Wild Torrie Cox Jr. pick sparks Illini defense

Three takeaways from Illinois' 24-3 victory over Chattanooga

Illinois is now 2-1 on the season and will travel to Virginia next weekend for a noon game against the Cavaliers.

1. The Illinois defense was dominant

The Illini held Chattanooga to just 168 total yards and three points. It was the first time Illinois has held an opponent to under 200 yards of total offense since 2019.

The Illini defense was led by linebacker Tarique Barnes, who had 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss.

2. Torrie Cox Jr. was a sparkplug for the Illinois offense

The junior wide receiver had four catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. He also had a key 25-yard punt return in the third quarter that set up an Illinois field goal.

Cox Jr. has emerged as a playmaker for the Illini offense this season. He has 11 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns in three games.

3. The Illini need to improve their running game

The Illini rushed for just 82 yards on 32 carries against Chattanooga. Chase Brown, who rushed for over 100 yards in each of the first two games of the season, was held to just 51 yards on 16 carries.

The Illini need to find a way to get their running game going if they want to continue to win games.