Illinois' Justin Bowick (0) makes a touchdown catch against Duke's Kimari Robinson (5) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

DURHAM, N.C. — Eleventh-ranked Illinois had just closed a strong second-half performance that turned a close tussle at halftime into a lopsided win at Duke . And coach Bret Bielema had plenty of key plays to rattle off as he basked in the glow of a road victory.

But the sequence he singled out as “the play of the game” wasn't even made by anyone on the field.

Rather, it was senior special teams assistant coach Chris Hurd screaming out from the sideline that Duke had two players on the field wearing the No. 8 jersey as Illinois punted away a three-and-out to

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