Illinois Wins Overtime Thriller Against Michigan State, 38-37

Saturday, October 10

East Lansing, Mich.

2:30 PM CT

University of Illinois

3-3 , 1-2

Michigan State

2-4 , 0-3

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Final F
Illinois	10	10	3	8	7	38
Michigan St.	0	7	10	14	6	37

Varsity Network

Illinois Wins Overtime Thriller Against Michigan State, 38-37

October 10, 2026 | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

RECAP

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Xavier Scott broke up Michigan State's do-or-die two-point conversation attempt in overtime to secure the Illinois football team with a 38-37 victory at Michigan State Saturday afternoon. The Illini picked up their third win of the season and first road and Big Ten wins in dramatic fashion.

Scott's play came after Illinois scored a quick-strike 25-yard touchdown to start overtime on a connection between freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II and Hudson Clement. Clayton was in at quarterback for injured starter Katin Houser, who put up 194 passing yards, a passing touchdown, and a rushing touchdown before going down in the third quarter. Clayton went 6-of-8 passing for 88 yards and two touchdowns the rest of the way in one of the top true freshman QB performances in Illini football history.

"It's a one-of-a-kind feeling right now," said Clayton, who had never attempted a collegiate pass before Saturday. "I'm on cloud nine, but I know I have to stay humble."

Houser, who played at Michigan State from 2022-23, came back to his former home and had the Illini offense rolling. He led five straight scoring drives to start the game, as Illinois built leads of 17-0 and 23-7. But the Spartans kept fighting back in a wild second half and eventually tied the game at 31-31 with fourth-quarter touchdowns at the 7:47 and 1:17 marks.

The frantic second half spilled into overtime as only six offense plays were ran between the two teams before the result went final. Illinois needed only one play to score, then Michigan State gained the necessary 25 yards in five plays, before their failed two-point pass ended the game. With Michigan State's quarterback out wide, Scott read a reverse to get the QB the ball and instantly broke on a pass in the flat to clinch the game.

Clement finished with six catches for 105 yards and the game-deciding touchdown, while Collin Dixon added seven receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown reception on Clayton's first career touchdown pass. Aidan Laughery carried the ball 17 times for 70 yards and hauled in four passes for 24 yards and his first receiving touchdown.

"I think no matter how we win, we just want to get a win going into the bye week and hopefully build some momentum coming out of it," said Dixon. "I'm really happy and proud of the guys today."

James Kreutz led the defense with a career-high 15 tackles, including a sack on the first defensive play of the game. Juice Clarke had a big second-half forced fumble the was recovered by Daniel Brown, who also added one sack.

The Fighting Illini head into the bye week sitting at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Their next opportunity comes on Saturday, Oct. 24 when #13 Oregon makes the trip to Champaign.

HIGHLIGHTS

Postgame Press Conference

Postgame Notes

Team Notes

Illinois won back-to-back visits to Michigan State for the first time since three straight from 1981-85.
Illinois has won three of its last four games against Michigan State.
With his 40th win at Illinois, Bret Bielema tied the Illini record for wins in a head coach's first six seasons.
Bielema won a road Big Ten game for the 12th time as Illinois head coach, the fourth-most in program history.
- Bielema's 12 Big Ten road wins ranks second in an Illinois head coach's first six seasons, only one behind Mike White's 13.
Bielema is 5-0 in overtime games as Illinois head coach.
Bielema improved to 5-1 as a head coach against Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Illinois is 24-3 when scoring the last points of the first half and the first points of the second half during Bret Bielema's six seasons.
Illinois' scoring drive in the second quarter, capped by Katin Houser's 2-yard TD run at the 8:57 mark, was the Illini's longest touchdown drive of the season in both plays (14) and yards (82).
Illinois outgained Michigan State 409-342.
- The Illini led 261-83 in total yards at halftime, running 42 plays to Michigan State's 17 in the first 30 minutes.

Player Notes

Katin Houser completed 20-of-29 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, also added 14 yards on the ground and a score.
- Recorded his second rushing TD of the season to give the Illini a 17-0 lead at the 8:57 mark in the second quarter.
Michael Clayton II completed 6-of-8 passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns
- Played in his second game of the season and recorded the first pass attempts of his collegiate career.
  - Started the Illini offensive drive that began at the 1:30 mark of the third quarter in place of the injured Katin Houser.
  - Led the Illini on a 7-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by his first-career TD pass to Collin Dixon, to give the Illini a 31-17 lead at the 13:14 mark in the fourth quarter.
  - Threw the 25-yard game-winning touchdown to Hudson Clement on the Illini's only offensive snap of overtime.
- First true freshman to throw 2+ touchdowns in a Big Ten road win in program history
- First Illinois true freshman QB to throw 2+ touchdowns in a game since M.J. Rivers (2) vs. Western Illinois (9/8/2018) - W, 34-14
- First Illinois true freshman QB to throw 2+ touchdowns in a Big Ten game since Juice Williams (2) vs. Indiana (10/7/2006) - L, 32-34
- First Big Ten freshman to throw 2+ touchdowns in a game this season
Aidan Laughery rushed the ball 17 times for 70 yards and caught four passes for 24 yards and a touchdown.
- Hauled in the first receiving TD of his career to give the Illini a 10-0 lead at the 3:21 mark of the first quarter.
  - 10th career TD for Laughery (nine rushing).
Collin Dixon caught seven passes for 62 yards and a touchdown.
- Caught his ninth TD pass of the season (14th career) to give the Illini a 31-17 lead at the 13:14 mark of the fourth quarter.
Brayden Trimble caught four passes for 56 yards.
- Set a career high in receptions (4) and hauled in the longest catch of his career (27 yards).
Hudson Clement hauled in six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.
- Caught a pass in his 33rd consecutive game, the fifth-longest active streak in the nation.
- Caught the game-winning 25-yard touchdown in overtime.
- Fourth 100+ yard receiving game of his career and first since Dec. 12, 2024, when he had 166 against Memphis for West Virginia.
Eddie Kasper caught the first pass of his Illini career for seven yards and a first down on the Illini's final offensive drive of the first half.
Ethan Moczulski went 3-for-3 on field goals and made all three extra points.
- Set a career high with three field goals made, hitting from 40, 35, and 38 yards.
  - Improved to 13-for-14 from inside 60 yards on the year (13-for-15 overall)
James Kreutz led the team in tackles with 15 (eight solo) and a sack.
- Tallied the second sack of his career, his first since 2023 (at Purdue 9/30/23), on Michigan State's first offensive play of the contest.
- Recorded a career-high 15 tackles, his second-career game with double-digit stops (12 at Rutgers 11/23/24)
Juice Clarke forced a fumble, recovered by Daniel Brown for Illinois' first of the season, that halted Michigan State's opening drive of the second half.