Aidan Laughery rushed for three touchdowns and No. 22 Illinois topped Northwestern 38-28 on Saturday to reach nine victories for the first time since its 2007 Rose Bowl season. Pat Bryant dashed in to score off Luke Altmyer’s 43-yard pass early in the third quarter as Illinois (9-3,

CHICAGO – Nursing a narrow 14-10 lead over Northwestern fresh out of the halftime break Saturday at Wrigley Field, No. 22 Illinois was facing a second-and-5 on its own 36-yard line. With the first-half struggles of quarterback Luke Altmyer (two interceptions), the Illini had been leaning on the run game for steady offense.

Following a sloppy second quarter of Illinois football, where a Luke Altmyer interception led to a spurt of momentum for Northwestern, Illinois running back Aidan Laughery broke out for a 64-yard touchdown on Illinois’ opening drive of the second half.

Jordan Sears scores 18 points and Cam Carter scores 15 to lead the Tigers' blowout barrage in the second half against the Demons, 77-53.