Illini Crushed By Nebraska; ISU Downs Western

Oct 7, 2013 8:17 AM

>>Huskers Pound Illini

Ameer Abdullah ran for a career-high 225 yards and two touchdowns and Nebraska's maligned defense was much improved in a 39-19 victory over Illinois on Saturday.

Tommy Armstrong, starting his second straight game in place of injured quarterback Taylor Martinez, led the Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) to touchdowns on his first three series and was solid throughout.

Armstrong was 8 of 13 for 135 yards.

Just as big as Armstrong's performance was that of Nebraska's defense, which had been one of the nation's worst through four games.

Illinois (3-2, 0-1), which came in averaging 40 points a game, didn't score its first touchdown until the middle of the third quarter. Twice when the Illini looked as if they would make a game of it, the Huskers made big stops.

Josh Ferguson led the Illini with 114 yards on 19 carries and another 82 yards on eight catches.

>>Illinois State Downs Western Illinois

Marshaun Coprich ran for a career-high three touchdowns as Illinois State pulled away from Western Illinois for a 35-21 win Saturday.

Illinois State (2-3, 1-1 Missouri Valley) broke a 21-21 tie in the middle of the fourth quarter with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Blake Winkler to Milton Colbert. Coprich then ran for a 24-yard score late in the fourth to extend the Redbirds' lead to 35-21. Coprich finished with 124 yards rushing, also a career high.

The Redbirds led 14-0 at halftime behind a 4-yard touchdown pass from Winkler to Chick Chatham and a 1-yard scoring run by Coprich. A 6-yard touchdown run by Coprich in the third quarter then gave Illinois State a 21-7 lead.

Western Illinois (3-3, 1-1) tied the game with touchdown passes from Trenton Norvell on its next two possessions. Norvell finished with three touchdown passes but was just 11 for 28 for 139 yards.

NCAA Football ("USA Today" Top-25 Poll)
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#1 Alabama Crimson Tide 45, Georgia State Panthers 3
#2 Oregon Ducks 57, Colorado Buffaloes 16
#3 Ohio State Buckeyes 40, #15 Northwestern Wildcats 30
#4 Clemson Tigers 49, Syracuse Orange 14
#5 Stanford Cardinal 31, #18 Washington Huskies 28
#6 Georgia Bulldogs 34, Tennessee Volunteers 31 (OT)
#7 Louisville Cardinals 30, Temple Owls 7
#8 Florida State Seminoles 63, Maryland Terrapins 0
#10 Oklahoma Sooners 20, TCU Horned Frogs 17
#11 LSU Tigers 59, Mississippi State Bulldogs 26
#12 South Carolina Gamecocks 35, Kentucky Wildcats 28
#14 Miami (FL) Hurricanes 45, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 30
#16 Baylor Bears 73, West Virginia Mountaineers 42
#17 Michigan Wolverines 42, Minnesota Golden Gophers 13
#19 Florida Gators 30, Arkansas Razorbacks 10
#20 Oklahoma State Cowboys 33, Kansas State Wildcats 29
#21 Fresno State Bulldogs 61, Idaho Vandals 14
#22 Texas Tech Red Raiders 54, Kansas Jayhawks 16
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 37, #24 Arizona State Sun Devils 34 (at Arlington, TX)