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Rapid Reaction: Illinois defeats Charlotte after dominant 2nd half performance
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Final score: Illinois 24, Charlotte 14
Brief recap: Illinois struggled early in this one, falling behind 14-10 at halftime. However, the Illini found their footing in the second half and were able to separate from the 49ers. Running back Chase Brown was excellent rushing for Illinois, leading his team to more than 150 rushing rushing yards in the second half alone. Meanwhile, Charlotte averaged just 4.1 yards per play after the break.
Key player: Chase Brown. He rushed for 257 yards on the day, which is one of the best days by a running back in program history. Illinois’ single-game rushing record is 330 yards. His performance in the second half set the tone for an Illinois team that badly needed a victory vs. the 49ers.
Key moment: Brown was dominant from the start of the second half. Illinois scored on its first possession of the second half on a 10-play, 94-yard drive that was significantly aided by Brown’s power and speed. He rushed for 72 yards on that drive. On Illinois’ ensuing possession, Brown took the ball 80 yards to the house on the first play of the drive. Illinois never looked back.
Key stat: 9.9. That’s how many yards per attempt Brown rushed for in this game. As a team, Illinois averaged 6.0 yards per play.
What it means: This is Illinois’ first win since defeating Nebraska back in Week 0. This is a big victory for first-year coach Bret Bielema, who has been looking for momentum since that first win over the Huskers. At 2-4, Illinois still has an outside shot of making a bowl game this season.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.