The MSU football team (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) traveled to Champaign, Ill. to battle the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-6, 1-4). The Spartans are still in search of their first conference win, and despite coming into the game with some confidence, trail the Illini 7-6 at the break.
Illinois was able to get on the scoreboard with just 14 seconds left in the half following an 11-play, 73-yard drive capped off by a 19-yard touchdown run from Kendrick Foster.
MSU had two drives successful scoring drives in the first half, but couldn’t find their way to the end zone. Field goals from 46 yards and 34 yards out from senior kicker Michael Geiger.
The Spartans started fifth-year senior quarterback Tyler O’Connor in this contest with redshirt-freshman Brian Lewerke done for the season. His first half was decent, going 14-for-21 for 133 yards. He found sophomore receiver Felton Davis III four times for 33 yards.
MSU kept running with L.J. Scott, coming off his solid performance against U-M. Scott carried 12 times for 35 yards, while junior Gerald Holmes received no first half carries and sophomore Madre London had just one.
The quarterback situation for first-year head coach Lovie Smith and the Illini has been injury-filled, as redshirt-freshman and third-string quarterback Jeff George Jr. started the game for Illinois. He was just 6-of-17 for 46 yards, but Illinois found some momentum on their final drive with Foster. Foster finished the half with 41 yards rushing on just five attempts.
Defensively, MSU had kept Illinois to just 1-7 on third-down conversions and held them to only 99 total yards, yet still trail. Sixth-year senior Ed Davis led the way with five first half tackles. Penalties were a killer for MSU again, who committed six infractions for 50 yards in the half.
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