Minnesota rallies to defeat No. 24 Illinois 25-17 for the Golden Gophers' 4th straight win

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Max Brosmer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Geers and Dragan Kesich kicked his fourth field goal of the game in the final five minutes, rallying Minnesota to a 25-17 victory over No. 24 Illinois on Saturday.

It was the fourth consecutive win for Minnesota (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten), while Illinois (6-3, 3-3) dropped its second straight.

Brosmer completed 22 of 37 passes for 213 yards and a TD. Darius Taylor ran for 131 yards and a TD on 22 carries and he was the Golden Gophers’ leading receiver with nine catches for 58 yards. Elijah Spencer had six catches for 67 yards.

“We knew there was going to be a great crowd and it would be hostile. So what?” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said. “Illinois is ranked. So what? We kept it all internal.”

Luke Altmyer was 20 of 33 for 226 yards and a TD for Illinois, but lost two fumbles.

Illinois coach Bret Bielema said Altmyer’s ball security is a problem that needs to be corrected. But he said the issue isn’t entirely Altmyer’s fault.

“When the QB position goes well, the QB gets a lot of credit,” Bielema said. “When things don’t go well, the QB gets a lot of blame. We need to help Luke out.”

Illinois’ final drive ended deep in Minnesota territory when Altmyer was sacked by Jah Joyner and his fumble was recovered by Danny Striggow on the Gophers 27.

Pat Bryant had five catches for 72 yards and Zakhari Franklin caught five passes for 71 yards and a TD for Illinois. Josh McCray rushed seven times for 71 yards and a TD.

Illinois took a 17-16 lead with 9:03 to go when Altmyer threw a 21-yard TD pass to Franklin after Minnesota punter Mark Crawford’s run on a fake came up short, giving the Illini the ball on their own 46.

Fleck said there weren’t any decisions his players made during the game that he didn’t like. Even the failed fake punt.

“It was the perfect call based on Illinois’ formation,” he said. "Mark has the green light to run when he thinks he has that opportunity. It didn’t work this time and it was risky, but it was the right call.”

Illinois: The Illini are no longer perfect at home this season and Bielema is no longer perfect vs. Minnesota in his coaching career. The Illini fell to 5-1 at home and Bielema is 10-1 vs. Minnesota. He beat the Gophers seven times from 2006-12 while he was the coach at Wisconsin. This is his fourth season at Illinois.

Minnesota: The Gophers haven’t lost since they were defeated by Michigan on Sept. 28. During the four-game stretch, they’ve beaten then-No. 11 Southern Cal and now No. 24 Illinois. A big reason is a stingy pass defense. The Altmyer-to-Franklin touchdown pass was only the sixth TD pass allowed by Minnesota this season.

After being ranked for seven straight weeks, the most since the 2001 Big Ten championship team was ranked for 10 consecutive weeks, Illinois probably will be booted next week. Minnesota could be a candidate to join the poll.

Bielema twice referred to the officiating as a “clown show” while discussing a fourth-quarter targeting penalty on Illinois' Miles Scott and a possible late hit on Altmyer on the Illini's final drive that wasn’t called.

Illinois linebacker Dylan Rosiek, the team’s leading tackler, broke a leg making a tackle in the first quarter. Bielema said Rosiek will have surgery and is out for the season.

Illinois: Hosts Michigan State on Nov. 16.

Minnesota: At Rutgers next Saturday.

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Minnesota wide receiver Elijah Spencer advances the ball off a pass reception as Illinois defensive back Kaleb Patterson makes the tackle during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Minnesota tight end Jameson Geers catches a touchdown pass past Illinois defensive back Matthew Bailey, from quarterback Max Brosmer during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Illinois running back Josh McCray catties the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema walks off the field after his team's 25-17 loss to Minnesota in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Minnesota place kicker Dragan Kesich (99) kicks a field goal during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer walks off the field after his team's 25-17 loss to Minnesota in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Minnesota on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck hugs quarterback Max Brosmer after the teams 25-17 win over Illinois in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) walks off field after a fumble late in the fourth quarter of the team's 25-17 loss to Minnesota in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn finished 14th position in a super-G on Saturday to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40.

Vonn crossed the line 1.18 seconds behind winner Cornelia Huetter.

It was the American standout’s first World Cup race after nearly six years of retirement.

Vonn is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday.

Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries, but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and had two titanium pieces inserted into her right knee. Her knee feels better than it has in years, so she decided to come back.

Vonn left the tour with 82 World Cup wins — the record for a woman at the time and within reach of the then all-time Alpine mark of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s record held by Vonn was eclipsed in January 2023 by American teammate Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has an outright record 99 wins.

Shiffrin, who shares the record of five wins in St. Moritz with Vonn, isn’t racing this weekend as she recovers from abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she sustained in a crash last month.

Vonn took advantage of a new wild card rule that allows former champions to enter races without the necessary points.

Eight-time overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher also took advantage of the wild card rule and returned this season after five years away. But then Hirscher tore his left ACL while training in giant slalom and announced earlier this month that his comeback season was done.

Vonn is attempting to enter unchartered territory in terms of success at an advanced age in women’s skiing.

The oldest woman to win a World Cup race was Federica Brignone, the Italian who won the giant slalom in Soelden, Austria, in October to start this season, at age 34.

The oldest man to win a race was Didier Cuche at 37 in a super-G in Crans Montana, Switzerland, in 2012.

Johan Clarey set the record for the oldest podium finisher with a second-place result in the famed Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbuehel, Austria, at age 42 in January 2023.

AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, is congratulated by Red Bull Head of Athletes Special Projects Patrick Riml after she competed in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn, right, smiles after completing an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn looks on before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)

United States' Lindsey Vonn does a course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates during the course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)

United States' Lindsey Vonn concentrates during the course inspection before competing in an alpine ski, women's World Cup super G, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)