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MINNEAPOLIS – Terry Hawthorne was recruited to Illinois as one of the top prep receivers in the country. His heart is on offense, and he hopes to play there one day.
With the way he has played the last two weeks on defense, Hawthorne may have a heck of a time getting over to the other side of the ball anytime soon.
Hawthorne returned an interception for a touchdown and Clay Nurse had four of Illinois’ seven sacks to lead the Illini to a 35-32 victory over Minnesota on Saturday.
“I told the coaches that if he goes back to receiver, I’m going to have a big problem,” Nurse said with a smile. “He’s a tremendous talent.”
Jacob Charest threw for 185 yards and a touchdown after replacing Juice Williams, who left in the first quarter with an injured left ankle. Illinois (3-6, 2-5) led 28-7 at halftime.
Jon Hoese scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns for Minnesota (5-5, 3-4). Gophers linebacker Keanon Cooper blocked a punt that Ben Kuznia scooped up for a score to pull Minnesota within three points with 3 minutes to play.
The ensuing onside kick went out of bounds, and the Gophers couldn’t overcome a dreadful first half from quarterback Adam Weber.
After throwing for 416 yards and five TDs in a breakout game against Michigan State last week, Weber completed 5 of 17 passes for 74 yards with a fumble and the interception returned for a score in the first half against Illinois. He finished 14 of 30 for 221 yards.
“I’m more frustrated in myself than I think the crowd is,” said Weber, who was booed throughout. “I can’t boo myself.”
The Illini have won two in a row after starting the season 1-6.
“This definitely puts some more wind beneath our sails,” Charest said. “We came out last week and had a big week against Michigan and people thought that might have been a fluke. Some of us were probably thinking that. Now this proves we’re a good team and we’re coming into our own.”
MICHIGAN STATE 49, W. MICHIGAN 14: Little-used Ashton Leggett ran for 110 yards and four touchdowns and Kirk Cousins threw for two scores to lead the host Spartans to victory in a rare November non-conference game.
Leggett’s first carry of the game – and second of the season – was a 71-yard TD run.
The Spartans (5-5) scored two more times in the first quarter and the rout was on.
Western (4-6) didn’t do itself any favors, getting called three times for roughing the passer in the first quarter and dropping a number of passes.
The last time the Spartans played a non-conference game in November was in 1966.
