Speight, Higdon fuel No. 3 Michigan in rout of Illinois
The Sports Xchange
Oct 22, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Wilton Speight threw two touchdown passes and the Michigan defense held depleted Illinois scoreless until the final quarter as the No. 3 Wolverines cruised to a 41-8 victory on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
Speight completed 16 of 23 passes for 253 yards. Karan Higdon gained 106 yards on eight carries - including a 45-yard touchdown - while De'Veon Smith rushed for 76 yards and a score for Michigan (7-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten).
Amara Darboh caught five passes for 99 yards and redshirt freshman tight end Tyrone Wheatley Jr., son of the former Wolverines running back, scored a touchdown on his first career reception.
The Wolverines were unscored upon for eight consecutive quarters before Jeff George Jr.'s 43-yard touchdown pass to Malik Turner with 10:22 remaining. Michigan, which scored 119 unanswered points during that stretch, blanked Rutgers 78-0 in its last game two weeks earlier prior to a bye.
The Fighting Illini (2-5, 1-3) were forced to use their third-string quarterback as Wes Lunt (back) and Chayce Crouch (undisclosed) did not dress. George Jr., son of the former NFL quarterback, completed four of 15 passes for 95 yards with a touchdown and interception in his first start.
Illinois linebacker Tre Watson was ejected with 8:59 remaining on a targeting penalty.
Michigan led 31-0 at halftime.
The Wolverines scored three first-quarter touchdowns, including two Speight TD passes. Michigan finished off its opening drive with a 3-yard pass from Speight to tight end Jake Butt.
Wheatley scored the second touchdown with his 21-yard reception. Fullback Khalid Hill upped the lead to 21-0 with a 1-yard scoring plunge, capping off an 81-yard drive.
Smith's 4-yard scoring run with 11 minutes left in the half pushed the Wolverines' lead to 28.
Dymonte Thomas' interception set up Kenny Allen's 23-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
Allen's 27-yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter made it 34-0.
George's touchdown pass, which immediately followed a failed fake punt attempt by Michigan, ended the Wolverines' shutout bid.
Higdon answered with his 45-yard score.
NOTES: Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and Illinois' Lovie Smith became the first college coaches to face each other after previously coaching NFL Super Bowl teams. They coached against each other once in the NFL, when Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers downed Smith's Chicago Bears, 32-7, on Nov. 19, 2012. ... The conference teams' last meeting was Oct. 13, 2012, when Michigan won 45-0 in Ann Arbor. The Illini's last win here was 2008, a 45-20 victory. ... Illinois has now lost 15 straight games and 24 of its last 25 against ranked opponents. ... The last time the Wolverines started 4-0 in the Big Ten was 2007.
Oct 22, 2016
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Wilton Speight threw two touchdown passes and the Michigan defense held depleted Illinois scoreless until the final quarter as the No. 3 Wolverines cruised to a 41-8 victory on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.
Speight completed 16 of 23 passes for 253 yards. Karan Higdon gained 106 yards on eight carries - including a 45-yard touchdown - while De'Veon Smith rushed for 76 yards and a score for Michigan (7-0 overall, 4-0 Big Ten).
Amara Darboh caught five passes for 99 yards and redshirt freshman tight end Tyrone Wheatley Jr., son of the former Wolverines running back, scored a touchdown on his first career reception.
The Wolverines were unscored upon for eight consecutive quarters before Jeff George Jr.'s 43-yard touchdown pass to Malik Turner with 10:22 remaining. Michigan, which scored 119 unanswered points during that stretch, blanked Rutgers 78-0 in its last game two weeks earlier prior to a bye.
The Fighting Illini (2-5, 1-3) were forced to use their third-string quarterback as Wes Lunt (back) and Chayce Crouch (undisclosed) did not dress. George Jr., son of the former NFL quarterback, completed four of 15 passes for 95 yards with a touchdown and interception in his first start.
Illinois linebacker Tre Watson was ejected with 8:59 remaining on a targeting penalty.
Michigan led 31-0 at halftime.
The Wolverines scored three first-quarter touchdowns, including two Speight TD passes. Michigan finished off its opening drive with a 3-yard pass from Speight to tight end Jake Butt.
Wheatley scored the second touchdown with his 21-yard reception. Fullback Khalid Hill upped the lead to 21-0 with a 1-yard scoring plunge, capping off an 81-yard drive.
Smith's 4-yard scoring run with 11 minutes left in the half pushed the Wolverines' lead to 28.
Dymonte Thomas' interception set up Kenny Allen's 23-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
Allen's 27-yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter made it 34-0.
George's touchdown pass, which immediately followed a failed fake punt attempt by Michigan, ended the Wolverines' shutout bid.
Higdon answered with his 45-yard score.
NOTES: Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and Illinois' Lovie Smith became the first college coaches to face each other after previously coaching NFL Super Bowl teams. They coached against each other once in the NFL, when Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers downed Smith's Chicago Bears, 32-7, on Nov. 19, 2012. ... The conference teams' last meeting was Oct. 13, 2012, when Michigan won 45-0 in Ann Arbor. The Illini's last win here was 2008, a 45-20 victory. ... Illinois has now lost 15 straight games and 24 of its last 25 against ranked opponents. ... The last time the Wolverines started 4-0 in the Big Ten was 2007.
