No Paddock magic for Illinois Football in Loss to Iowa

Illinois Football loses on a late touchdown run on the road at Kinnick to the #16 Hawkeyes.

Illini fans must wait one more week to try for bowl eligibility after falling to the #16 Iowa Hawkeyes 15-13 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Iowa running back Caleb Williams scored on a 30-yard touchdown run with less than five minutes in the game for what turned out to be the game-winner. Illinois had one last possession to try to win the game but turned it over on downs.

For Iowa (9-2, 6-2), the win clinches the Big Ten West Division and a berth in the Big Ten Championship game. The division title is its second in three years. “I said (after the Penn State game) that all of our goals were still out there in front of us, and we could still be Big Ten West champs, we could still be Big Ten champs,” defensive end Joe Evans said. “I’m not sure how well that went with some people — I’m sure they laughed at us. But look at us now.”

For Illinois (5-6, 3-5), their annual rivalry game against Northwestern is not only for The Land of Lincoln trophy, but a trip to the bowl season — and those coveted 15 extra practices — hang in the balance.

Illinois Football must score touchdowns.

Possessions are few and far between when playing Iowa, so when you have a chance to score, score touchdowns. Illinois got in the red zone twice, scoring one touchdown and one field goal. Paddock and the Illini drove to Iowa’s 11-yard line and settled for three points. The Illini did not have Kaden Feagin, the bigger, more physical runner. However, Illinois must figure out how to get that football in the endzone. Scoring that touchdown could have changed the tone and tenor of the football game.

No Paddock Magic

Quarterback John Paddock did not have any magic this afternoon against Iowa, completing less than 50 percent of his passes with no touchdown passes. Illinois did get the football late in the fourth quarter. Instead of a game-winning drive, Illinois turned the football over on downs. The running game suffered without Feagin in the lineup. Reggie Love led the Illini in rushing but had no complimentary runner.