Illinois Overcomes Early Struggles to Dominate Mistake-Prone Duke, 45-19

AP Photo/Ben McKeown

DURHAM, N.C. – No. 11 Illinois showcased resilience and opportunism on the road, rallying from a slim halftime lead to defeat Duke 45-19 on Saturday in a statement win for the Fighting Illini. Quarterback Luke Altmyer led the charge, throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns, while Kaden Feagin, Hank Beatty, and Ca'Lil Valentine each found the end zone on the ground. Beatty also contributed heavily in the passing game, catching eight passes for 128 yards. Illinois trailed by just one at halftime but exploded in the second half, outscoring Duke 31-6 to secure a decisive victory. “It was really cool to kind of have some hurdles to climb over in the first half,” Altmyer said. “We know if we do the right things, we're a really good team.”

The game was defined by Duke’s uncharacteristic errors. The Blue Devils committed five turnovers, including a muffed punt deep in their own territory and a red-zone fumble by Darian Mensah. A bizarre penalty for having two players wearing No. 8 on the field early in the second half gave Illinois a critical first down, setting the stage for Altmyer’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Justin Bowick that put the Illini ahead for good. “Unfortunately in the second half, we were still the architects of our own demise,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said, lamenting what essentially became a sixth turnover. Mensah threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns for Duke, both to Andrel Anthony. Anthony’s acrobatic catch in the back of the end zone just before halftime briefly gave Duke the lead at 14-13, but the Illini stormed back with precision and poise. Illinois’ defense capitalized on every opportunity, with defensive back Matthew Bailey delivering a key turnover. Trailing 21-13, Bailey stripped the ball from Sahmir Hagans near midfield, allowing teammate Kaleb Patterson to recover and swing momentum firmly toward Illinois.

“This win tells a lot about our ability to come out and finish the job, especially on the road,” Bailey said. The victory marks a major road win for Illinois (2-0), particularly against a Duke squad that won nine games last season. After being outgained 240-132 in the first half while allowing four sacks, the Illini adjusted to dominate the second half, rolling up 287 yards and surrendering zero sacks. For Duke (1-1), the early-season struggles continue, with a minus-6 turnover margin through two games and no takeaways. Illinois will return home to face Western Michigan next Saturday, hoping to continue building momentum for a promising season.