When the Huskies took on Illinois at Husky Stadium on Saturday, they were looking to bounce back after losing at Michigan. Both teams came into the game boasting explosive offenses that averaged 34 points per game. Each defense had a tall task ahead of them, trying to stop quarterbacks Demond Williams and Luke Altmyer. The game became a duel between the team’s starting QBs, as Williams looked to bounce back after a tough performance at Michigan.
The Huskies finally start fast on offense
On Washington’s first drive of the game, Demond Williams found WR Dezmen Roebuck for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Roebuck’s touchdown score ended a four-game first-quarter scoring drought for the Huskies. After their defense held the Illini to a field goal, Washington’s offense went on another scoring drive. Williams led the Huskies on an eight-play, 67-yard touchdown drive, finding Roebuck again for the score. Washington scored two touchdowns in the first quarter for the first time since week four against Washington State to take an early 14-3 lead.
The Huskies’ defense struggles to get the Illini off the field early
Washington’s defense struggled to stop Illinois on third down in the first half. The Illini converted seven of their eight third-down attempts to begin the game. After the Huskies went up 14-3, Illinois responded with a long 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Later, the Illini were aided by a questionable defensive pass interference call on their second touchdown drive, which negated Tacario Davis’s interception in the end zone. Luke Altmyer found Tanner Arkin two plays after the penalty, to put Illinois up 17-14. Altmyer was 12/17 in the first half for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington finishes the half strong with a touchdown drive
The Huskies had 1:55 to respond with a score of their own or face trailing at halftime. The Demond Williams-led Washington offense executed a two-minute drill superbly to end the half. After completing several big passes, including a pass to WR Denzel Boston on third down, Williams guided the Huskies into the red zone. Washington then turned to trickery, as Williams threw a lateral pass to Boston, who then found RB Jonah Coleman in the end zone for the touchdown. The trick-play score gave them a 21-17 lead at halftime over Illinois.
The Huskies open the second half strong
After the Illini picked up a first down, Washington’s defense forced three consecutive incomplete passes, punching Illinois off the field. The Huskies’ offense then went on a long, 11-play, 90-yard touchdown drive. Punctuated by a physical, seven-yard touchdown run from Jonah Coleman, his 13th rushing TD of the season.
Tacario Davis makes a game-changing interception.
On their next possession, the Illini moved the ball into Washington territory. Then, on third and 21 following an unsportsmanlike conduct foul against Illinois, Tacario Davis intercepted Luke Altmyer’s pass off the tip. The Huskies’ offense took advantage of the interception and scored a touchdown on a six-yard pass from Demond Williams to Denzel Boston to go ahead 35-17.
Washington finishes off Illinois
On the next drive, the Huskies’ defense gave up their only second-half touchdown, which was aided by two fifteen-yard penalties that negated an interception. Following the Illini’s score, the Huskies’ offense went on a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Demond Williams capped the drive when he found TE Decker Degraaf for a two-yard TD pass, his fourth of the game. Rashawn Clark later came up with another interception for Washington’s defense. Then the offense ran out the rest of the clock to end the game, finishing a 42-25 win.
Huskies’ QB Demond Williams outduels Luke Altmyer
Washington’s QB Demond Williams had a big bounce-back performance against Illinois on Saturday. Following a game where he threw three interceptions and no touchdowns, Williams shook off last week’s poor performance. He was 26/33, passing for 280 yards, threw four TD passes, and had no INTs. This is what head coach Jedd Fisch said after the game about his QB’s turnaround game:
“I mean, he was great. I think he was great. Guys throw interceptions. That happens in football. Guys throw multiple interceptions in football. That’s going to happen. I really don’t get wrapped up in it. I know that it’s disappointing to some, that it’s not a bigger deal to me, but the bottom line is that guys throw picks and guys throw touchdowns, and guys throw a lot of completions and some incompletions, and we work through that, we correct it, we coach it.”
Demond Williams responded well this week and learned from his mistakes against Michigan. He had no interceptions against Illinois and completed 79% of his passes. Williams also ran for 66 yards and had a big 25-yard scramble on a third and 18. That scramble set the Huskies up in the red zone on a third-quarter touchdown drive. Williams’s decision-making was on point, running and throwing football, in an impressive bounce-back performance.
The Huskies’ defense figured things out in the second half
After a tough first half in which they allowed Illinois to convert 87.5% of its third downs, Washington’s defense made adjustments at halftime. The Illini’s QB Luke Altmyer went just 10/17 for 98 yards, threw two interceptions, and had no touchdowns in the second half. Illinois converted just 50% of its third downs in the third and fourth quarters. The Huskies’ defense allowed just eight points in the second half, as Washington closed out a huge 42-25 victory over Illinois.
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