Illini can’t hold early lead vs. Hawkeyes

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Charlie Jones had a 100-yard kickoff return for No. 17 Iowa’s first touchdown, and the Hawkeyes went on to beat Illinois 33-23 on Saturday.

Iowa (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) was trailing 10-0 in the first quarter when Jones took the kick near the right corner of the end zone and ran through a hole on the left side for the score.

“I knew I had a great block to the left, so I just cut inside,” Jones said. “Then I saw guys blocking downfield, so it was just me and some grass. Guys were just working along the way.”

Jones said it was a designed return the Hawkeyes had been working on the past week.

“It was great blocking, just like we drew it up, just like we saw on film,” Jones said.

Said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz: “Thank goodness we practiced that. When you get a play like that, boy, it helps.”

Iowa wide receiver Arland Bruce IV had a 2-yard touchdown run and Caleb Shudak kicked four field goals, including a 51-yarder in the second quarter. Linebacker Jack Campbell’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1 minute, 36 seconds to play sealed the win.

Iowa was outgained 312-255 but had enough offense for the win.

“The real common bond there is we find a way to win,” Ferentz said. “It’s still what the game’s about.

“You talk about style points, and that’s important at some point maybe. But to me, it’s about trying to be successful, whatever the given situations are.”

Illinois’ Brandon Peters threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Ford to end a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took 6:23 to start the game.

But the Illini (4-7, 3-5) had just 9 yards on 10 plays in their next three possessions.

James McCourt had three field goals for the Illini.

Tyler Goodson ran for 132 yards for the Hawkeyes, his third 100-yard game of the season. Alex Padilla, making his second start, was just 6 of 17 for 83 yards.

“We grind it out,” Padilla said. “Just playing complimentary football. We know it’s going to be a fistfight every time we go out.”

Peters, who threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Williams in the closing seconds, was 16 of 36 for 248 yards.

Illinois’ Chase Brown, who was averaging 106.4 rushing yards per game, was held to 42 yards on 13 carries.

“We kind of saw them as a running team and we wanted to shut that down and make them one-dimensional,” said Iowa safety Dane Belton, who had his Big Ten-leading fifth interception.

Iowa extended its winning streak against the Illini to eight games. The Hawkeyes have won 13 of the last 14 in the series.

Illinois was without head coach Bret Bielema, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.