Caleb Griffin drills walk-off FG as Illinois stuns Maryland for first B1G win
Caleb Griffin and Illinois have been mixed up in a rough season so far and entered Week 7 without a B1G or Power 5 win to their credit. Despite being a two-touchdown underdog on the road, the Illini came out swinging against Maryland.
At one point, Illinois built a 10-point lead in the third quarter, but Maryland battled back. The Terrapins kicked a game-tying field goal with 1:31 left on the clock, setting up a dramatic finish.
That final possession included more clutch plays from Illinois with Luke Altmyer hitting Casey Washington for a 29-yard gain down the sideline. He followed that up with a 12-yard connection to Aidan Laughery to firmly get into field goal range.
It all led to a 43-yard field goal try for Griffin with 3 seconds remaining. Here’s how that unfolded:
ILLINOIS WITH A WALK OFF WIN!@IlliniFootball | #BigTenSaturday pic.twitter.com/e6uSJRJrBq
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 14, 2023
In the win, Altmyer finished 16-for-28 with 206 yards and 2 touchdowns with an interception. Kaden Feagin led the ground game of Illinois with 84 yards and a touchdown while Isaiah Williams scored his first touchdown of the season in the passing game.
Despite the loss, Taulia Tagovailoa finished going 27-for-39 through the air with 266 yards and 2 touchdowns.