NO SKIDDING? ILLINI WIN
Illinois puts end to 13-game Big Ten losing streak by running for 330 yards in victory vs. Rutgers
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — After a career that featured stops at Nebraska, Iowa Western Community College and Virginia Tech, quarterback AJ Bush is getting a chance to play as a graduate transfer at Illinois.
Bush ran for 116 yards and two first-half touchdowns and threw for another touchdown in his return to the lineup as the Illini used a big ground game to beat Rutgers 38-17 on Saturday.
The result not only enabled Illinois (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) to snap a modest two-game losing streak, but it also ended its 13-game skid in the Big Ten, dating to a 31-27 victory against Michigan State in 2016.
‘‘It’s important because they need to know how to win,’’ Bush of the young Illini, who led 24-7 at the half. ‘‘They need to know what it takes to win and how it feels to win, so when we win, then we can build that culture, build that experience with them. Then that just takes over, and that’s how you change the program.’’
Bush, who missed the last two games — both losses — with a hamstring injury, scored on runs of three and 41 yards in the first half. He helped seal the victory with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Smalling in the fourth quarter.
Reggie Corbin ran for a career-high 137 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown in the second quarter, as Illinois rushed for 330 yards. Mike Epstein added 41-yard touchdown run with 5:07 left.
‘‘That’s exactly who we’d like to be, our personality,’’ Illini coach Lovie Smith said of the running game. ‘‘This is who we want to be. Offensively, when you rush for over 300 yards, you have to be really excited about that.’’
Illinois was 2-10 last season and winless in the conference.
‘‘It’s huge for the program,’’ guard Nick Allegretti said. ‘‘Really excited for everyone in that locker room to experience that first one, and it won’t be the last.’’
Jonathan Hilliman scored on a 32-yard run, and Art Sitkowski threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Travis Vokolek in the first half for the Scarlet Knights (1-5, 0-3). Gavin Haggerty added a 20-yard field goal with less than six minutes left, but Epstein scored on the first play after the Illini recovered an onside kick.
‘‘No one likes the feeling of losing,’’ Rutgers defensive end Kevin Wilkins said. ‘‘It’s hard, but we have to go back to work and correct the mistakes that we’ve made week in and week out. We have no one to blame but ourselves.’’
Illinois superlatives
The Illini have scored 30 or more points three times this season, tying their most 30-plus-point games since 2013 (seven). It marked the first time they had two 100-yard rushers in a game since Nov. 7, 2015, at Purdue (Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Josh Ferguson).
Official hurt
Center judge Mike Conlin left the field briefly in the third quarter to be examined on the Scarlet Knights’ bench. He returned on the next series. Conlin apparently had been hit in the head in the first half when a ball was thrown in from the sideline to be marked.