No. 23 Illinois stops Purdue’s OT 2-point conversion try for 50-49 win

Linebacker Dylan Rosiek sacked Ryan Browne on a 2-point conversion attempt in overtime to lift No. 23 Illinois to a 50-49 Big Ten victory over Purdue on Saturday afternoon in Champaign, Ill.

Illinois (5-1, 2-1) squandered a 24-point second-half lead as Purdue (1-5, 0-3) took its first lead with 46 seconds to play, but the Illini forced overtime on David Olano’s 38-yard field goal as time expired.

Once in overtime, Luke Altmyer hit Pat Bryant for a 25-yard score on Illinois’ first play and Olano booted the extra point. Purdue scored on its second play — Arhmad Branch jogging in from 3 yards out on an end-around — and Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters called a timeout to set up the 2-point try.

Browne, who had been sacked just once all game, couldn’t elude Rosiek’s blitz and was dragged down at the 23-yard line. Illinois players stormed the field to collect the Cannon Trophy that Purdue possessed after winning the past four meetings.

Altmyer finished 20-of-34 for 379 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 60 yards and another score. Josh McCray added 78 rushing yards, 46 receiving yards and three scores as Illinois played without leading rusher Kaden Feagin.

Illinois built a 24-3 halftime lead as Browne, a redshirt freshman making his first start following Hudson Card’s injury, threw for just 9 yards in the first half. But Browne responded with 288 passing yards and three touchdowns after halftime — along with 118 rushing yards for the game — as the Boilermakers rallied from a 27-3 third-quarter deficit.

Purdue’s comeback was fast-forwarded by scoring two touchdowns in eight seconds. Browne completed a 53-yard bomb to Jahmal Edrine for the Boilers’ first touchdown in seven quarters. On the next snap from scrimmage, blitzing cornerback Nyland Green sacked Altmyer from the blind side and forced a fumble that defensive end Will Heldt scooped at Illinois’ 16 and raced into the end zone to make it 27-17 at the 7:35 mark of the third.

Illinois took a 40-28 lead on McCray’s 3-yard blast with 5:05 to play, but Purdue didn’t stop. Devin Mockobee dove over the goal line with a 2-yard score with 1:35 left as the Boilermakers cut the margin to 40-35. Then Purdue’s Leland Smith recovered the ensuing onside kick at Illinois’ 43, and Browne lobbed a play-action pass to Mockobee for a 13-yard score that gave Purdue a 43-40 edge with 46 seconds to play.

–Field Level Media