Illinois Postgame Notes
Minnesota 32, Illinois 23
TCF Bank Stadium // Nov. 21, 2015 // Attendance: 47,976

TEAM NOTES

• Illinois fell to 5-6 overall and 2-5 in the Big Ten. Minnesota moved to 5-6 overall and 2-5 in the Big Ten.
• Illinois remains one win away from reaching bowl eligibility. The Illini would become bowl eligible for the second straight year and fourth time in the last six years with a win next week against Northwestern at Soldier Field. Minnesota, which plays Wisconsin at home next Saturday, is also one win away from bowl eligibility.
• This was the Illini's first loss to a team with less than seven wins in 2015. Previous losses have come against No. 2 Ohio State (10-0, 6-0), No. 6 Iowa (10-0, 6-0), No. 12 North Carolina (9-1, 6-0 ACC), No. 21 Wisconsin (8-2, 5-1) and Penn State (7-3, 4-2).
• Illinois is 29-36-3 all-time against Minnesota, including a 12-21-2 mark in Minneapolis. The Illini are 1-2 at TCF Bank Stadium.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Senior RB Josh Ferguson moved to eighth on the Illini's career rushing list (2,546 yards), passing Pierre Thomas (2003-06, 2,545), Rashard Mendenhall (2005-07, 2,539) and Howard Griffith (1987-90, 2,485 rushing yards). Ferguson also moved to fourth on Illinois' career receptions list with 161 to pass Brandon Lloyd (160), Arrelious Benn (159) and John Wright, Sr. (159). Ferguson is now third in career all-purpose yards with 4,334, behind Robert Holcombe (4,737) and Pierre Thomas (4,451).
• Ferguson totaled 105 yards on 20 carries in the game. The last Illini to rush for over 100 yards against Minnesota was Mikel Leshoure (141) on Nov. 13, 2010.
• Sophomore WR Malik Turner had a career-high 11 catches for 126 yards. Turner produced the best two-game stretch of his career with 187 receiving yards over the past two weeks (61 vs. Ohio State, 126 vs. Minnesota). He caught his third touchdown of the season, a 13-yard strike, to put Illinois up 6-0 in the first quarter. The last Illini to total over 100 yards receiving against Minnesota was A.J. Jenkins (137) on Nov. 13, 2010.
• Junior QB Wes Lunt had a career-high completion percentage of 72.3 in todays game, completing 34 of 47 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Lunt's completions and passing yards were the most by a QB against Minnesota this season. Entering the game, Lunt led the Big Ten in completions per game (21.6) and ranked fourth in passing yards per game (224.1).
• Senior LB Mason Monheim made 12 tackles to move into seventh on Illinois' all-time career tackles list with 384. He passed Dick Butkus (374) and Danny Clark (381) today.
• Sophomore RB Kendrick Foster received increased playing time with the absence of injured freshman RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn. Foster ran 11 times for 56 yards.
• Junior LEO Dawuane Smoot recovered a fumble for the second straight game. He picked up a fumble forced by junior DL Chunky Clements at the Illinois 33-yard line in the second quarter.
• Junior TE Andrew Davis caught his first touchdown as an Illini on six-yard pass from Lunt with 8:15 left in the 3rd quarter.
• Senior K Taylor Zalewski made 3-of-3 field goals in the game. The three made field goals tied his career-high.
• The Fighting Illini offensive line has had the same five starters all season – Junior LT Austin Schmidt, senior LG Chris Boles, junior C Joe Spencer, senior RG Ted Karras and sophomore RT Christian DiLauro.
• Consecutive start streaks of 20+: Monheim 45, Spence 35, Neal 23, Ward 23, Spencer 22