CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Chambana Today) – The No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini opened their 2025 football season with an emphatic victory over Western Illinois, cruising to a 52-3 win Friday night at Memorial Stadium in front of 56,040 enthusiastic fans.
Illinois’ explosive offense and suffocating defense overwhelmed the Leathernecks from the start, setting the tone early for a dominant performance. The star of the night was senior wide receiver Hank Beatty, who made a lasting impression with a record-breaking performance. Beatty caught five passes for 108 yards, including a 59-yard touchdown strike, tying his career long. But it was his remarkable performance in the punt return game that cemented his place in Illini history.
With 133 total punt return yards, Beatty shattered a 102-year-old school record held by the legendary Red Grange, who set the mark at 125 yards back in 1923. Beatty’s highlight came in the third quarter when he took a punt 69 yards to the house for a touchdown, igniting the Memorial Stadium crowd.
On the defensive side, preseason All-American linebacker Gabe Jacas showed why he’s regarded as one of the top players in the nation. Jacas finished with five tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 2.5 tackles for loss, and also forced a fumble. His 2.0 sacks helped him join an elite group in Illinois football history, tying for fifth on the program’s all-time career sack list with 18, alongside notable Illini defenders like Jer’Zhan Newton and Whitney Mercilus.
Quarterback Luke Altmyer was efficient, going 17-for-21 for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Altmyer connected with tight end Justin Bowick for two of those scores, as Bowick finished the game with three catches for 23 yards. Aidan Laughrey was also a standout, rushing nine times for 101 yards, including two touchdowns.
The Illini’s performance on both sides of the ball was nearly flawless, as they dominated all phases of the game. With the victory, Illinois starts the season 1-0 and will look to build on their momentum heading into next week’s matchup.
Game Notes:
- Illinois set a new school record for punt return yards in a game with 133, surpassing the previous mark of 125 set by Red Grange in 1923.
- Beatty’s 69-yard punt return touchdown was the longest for Illinois since 2018.
- Illinois’ defense held Western Illinois to just 3 points and forced two turnovers.
