Minnesota rallies to defeat No. 24 Illinois 25-17 for the Golden Gophers’ 4th straight win

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In a thrilling finish, Max Brosmer connected with Jameson Geers for a 1-yard touchdown pass, while Dragan Kesich added his fourth field goal in the final five minutes, leading Minnesota to a 25-17 victory over No. 24 Illinois on Saturday. This marked Minnesota’s fourth consecutive win, improving their record to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, while Illinois fell to 6-3, suffering their second straight loss.

Brosmer had a solid performance, completing 22 of 37 passes for 213 yards and one touchdown. Darius Taylor shone on the ground, rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, and also led the team in receiving with nine catches for 58 yards. Elijah Spencer contributed significantly with six receptions for 67 yards.

For Illinois, quarterback Luke Altmyer finished 20 of 33 for 226 yards and one touchdown, but struggled with ball security, losing two fumbles. Coach Bret Bielema acknowledged the need for improvement in Altmyer’s ball handling, noting it wasn’t solely his fault.

The Illini briefly took the lead, 17-16, with 9:03 remaining when Altmyer found Zakhari Franklin for a 21-yard touchdown after Minnesota’s punter, Mark Crawford, was unable to convert a fake punt. However, the final drive for Illinois ended deep in Minnesota territory when Jah Joyner sacked Altmyer, causing a fumble that was recovered by Danny Striggow at the Gophers’ 27-yard line.

Pat Bryant was a key target for Illinois, making five catches for 72 yards, while Franklin had five receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. Josh McCray also contributed with 71 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries.

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck expressed confidence in his players’ decisions throughout the game, including the unsuccessful fake punt.

Looking ahead, Illinois will host Michigan State on November 16, while Minnesota prepares to face Rutgers next Saturday.