Sept. 17, 2011
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (By Jessica Schott, ASU Media Relations) - Brock Osweiler threw for 256 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score, but it was not enough as the Sun Devils (2-1) fell 17-14 at Illinois. The Fighting Illini defense stymied the Sun Devil offense, forcing three turnovers and sacking Osweiler six times to hand Arizona State its first loss of the season.
The Fighting Illini struck first when tailback Jason Ford punched in a 1-yard touchdown to put Illinois up 7-0. The Sun Devils responded with Osweiler finding Gerell Robinson on a 21-yard touchdown pass to tie up the game. Late in the first quarter Illinois’ Derek Dimke hit a field goal 20 yards, giving the Illini a 10-7 lead over the Sun Devils. That would end the scoring until the game’s final stanza.
With both defenses keeping the opposing offenses at bay, ASU was finally able to break through early in the fourth quarter on an Osweiler rush up the middle for a 14-yard touchdown. That gave the Sun Devils a 14-10 lead. But after ASU got the ball back, Illinois would capitalize on a mistake that proved very costly.
Illinois defensive end Whitney Mercilus sacked Osweiler, who fumbled the ball. The Illini recovered and cashed in when QB Nathan Scheelhaase found A.J. Jenkins for a 16-yard touchdown pass that put Illinois up 17-14. The Sun Devil offense had one more chance late in the game, but four straight incompletions ended their hopes, as the Fighting Illini held on for the 17-14 victory.
The Sun Devil defense held the Illini to only 240 total yards and forced three turnovers, but Illinois had three takeaways of its own.