Purdue-Illinois Final Statistics in PDF Format
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Dustin Ward threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Greg Lewis in overtime to give Illinois a 38-31 win over Purdue on Saturday after the Illini blew a 24-point lead in regulation.
After going up 24-0 in the first half, the Illini didn't score again until Antoineo Harris scored from a yard out on fourth-and-goal with 7 seconds left to play, tying the score at 31.
Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton, benched earlier in the game, completed a desperation heave with three seconds left, but John Standeford caught the pass a yard short of the end zone.
After Lewis scored for Illinois in overtime, Brandon Kirsch's pass into the end zone on fourth down was well short of his receiver and Illinois players streamed onto the field.
Illinois (2-5, 1-2 Big Ten) snapped a three-game losing streak.
For the second straight week, Kirsch, a freshman, rallied the Boilermakers (3-4, 1-2) when he came on to replace Orton.
Kirsch, who was 14-of-22 for 161 yards, took over for Orton after the sophomore threw interceptions on two straight possessions in the first half and later fumbled at his own 15.
Purdue tied the game at 24 on a 6-yard touchdown run by Brandon Jones. Kirsch then threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jones with about 5 minutes to go to put the Boilermakers up by 7 before Harris tied the game.
Jones, who got the bulk of the carries in the second half, finished with 126 yards rushing and one touchdown.
Illinois scored on the opening play of the game when Eugene Wilson caught the kickoff deep in the end zone, ran it to the 10-yard line and handed off to Williams on a reverse. The freshman ran it up the right sideline and outlasted the lone Purdue pursuer for the touchdown.
After a 24-yard field goal by Peter Christofilakos, Harris had a 47-yard touchdown run to give Illinois a 17-0 lead. The senior also had an 82-yard run - the longest for Illinois since Ray Nitschke's 85-yarder in 1957.
Harris finished with 195 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Ward, who hadn't started since the second game of the season, also had an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Lloyd to give Illinois a 24-0 lead. Lloyd had 10 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
By JASON STRAIT
AP Sports Writer