Big ten conference Saturday’s other games

Illinois 50, Miami 14

CHAMPAIGN, ILL.

Nathan Scheelhaase threw for 278 yards and five touchdowns and Illinois used a 29-point second quarter to blow by Miami of Ohio. The senior quarterback had all five touchdown throws for Illinois (3-1) by halftime. He finished 19 of 24 for 278 yards with one interception. Illinois took a 36-0 lead into halftime on Scheelhaase’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Matt LaCosse with about five minutes left in the second quarter. The Illini got their third win of the season early after finishing 2-10 a year ago and closing with nine-straight losses. Miami lost its third-straight game to a BCS school after falling to Cincinnati last weekend and Kentucky two weeks ago.

Northern Illinois 55, Purdue 24

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND.

Jordan Lynch threw for 207 yards and three touchdowns, and Northern Illinois scored on a kickoff return and an interception return to rout Purdue. It’s the first time a Mid-American Conference team has beaten two Big Ten foes in the same season, and the Huskies (4-0) made it look easy, tying the MAC record for victory margin over a Big Ten school. Toledo beat Minnesota by 31 in 2001. “We consider ourselves a championship team,” Lynch said. “When we go on the road and win these games, it means a lot to the program.” Northern Illinois scored on its first four series, forced five turnovers and led 27-10 at the half as Lynch became the 26th player in Football Bowl Subdivision history to top 4,000 yards passing and 2,000 rushing in his career. He was 18 of 25 and had nine carries for 35 yards and a score. Purdue (1-4, 0-1) was so bad, coach Darrell Hazell yanked starting quarterback Rob Henry and inserted true freshman Danny Etling late in the first half. Coach Rod Carey liked what he saw, especially out of a defense that was ranked 115th out of 123 in total yards allowed per game and 100th in scoring per game. “For an extended period of time, probably,” Carey said when asked if that was Northern Illinois’ best defensive game of the season.

Iowa 23, Minnesota 7

MINNEAPOLIS

Jake Rudock threw for one touchdown and ran for another and Iowa beat Minnesota on both sides of the ball. Mark Weisman rushed for 147 yards on 24 carries, and Mike Meyer made three of his four field goal attempts to help the Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-0) start the Big Ten with a bang. After losing their opener to Northern Illinois, they’ve outscored their last two opponents 82-10. Senior linebackers Christian Kirksey, James Morris and Anthony Hitchens led a stifling effort on defense, including interceptions by Kirksey and Morris of Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson. Nelson hadn’t played in two weeks because of an injury, but he started ahead of Mitch Leidner for the Gophers (4-1, 0-1). Nelson lost 18 yards on nine rushes and completed 12 of 24 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown to Derrick Engel, who had 67 yards on five catches.

Associated Press