CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois’ longest winning streak in more than a decade is over.
Coming into Memorial Stadium at 16.5-point underdogs, Michigan State rode QB Payton Thorne and its defense en route to a 23-15 win over No. 16 Illinois — snapping the Illini’s 6-game win streak.
Rough conditions spelled struggles for both Illinois and Michigan State on a windy Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. It was simply a question of which team would step up when conditions were toughest.
It looked like it would be all Illinois (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) at first, as QB Tommy DeVito found WR Isaiah Williams on a 60-yard touchdown pass to give them an early first quarter lead 7-0.