Illinois 38, Purdue 31 (OT)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- After squandering a 24-point lead and scoring with three seconds left to force overtime Saturday, Illinois posted a 38-31 Big Ten Conference victory over Purdue on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Dustin Ward to Greg Lewis.

Eugene Williams returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to help the Fighting Illini (2-5, 1-2 Big Ten) race to a 24-0 lead. But Purdue scored 31 unanswered points to move in front.

Illinois' Antoineo Harris rushed for 195 yards and scored his second touchdown of the game from the one-yard line to tie it at 31-31.

Benched earlier in the game, Purdue's Kyle Orton threw a 54-yard prayer on the final play of regulation, but John Standeford was stopped at the Illini one.

Standeford had 11 receptions for 161 yards while Brandon Jones rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown and caught a pass for another score for Illinois.

The Boilermakers tied it at 24-24 on a six-yard run by Jones with 11 1/2 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, then took their first lead six minutes later when Brandon Kirsch found Jones for a 36-yard touchdown.

Kirsch completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown but threw incomplete in the end zone on fourth down in overtime. Orton was 12 of 14 for 127 yards with two interceptions.

Illinois' Dustin Ward connected on 15 of 30 passes for 202 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Fighting Illini snapped a three-game losing streak while handing Purdue (2-5, 1-2) its sixth straight road defeat.