Three the hard way for Illinois
After two fourth- quarter misses, McCourt kicks winning FG with : 03 left
PISCATAWAY, N. J. — When it was clear the game would come down to his kicker, Lovie Smith had no doubt the third time would be the charm for James McCourt in the waning moments of a 10- point comeback.
McCourt overcame two long misses in the fourth quarter to hit a 47- yard field goal with three seconds left to lift Illinois past Rutgers 23- 20 for the Illini’s first win of the season.
“It’s tough when you miss a couple of field goals, but we have all the confidence in the world in him,” Smith said. “We just wanted to get him that opportunity. A lot of things had to happen to get that chance, but we’ve seen him do that before. The other field goals we attempted were in range, so was the last one, so no thought at all. He’s done that before.”
Rutgers’ offense came out quick, with quarterback Noah Vedral finding Bo Melton on a 29- yard pitch and catch to make it 7- 0 just 1: 57 into the game.
While starting quarterback Brandon Peters was missing his third straight game following a COVID- 19 test, backup Isiah Williams got the start after his quarantine ended. He was the fourth starting quarterback of the season for Illinois ( 1- 3, 1- 3 Big Ten). After having 12 players out due to COVID- 19 protocols against Minnesota last week, it was just Peters, who was on the sidelines in street clothes, and redshirt freshman tight end Griffin Moore. The Illini did lose starting right tackle Alex Palczewski, a Prospect grad, with a right knee injury in the first quarter.
After a Williams fumble, former Rutgers soccer player Ambrosio Valentino hit his first career field- goal attempt, a 29- yarder, for a 10- 0 lead.
Illinois answered courtesy of Williams, who had five straight carries, and finished it off with his first score on a three- yard run. The redshirt freshman finished with 192 yards rushing — a single- game record for an Illinois quarterback — on 31 carries to overcome a 7- for- 19 passing effort.
“Our run defense has actually been pretty decent up until this,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, whose team gave up 338 rushing yards. “This is option football with a very elusive option quarterback, and he did a great job. He really was electric.”
Rutgers ( 1- 3, 1- 3) got a 26- yard field goal by Valentino to make it 13- 7 at halftime before McCourt hit his first field- goal attempt of the season from 29 yards to make it 13- 10 in the third quarter.
Melton’s career- long 66- yard touchdown reception on third- and- 10 gave Rutgers a 2010 lead with 7: 43 left in the third.
Illinois running back Mike Epstein scored on a direct snap from a yard out to make it 20- 17 with 4: 54 left in the third before McCourt tied it at 20 early in the fourth on a 23yard field goal.
McCourt missed a 54- yard field goal with 7: 20 left. But Vedral threw his second interception on third- and- three and gave Illinois the ball back on its own 26- yard line. The Illini drove to Rutgers’ 28 before McCourt missed wide right from 45 yards with 3: 07 left.
Vedral then threw his third pick with Rutgers having first- and- 10 on Illinois’ 37 with 67 seconds to go. McCourt finally made good with the winner.