Josh McCray runs for three TDs to lead Illinois to a 38-16 win over slumping Michigan State

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.

(AP) Josh McCray ran for three touchdowns and Luke Altmyer threw two TD passes, leading Illinois to a 38-16 victory Saturday over Michigan State.

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Aidan Chiles was 23-of-40 passing for 256 yards and two TDs and Aziah Johnson and Nate Carter caught TD passes for the Spartans (4-6, 2-5), who have lost six of seven.

Michigan State didnt have a sack for the fifth straight game.

Illinois sacked Chiles five times.

The Illini finished 6-1 at home.

Its the first time theyve won six home games in a season since 2001, when they captured the Big Ten title and played in the 2002 Sugar Bowl.

After falling behind 21-9 at halftime, the Spartans closed within 21-16 on a 5-yard TD pass from Chiles to Carter.

Illinois David Alano responded with a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter, and McCray scored on a pair of 1-yard dives in the fourth quarter.

Altmyer threw a 57-yard TD pass to Bryant and a 4-yard TD pass to Zakhari Franklin, and McCray ran 11 yards for a TD for the Illini in the first half.

It was Bryants eighth TD reception of the season, and his career-long catch.

It also was Altmyers career-long pass completion.

Michigan State scored on a 52-yard TD pass from Chiles to Johnson in the first quarter and a 38-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim with 1:02 left in the half.

Kim missed the PAT after the Chiles-to-Johnson TD pass.

It was the first time hed missed a PAT in his college career.

He was 3 of 3 at North Carolina and is 34 of 35 at Michigan State.

Illinois: The Illini will hit the road to play at Rutgers and Northwestern in their final two regular-season games.

Illinois is 1-2 away from Champaign, with all three games against ranked teams.

Two road wins would give the Illini a final 9-3 record and an opportunity to play in a major bowl game.

Michigan State: The Spartans have no margin for error if they want to play in a bowl game in Jonathan Smiths first season as coach.

They need to win their final two regular-season games, home games vs.

Purdue and Rutgers, to be bowl-eligible.

Illinois: At Rutgers next Saturday.

Michigan State: Hosts Purdue on Friday.

By STEVE STEIN, Associated Press.

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