined by a concussion, rushed for 118 yards on 17 carries and completed 18 of 26 passes for 297 yards and 3 TDs after throwing for just 9 yards in the first half.

Max Klare caught 6 passes for 133 yards for Purdue. Devin Mockobee ran for 102 yards on 11 carries.

Down 27-3 at halftime, Purdue launched a comeback.

“We executed. We didn’t panic,” Walters said.

The Boilermakers scored two TDs in eight seconds on 53-yard pass from Browne to Jahmal Edrine and a sack of Altmyer by Nyland Green that caused a fumble that Will Heldt returned 16 yards for TD.

After Browne threw a 62-yard strike to Klare on a double-reverse flea flicker, a 24-yard field goal by Spencer Porath made it 27-20. Altmyer ended Purdue’s surge with a 13-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter.

The Boilermakers responded with an 8-yard TD pass from Browne to Jaron Tibbs and a 2-point conversion pass from Browne to Klare, but McCray scored on a 3-yard run to make it 40-28.

Purdue cut the lead to 40-35 with 1:35 left on a 2-yard TD run by Mockobee.

After Ben Freehill recovered an onside kick, the Boilermakers scored again on a 13-yard pass from Brown to Mockobee and a 2-point conversion pass from Browne to Edrine with 46 seconds left to move in front for the first time at 43-40.

Now that the Illini have vanquished the Boilermakers, the biggest thorn in their side over the past several years, they can focus on back-to-back huge Big Ten games to end the month. They’ll host No. 24 Michigan next week in the culmination of a season-long celebration of Memorial Stadium’s 100th anniversary and travel to No. 3 Oregon the following week.

Illinois rushing leader Kaden Feagin missed the game because of a hyperextended left leg, suffered in practice during the week. Bielema said Feagan will be out “for a little bit.” Feagin had gained 306 yards on 67 carries and run for three touchdowns in Illinois’ first five games.

• Saturday’s game: Purdue (1-4) at No. 23 Illinois (4-1), 3:30 p.m., FS1

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Purdue football’s defense remains uncertain as to whether some key contributors will play Saturday at Illinois.

Safety Antonio Stevens and defensive tackle Mo Omonodo were listed as questionable on the Boilermakers’ Big Ten-mandated availability report released prior to the game. Both were also listed as questionable last week at Wisconsin, and neither played in the 52-6 loss.

Starting defensive tackle Damarjhe Lewis is listed as unavailable. So is linebacker Winston Berglund — who left that loss at Wisconsin early.

The availability report confirmed earlier reports that starting quarterback Hudson Card will not play today. Redshirt freshman Ryan Browne is expected to make his first career start in Card’s place.

The report also now classifies CJ Madden’s unspecified injury as keeping him out for the season. The rush end transfer from Georgia played in only three games.

Stevens has not played since a Sept. 21 game at Oregon State due to an unspecified injury. His 18 tackles still rank sixth on the team despite the two missed games. Third-year sophomore Joseph Jefferson has started in Stevens’ place.

Omonode did not play at Wisconsin last week after being listed as questionable. He has formed a nose tandem with Cole Brevard, totaling seven tackles over four games.

Lewis’ 14 tackles include three for loss this season, and he also blocked a field goal. Berglund has played more Mike linebacker in recent weeks as Kydran Jenkins returned more frequently to his previous spot at rush end. Berglund’s nine tackles (two for loss) include one sack.

Others listed as unavailable include receivers Jayden Dixon-Veal and CJ Smith, defensive back Salim Turner-Muhammad, backup offensive tackle Joshua Sales Jr. and tight end George Burhen.