Mark Taurisani Assistant Director of Athletics, Football Chief of Staff | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Mark Taurisani Assistant Director of Athletics, Football Chief of Staff | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer has been named the co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, according to an announcement made by the conference office on Monday.
Altmyer played a key role in leading then-#24 Illinois to a 31-24 overtime victory against #22 Nebraska. He threw for four touchdowns, completing 21 out of 27 passes and accumulating 236 total yards of offense. In a critical moment, Altmyer tied the game with a touchdown pass to offensive lineman Brandon Henderson on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter. He later secured the win with another touchdown pass to Pat Bryant in overtime.
Altmyer's performance marks him as the first Illinois quarterback since Kurt Kittner in 1999 to throw for four touchdowns on the road against a top-25 team. Additionally, he is currently the only quarterback in the nation this season who has thrown over ten touchdowns without any interceptions. Under his leadership, Illinois has achieved two ranked wins and started their season with a 4-0 record for only the second time since 1951.
Following these accomplishments, Illinois has moved up to #19 in the AP Top 25 rankings. The Fighting Illini are set to face #9 Penn State on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. CT, with coverage available on NBC.
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