No. 9 Illinois stays perfect, riding its defense and QB Luke Altmyer to 38-0 win against Western Michigan

CHAMPAIGN — Luke Altmyer threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 9 Illinois shut out Western Michigan 38-0 on Saturday night.

Kaden Feagin rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown and Ca’Lil Valentine ran for 63 yards and a score. Hank Beatty caught six passes for 53 yards and a TD.

It was the seventh consecutive victory dating to last season for Illinois (3-0), its longest winning streak since it won seven in a row in 2011.

Broc Lowry threw for 78 yards and ran for 40 yards for the Broncos (0-3), who had 204 total yards.

Illinois led 10-0 at halftime, preserving the shutout with a goal-line stand in the final seconds. The Illini stopped the Broncos twice at the 1-yard line.

The only touchdown of the half was a 6-yard pass from Altmyer to Beatty in the second quarter, his first scoring catch of the season. Illinois’ leading receiver had scored on a punt return in the Illini’s opener against Western Illinois.

The takeaway

Western Michigan: Illinois coach Bret Bielema said during the week that he expected Western Michigan, a 27½-point underdog according to BetMGM, to give his team a battle. He was somewhat correct. The Broncos didn’t score, but they shut down lllinois’ high-powered offense in the first half before giving up 28 points in the second. The Illini have scored 38 or more points six times in seven games.

Illinois: The Illini opened the season with decisive victories over three teams — Western Illinois, Duke and Western Michigan — with a combined record of 2-7, outscoring them 128-22. Now Illinois has an opportunity to show it deserves its No. 9 AP ranking — the team’s highest since 2001 and best September ranking since 1964 — with games coming up against No. 22 Indiana and USC.

Up next

• Illinois: Opens Big Ten play Saturday at No. 22 Indiana.
• Western Michigan: Plays its MAC opener Saturday versus Toledo.

Originally Published: September 13, 2025 at 9:45 PM CDT