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Illinois football has two crucial players who deserve game balls against Maryland
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- Illinois football has two crucial players who deserve game balls against Maryland
Illinois football safety Matthew Bailey
It was an ugly football game in College Park, Maryland, as Illinois football fought with Maryland until the final second of the contest.
The Illini, who upset Oregon last week in Champaign, traveled to Maryland looking for three straight Big Ten wins . Neither team took a commanding lead in this game, leading to a 20-17 Illinois win on a last-second field goal.
It was a tough fight to the finish, but Illinois came away with their fifth win of the season. They are now one win away from bowl eligibility, but before they get there, there are two Illini who deserve a game ball for their performances against Maryland.
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1. Freshman Javari Barnett sparked a fourth quarter comeback with a huge run
The future of Illinois' running game is in good hands, as freshman Javari Barnett has been making his presence known with the Illini. In his first four games, the Tampa, Florida, product rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
Barnett split the backfield with Aidan Laughery and Jordan Anderson, recording six carries, 80 yards, and a touchdown. His afternoon was highlighted by a 64-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter that gave Illinois a 17-14 lead.
Barnett is quickly gaining respect from his coaches for his violent running style and ability to make cuts at the right time. This has become Barnett's backfield to lose, especially with Laughery and Anderson running out of eligibility.
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2. Matthew Bailey made two crucial plays to help lead Illinois' defense
The Illinois defense has struggled throughout most of the year, ranking No. 80 in the country and allowing 25.29 points per game. However, they were the main focus of Saturday's win, led by safety Matthew Bailey.
Bailey is an established leader for Illinois football, as he was named one of Illinois' captains for the 2026-27 season. He was a big disruptor against the Terrapins, recording six total tackles, three solo tackles, and 1.5 tackles for a loss.
It may not have been the cleanest game for Illinois as a whole, but that doesn't mean every member of the defense had a bad game. Bailey made two crucial tackles behind the line, with one resulting in an early fumble by the Terrapins that erased Katin Houser's first quarter interception.
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This article was originally published on www.writingillini.com as Illinois football has two crucial players who deserve game balls against Maryland .
