SEATTLE — Denzel Boston threw and caught a touchdown pass and finished with career highs of 10 receptions and 153 receiving yards to lead Washington to a 42-25 victory over No. 23 Illinois on Saturday.

Boston, who entered the game 10th in the Big Ten in receiving yards, put the Huskies (6-2, 3-2) up for good at 21-17 with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jonah Coleman on a trick play with 40 seconds remaining in the first half.

Demond Williams Jr., who threw for four touchdowns, tossed a backward pass to Boston. The junior wideout promptly threw the ball across the field to a wide-open Coleman, allowing Washington to head into halftime with a lead it would not relinquish.

The Huskies led 14-3 after the first quarter thanks to a pair of 13-yard receiving touchdowns by Dezmen Roebuck. The Fighting Illini (5-3, 2-3) struck twice in the second quarter, though, and took a 17-14 lead on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Luke Altmyer to Tanner Arkin.

After Arkin’s touchdown catch, though, Washington outscored Illinois 28-10. Its sixth victory matched the Huskies’ win total from the 2024 campaign, which was coach Jedd Fisch’s first at Washington.

It was also the Huskies’ second win against a Top 25 team under Fisch; Washington beat No. 10 Michigan 27-17 at home last season. The Illini, meanwhile, lost for the third time in five weeks after a 3-0 start in which they were ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation.

Altmyer finished 22-for-34 for 199 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also led the Illini in rushing yards with 48 on seven carries. Hank Beatty had a team-high six receptions for 73 yards.

The takeaway

Illinois: The Illini defense, which entered ranked 73rd in the country, struggled mightily. The Huskies scored on all six of their red-zone opportunities, and just two of their eight drives did not end in a touchdown.

Washington: The Huskies entered the game ranked 14th in the Big Ten in third-down conversion rate, having succeeded on just 15 of 43 attempts. But on Saturday, Washington converted nine of 11 third-down opportunities.

How a trio of small-town, central Illinois players became key forces in the Illini offense

Up next

Illinois: Plays host to Rutgers on Saturday.
Washington: Visits Wisconsin on Nov. 8.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/25/illinois-washington-big-ten-football/