Illinois struggles but beats Maryland 20-17 on a 26-yard field goal by Ethan Moczulski

Illinois edged out Maryland 20-17 in a thrilling matchup held in College Park, Maryland on Saturday. The Illini secured the win with a last-second 26-yard field goal from Ethan Moczulski.

Led by quarterback Katin Houser after his return from a hand injury, Illinois fought hard and took the lead early in the fourth quarter through a fantastic 64-yard touchdown run by Javari Barnett. Maryland responded with a field goal, but Illinois managed to secure another scoring drive, ultimately taking control of the game.

With under 6 minutes remaining on the clock, Maryland committed two turnovers, including a fumble by quarterback Malik Washington and a dropped pass by running back DeJuan Williams. Despite these mistakes, Maryland found success with touchdown runs from both of their top runners in the Terps' first game under interim head coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim.

The Illini's winning streak reached three games, and quarterback Houser expressed satisfaction about coming back from his injury in time for this crucial victory. Maryland's defense showed promise under Abdul-Rahim, but ultimately fell short when they couldn't stop Illinois on the final drive.