Through two quarters of play, the 2-7 Illinois Fighting Illini find themselves in a defensive stalemate with the 5-4 Minnesota Golden Gophers. After taking a 3-0 lead into the second quarter, the Illini allowed Minnesota to put together a 10-play drive that took them 65 yards, which ended in a Jordan Wetstein 20-yard field goal.
Minnesota had a 1st-and-goal at the Illinois 5-yard line, and Donnell Kirkwood took it to the 2-yard line after a short rush. He then lost one yard on yet another rush, and Philip Nelson threw an incomplete pass on third down, which led to the field goal. The drive was entirely made up of run plays (eight) until the incomplete pass on third down.
Nelson is just 3-for-7 for Minnesota, with 18 yards and no touchdowns. Nathan Scheelhaase is 5-for-8 for 108 yards and no touchdowns as well. Kirkwood has 86 yards on the ground, and Minnesota is out-gaining Illinois on the ground, 127 yards to 62.