Updates » ust their second loss in six games at home

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- With the two quarterbacks in front of him on the depth chart down with injuries, Jeff George Jr. has spent much of his redshirt sophomore season at Illinois on mop-up duty, manning the controls for a struggling offense.But on Dads Day at Memorial Stadium Saturday, the son of longtime NFL quarterback and Illinois legend Jeff George and the Illini defense pulled off a comeback that no doubt made the elder Georges day.George Jr. threw a touchdown pass with 1:25 left to take the lead, and with 19 seconds left Illinois defense came up with a fourth-down stop at its own 15 to pull out a 31-27 win.The victory was Illinois (3-6, 2-4 Big Ten) first over the Spartans since 2006, and ended a two-game losing streak in which Illinois coach Lovie Smith said he forgot how the team celebrates a win.We had forgotten what its like. They had to take me through the routine of singing the `Alma Mater, he said. Theres no excitement like a winning locker room, just genuine emotion.Across the stadium from the jubilant Illinois locker room, the Spartans struggled to explain how this one got away.The Spartans (2-7, 0-6) have lost seven straight, are off to their worst Big Ten start ever and are assured of a losing season. They dominated the game on paper, outgaining Illinois 490-304. Eight times Michigan State moved the ball to the Illinois 36-yard line or further, but turned those possessions into just two touchdowns and four field goals. Michigan States 10 penalties for 89 yards hurt.Very disappointing, Spartan coach Mark Dantonio said several times in his postgame news conference, shaking his head as he searched for an explanation. You kick four field goals, that sounds good. (But) it means theres missed opportunities in the red zone.George was just 13-29 for 140 yards, but he had two touchdown passes. The second touchdown was the 16-yard strike to Sam Mays that sealed the win.Obviously I feel like I made some mistakes, George said. The whole point of the game is to weather the storm and keep grinding.Michigan State had a shot late, driving the ball to the Illinois 15. But on fourth down with 19 seconds left in the game, Illinois linebacker Hardy Nickerson and defensive end Carroll Phillips stuffed quarterback Damion Terrys draw for a 1-yard loss.Terry came into the game in the fourth when Tyler OConnor left with an injury.THE TAKEAWAYMichigan State: OConnor and Terry proved Saturday that the Spartans arent lost at quarterback. With Brian Lewerke out for the season, OConnor was steady. He kept plays alive with his feet on a key third-quarter drive that ended with a touchdown and tied the game at 17-17. And when Terry came off the bench, he was cool under pressure.Illinois: Illinois came into the season talking up its defense, then spent eight weeks struggling to stop the run and, at times, avoid penalties and other mistakes that cost the Illini games. On Saturday, the Illini defense looked as good as initially promised. Playing with short fields and against an offense that has shown it can move the ball, defense kept the Illini in the game Saturday until the offense woke up.LONG-DISTANCE FOSTERKendrick Fosters day was almost lost in the late-game heroics, but Illinois junior running back was the spark that got the Illini offense going. He had 17 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns, the second a 64-yarder. He has three scores of 56 yards or more this season, all of that after almost leaving the program last November.BOWLINGIts been a while since the Spartans finished a season with a losing record (2006, 4-8) or no bowl trip to look forward to (2009, a 6-7 season that ended at the Alamo Bowl).Six wins and a bowl remain possible for Illinois, but theres no margin for error. The Illini will have to win the rest of their games -- at Wisconsin, at home against Iowa and at Northwestern.INJURY REPORTMichigan State defensive end Malik McDowell left the game with an apparent leg injury in the third quarter. Details about the injury were not available. OConnor was injured in a pileup after running for a first down. He stayed seated on the sideline as Spartan staff talked to him for a long period. Dantonio did not have details about the injury but said he did not believe his fifth-year quarterback suffered a concussion.Illinois starting quarterback Wes Lunt for the second straight week dressed for the game but did not play because of the back injury he suffered Oct. 8 against Purdue. Second-stringer Chayce Crouch is out for the season.UP NEXTMichigan State: The Spartans host Rutgers Saturday. With Ohio State and Penn State left after that, the game is Michigan States best shot to get a third win this season.Illinois: The Illini head to Madison to face the No. 8 Badgers on Saturday.---More AP college football coverage: collegefootball.ap.orgFollow David Mercer on Twitter: (at)davidmercerAP Josh Allen Bills Jersey . The deal is pending a physical, assistant general manager Bobby Evans said. Traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30, Morse also can play first base and right field to give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. 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TORONTO -- Peter Budaj is still filling in nicely for Jonathan Quick, and the Los Angeles Kings gave him plenty of help Tuesday night.Jeff Carter scored twice during a four-goal second period, Budaj made 19 saves and Los Angeles thumped the Toronto Maple Leafs 7-0.Budaj hasnt allowed a goal in 150:32 and has a 1.86 goals-against average while filling in for Quick, out with a lower-body injury since the opening game of the season.Im glad Im getting into the game rhythm a little bit, Budaj told NHL.com. Im seeing the puck really well right now and I just have to continue working hard and try to help the team.Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli added goals in the second period and Dustin Brown, Kyle Clifford and Dwight King also scored. Los Angeles has won three straight.Toronto goalie Frederik Andersen allowed four goals on 26 shots, and then Jhonas Enroth came on and made 14 saves.The Leafs had won three straight.As optimistic as everything appears one day and you win three in a row, then you get your lunch fed to you and youre not competitive and not organized and not prepared, coach Mike Babcock said. It was a humbling experience for our players and myself here in our building.One of the younger teams in the league, the Leafs were ultimately schooled by a more veteran opponent, one thats captured the Stanley Cup twice in the past five seasons.They taught us a lesson tonight, Toronto forward Nazem Kadri said.The Kings had the bulk of the chances in the first period, scoring with 6:04 left in the period on Browns second this year. Third-line center Nic Dowd did the dirty work, controlling the puck down low before finding Brown atop the left faceoff circle.His shot thhrough a maze of moving bodies beat Andersen, who entered the evening with a .dddddddddddd944 save percentage in his previous five starts. The Leafs had a chance to get the puck out initially but Martin Marincins exit feed never quite reaching Ben Smith along the wall.The Leafs came up with a couple decent chances early in the second. James van Riemsdyk was stopped by Budajs blocker while efforts from the all-rookie line of Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Zach Hyman were also shut down.Matthews, who had 10 points in his first six NHL games, has only one point in his last seven.Following that initial push from the Leafs, the Kings got two goals in less than two minutes, one from Pearson and another from Toffoli.After the Leafs failed to come up with a puck in the neutral zone, Anze Kopitar scooped it up and found Pearson, who easily beat Andersen. Almost two minutes later, Toffoli finished off an odd-man rush for the 3-0 lead.Carter added two more goals for the Kings less than five minutes apart. The first again came after the visitors march easily into the Toronto zone, and Carters shot and goal ending Andersens night.Carter banked his second of the game and fifth this season off Enroth from behind the Leafs goal.Game notes The Kings added third period goals by Clifford and Lewis. Derek Forbort had a career-high three assists. ... The Leafs were outshot 43-19 overall. Tuesday marked just their second loss in six games at home (4-2-0).UP NEXTKings: Play at Montreal on Thursday night.Maple Lea