SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 14, 2013
No. 23 Washington 34, Illinois 24: Keith Price was 28-of-35 passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns as the Huskies defeated the Fighting Illini at Soldier Field in Chicago.
Bishop Sankey accounted for 271 yards – a career-high 208 rushing and 63 more on three receptions – and scored twice as Washington (2-0) rolled up 615 total yards. Jesse Callier added a 39-yard scoring run and Jaydon Mickens had a 9-yard scoring reception.
Illinois (2-1) trailed 10-3 at halftime before Washington accumulated 21 points in the third quarter. Sankey’s 1-yard scoring run started the splurge, with Callier scampering for a touchdown with 6:14 left and Price hitting Mickens to make it 31-10 with 3:32 remaining.
Nathan Scheelhaase tossed a 72-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Lankford 16 seconds later to pull the Illini within 14 points and Aaron Bailey added a 10-yard run with 9:10 left in the game for Illinois. Travis Coons booted a 32-yard field goal with 4:44 to play to push Washington’s margin to 10.
After a scoreless opening stanza, Price hit Sankey on a 31-yard scoring play with 11:09 left in the first half. Taylor Zalewski got Illinois on the board with a 40-yard field goal with 8:27 to go before Coons drilled a 23-yard kick 28 seconds before halftime.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Washington All-American TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins had three receptions for eight yards in his first action of the season. He was suspended for the season opener against Boise State due to an offseason DUI charge. … The contest marked the second time Illinois has ever played at Soldier Field. The first occasion was a 10-9 loss to Washington State in 1994. … Huskies WR Kevin Smith caught five passes for 104 yards, while Lankford (three catches) had an even 100 yards for the Illini.