Illini end with loss, finish 3-8

EVANSTON, Ill. -- After dominating the game for 58 minutes, Illinois saw it slip away in a matter of mere seconds.

A diving grab that came up empty-handed, a field goal attempt that floated painfully slow past the left upright. For what might be his last time, Illinois coach Ron Turner watched as a game that was going so right went so wrong.

Jeff Backes returned a punt 73 yards to force overtime, and Brett Basanez connected with Jonathan Fields on a 7-yard scoring pass to give Northwestern a 28-21 victory over Illinois on Saturday.

"It's disappointing," Turner said. "We had a chance to finish it, we had chances to get a win. And we as a football team -- all of us, players and coaches -- didn't get it done."

Now Turner might be done. Illinois (3-8, 1-7 Big Ten) has gone 9-26 since going to the Sugar Bowl three years ago, fueling speculation he'll be fired.

Turner said after the game he hopes to be back, and his players lobbied for his return. But it's athletic director Ron Guenther's decision to make, and he's been silent in recent weeks.

"Of course I'm concerned," Turner said, who is 35-57 in eight seasons at Illinois. "Ron and I will get together the next couple of days and talk."

We really haven't talked much about it."

Illinois finishes the Big Ten season tied for last with Indiana. The Illini have won only one Big Ten game the last two seasons, but players said the program will suffer even more if Turner is fired.

"Coach Turner has handled these last couple of seasons so well with all the losing," linebacker Matt Sinclair said. "It would be easy to throw in the towel and come out to practice cursing and swearing and give up on everything. But he hasn't. He has stuck behind us, and we will stick behind him."

The Illini dominated the Wildcats (6-5, 5-3) for almost the entire game, talking trash and making one big play after another. Pierre Thomas had his third 100-yard rushing game of the year, finishing with 131 yards and two scores on 37 carries.

They scored the go-ahead touchdown on a fake field goal early in the fourth quarter, then stopped the Wildcats after they crossed midfield.

But Jeff Backes returned a punt 73 yards for a score to tie the game with 2:12 left, running untouched into the end zone after punter Steve Weatherford came up empty on a diving grab. Thomas gave the Illini great field position, returning a kick 62 yards to the Northwestern 30.

"We had given them a great situation," Northwestern coach Randy Walker said. "About gift-wrapped that baby."

But Jason Reda's 31-yard field goal attempt for Illinois in the final seconds of regulation sailed wide left, sending the game into overtime.

"We always know we can come back and win," Fields said. "It doesn't matter. As long as there's time left on the clock, we have a chance."

Northwestern had already won two other overtime games this year, beating Ohio State and Indiana. So they made quick work when they got the ball, with Basanez connecting with Fields for the 7-yard score on the fifth play.

The Northwestern defense was all over surprise starter Chris Pazan in overtime, hurrying him and forcing him to make bad throws.

After Mark Kornfeld caught a 4-yard pass to give Illinois fourth-and-6 at the 11, Pazan looked for Kendrick Jones in the end zone on fourth down. But Marvin Ward smothered him, and Jones never got a hand on the ball.

"It hurts," said Pazan, who was 20-of-33 for 149 yards in his first start of the year. "Especially having the lead for most of the game."

As officials signaled that the game was over, Ward's teammates piled on top of him. Senior defensive tackle Luis Castillo went into the stands to celebrate with fans, and several teammates joined him.

"It's been a very fulfilling year," Castillo said.

The victory gives Northwestern a 4-0 Big Ten home record for the first time since 1996, and kept the Wildcats' bowl hopes alive. Northwestern must win at Hawaii next weekend to qualify for a bowl.

The Illinois, meanwhile, are left to wait for a decision on Turner's future.

"We definitely made progress, no doubt about it," Turner said. "Not enough to get the record where we want to get and finish games to win, but we definitely made progress."