Aug 29, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini tight end Tanner Arkin (85) celebrates teammate Illinois wide receiver Malik Elzy (8) touchdown during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Luke Altmyer threw four touchdown passes in the first half to spark Illinois to a 45-0 nonconference victory over Eastern Illinois Thursday night in Champaign.
Altmyer, a junior, finished 19 of 24 for 213 yards and the four scores as Illinois (1-0) built a 31-0 halftime lead on the way to improving to 4-0 in openers under head coach Bret Bielema. Kaden Feagin rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown while free safety Miles Scott forced a fumble and picked off a pass to lead a defense that forced 4 turnovers and allowed just 196 total yards.
Eastern Illinois (0-1) entered the season just outside the FCS top 25 poll, but preseason Big South/OVC Offensive Player of the Year Pierce Holley completed just 16 of 32 passes for 147 yards and two interceptions.
The Panthers enjoyed their best drive the first time they had the ball, but Scott forced a Jay Pearson fumble that Seth Coleman recovered at Illinois’ 23. That ended an eight-play, 60-yard drive and sparked a 77-yard scoring drive capped by Altmyer’s 15-yard strike to Pat Bryant with 4:4:15 left in the first.
The Illini started their next drive on EIU’s 25 thanks to Mac Resetich’s 30-yard punt return. Four snaps later, Altmyer flipped a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tanner Arkin to make it 14-0 with 43 seconds left in the opening quarter.
Scott’s interception on the first play of the second quarter set up David Olano’s 26-yard field goal that pushed the margin to 17-0.
Cornerback Torrie Cox Jr.’s interception in EIU territory triggered another quick score. Altmyer lobbed a 28-yard bomb to Bryant in the corner of the end zone to give Illinois 17 points off turnovers and a 24-0 lead with 4:13 left in the half.
Altmyer made it 31-0 with 1:30 left in the half when wideout Malik Elzy beat man-to-man coverage on a fly pattern and hauled in Altmyer’s 34-yard bomb.
Feagin’s 1-yard touchdown blast increased Illinois’ lead to 38-0 with 7:04 left in the third, then Josh McCray added a 6-yard scoring blast early in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
–Field Level Media
