Halftime spoilers from Champaign...

Just when I was researching the last time Northwestern went scoreless in the first half, Illinois redshirt freshman QB Jacob Charest picked an inopportune to throw his first INT.

To recap:
Pat Fitzgerald went against his character (he doesn't like to give the other team momentum going into halftime) and went for it on fourth-and-1 from Illinois' 43 with 1:12 to play. But Zeke Markshausen dropped Mike Kafka's short pass -- the Wildcats' third drop of the quarter -- and Illinois took over.

On the first play, Charest fired over the middle toward Rejus Benn...but MLB Nate Williams got in the way to give NU the ball at its 46 with 1:00 left. Five plays later, Kafka hit Markshausen for a 28-yard score. That put the Wildcats up 7-3 at the break.

A FEW THOUGHTS:
--In addition to the interception, Charest has overthrown some open receivers in his first start. He's 5 of 14 for 34 yards. Juice Williams warmed up before the game, but there weren't any signs that Zook might make a change.

--NU senior safety Brad Phillips injured his hip and is a questionable return. By my count, Phillips now has hurt every part of his body this year. I still don't know how he plays with his injured shoulder...though he played the Alamo Bowl last year with a torn labrum.

--NU backup QB Dan Persa entered for one second-quarter series and, just like in the Iowa game, ran on every play.

--The special teams haven't exactly been special. Stefan Demos shanked a 12-yard punt to Illinois' 35, but ILL kicker Matt Eller responded by missing a 23-yard field goal wide left. Demos then sent 47- and 50-yard field-goal attempts wide left...while Zook turned to sophomore Derek Dimke for Illinois' 30-yard field goal that gave the hosts a 3-0 lead with 11:58 left in the half.

--Ron Zook has his rage on. He got in CB Tavon Wilson's face after he hit Demetrius Fields late out of bounds (it wasn't called). Then, when the officials didn't call an intentional grounding on Kafka, Zook screamed at the line judge on one play and then screamed at the field judge the next.

Good times. Thirty minutes to go until someone awarded the 28-pound Land of Lincoln Trophy, hereafter known as Lincoln's Lid. Tip of the cap to my guy Mike Wolf, NU's head athletic communicator.

LW