CHAMPAIGN — Luke Altmyer threw for 235 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 88 yards to lead Illinois to a 35-13 victory Saturday over Rutgers.
Altmyer completed 19 of 31 passes as the Illini (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) ended a two-game losing streak and became bowl-eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11.
“I put us as good as any 6-3 team out there. That doesn’t mean anything, but I like this team,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said.
Hudson Clement caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown in the West Virginia transfer’s best game for the Illini.
Rutgers (4-5, 1-5) lost for the fifth time in six games.
Athan Kaliakmanis was 25 of 45 for 253 yards and a touchdown for the Scarlet Knights. K.J. Duff caught nine passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, and Ian Strong had six receptions for 85 yards.
“Give credit to Illinois. We didn’t coach well enough and didn’t play well enough, and it starts with me,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “We’re going to get on a plane, go home and fix what we can fix.”
Altmyer’s 3-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter came on a trick play on fourth down. He took a handoff from Kaden Feagin, who was lined up in the wildcat formation, faked a handoff and ran untouched into the end zone.
Illinois’ first touchdown, a 7-yard pass from Altmyer to Feagin, was at the end of a 12-play, 99-yard drive that took more than six minutes.
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The takeaway
Rutgers: Kaliakmanis came in with more passing yards than any other Big Ten quarterback but he couldn’t get untracked. He was inaccurate on several throws. The 6-foot-6 Duff had 241 receiving yards last week in a walk-off win over Purdue, but he didn’t have any big plays against the Illini.
Illinois: The Illini defense had a bounce-back game after giving up 76 points the last two games in losses to No. 1 Ohio State and Washington. Rutgers had just 59 rushing yards, averaging 2.2 per carry.
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“Our defense took the aggression to them, which was fun to watch, and our secondary guys played with much better awareness,” Bielema said. “I’m really proud of the defense. Now, they’ve got to repeat it.”
Rare stretch of sellouts
Saturday’s game was Illinois’ fourth straight sellout. The Illini hadn’t sold out four consecutive games since 2008.
FG streak ends at a dozen
David Olano’s streak of 12 straight made field goals over seven games ended when the Illini kicker missed a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter.
Finally, a sack
Rutgers’ Eric O’Neil almost single-handedly set up Jai Patel’s 40-yard field goal in second quarter. After sacking Altmyer — the Scarlet Knights’ first sack in three games — O’Neal tipped an Altmyer pass four plays later and Farell Gnago intercepted it.
Up next
Rutgers: Home vs. Maryland on Nov. 8.
Illinois: Home vs. Maryland on Nov. 15 after a bye week.