EAST LANSING, Mich. _ One masterpiece play was followed by a disaster over and over for Illinois on Saturday afternoon. The Illini ended on the right note.
In a down-to-the-wire afternoon, Illinois rallied for a 37-34 victory and became bowl-eligible for the first time since 2014.
The never-say-die Illini marched deep into Michigan State territory on a 37-yard pass from Brandon Peters to Josh Imatorbhebhe on fourth-and-17 with a little more than a minute remaining. The Illini had first-and-goal from the 1 and couldn't score, but got another chance when the Spartans were called for pass interference on a Peters fourth-down incompletion.
The Illini got new life, and Peters finally found Daniel Barker in the end zone with 5 seconds left for the winning score. Barker earned an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for celebrating, but he likely didn't mind. He and all of Champaign were celebrating.
The Illini looked as if they had blown an extraordinary comeback attempt. They scored on Sydney Brown's 76-yard interception return with 4:53 left to trail just 31-30. The sideline was celebrating a pending tie _ but kicker James McCourt missed the extra-point attempt.
Illinois trailed, 28-3, in the first half and was down, 31-10, at the end of the third quarter. Michigan State hit a 46-yard field goal with 3:17 left.
Illinois (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) had won three games in a row and headed to Michigan State with high hopes.
Again encapsulating the up-and-down nature of the season, the Illini recovered a Michigan State fumble inside the 10-yard line in the fourth quarter but wound up throwing a pick in the end zone. Peters appeared to underthrow Imatorbhebhe, and the ball floated into Shakur Brown's hands.
The Spartans survived their four turnovers against the pesky Illini defense, which was playing without takeaway machine Jake Hansen.
Hansen, the nation's leader in fumble recoveries, didn't make the trip because of an unspecified injury. In the first quarter, linebacker Milo Eifler was ejected for throwing a punch after a Michigan State touchdown.
Receivers Ricky Smalling and Dominic Stampley and defensive end Wole Betiku also remained sidelined with injuries.
Reggie Corbin followed a 23-yard catch with a 6-yard touchdown run a play later to pull the Illini within 31-24 with 11:06 remaining.
Imatorbhebhe grabbed his second touchdown of the day _ on this third catch _ with an 83-yard score to cut Michigan State's lead to 31-17 early in the fourth quarter.
Illinois had managed to crawl to within 28-10 at halftime with a key takeaway and a long completion.
As time expired at the half, Peters connected with Imatorbhebhe for a 46-yard touchdown pass. The scoring drive was set up by an interception off a tip to Brown.
The Illini also saved a potential Michigan State touchdown when Stanley Green's interception in the end zone on the Spartans' previous possession.
Otherwise, the Spartans controlled the first half with scoring drives of 75, 75 and 80 yards. Michigan State outgained Illinois 336-176 before halftime.
