CHAMPAIGN, Illinois (Ticker) -- Jeff Smoker threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns as 23rd-ranked Michigan State coasted to a 49-14 romp over Illinois in a Big Ten Conference matchup.
Smoker, who tied a school-record with 32 completions in last week's 31-3 win over Indiana, completed 22-of-31 passes to nine different receivers as Michigan State (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) defeated Illinois for the seventh straight time.
Smoker also had a one-yard touchdown run to give the Spartans a 42-7 lead with 8:25 left before coming out of the game.
Tyrell Dortch ran for a pair of scores for the Spartans, who have won four in a row since being upset by Louisiana Tech, 20-19. Michigan State has won six of its first seven games for the first time since 1999.
"You're not going to be mentally sky-high and emotional for every game, but you have to be able to go through your business in a business-like manner, focus, and take care of business," Michigan State coach John L. Smith said. "We're starting to learn that."
Jon Beutjer was 19-of-27 for 146 yards and a TD with two interceptions for Illinois (1-6, 0-3).
Beutjer tossed a 10-yard pass to Mark Kornfield to cap a 15-play, 92-yard drive and tie the score, 7-7, four seconds into the quarter. But on the Fighting Illini's next possession, safety Eric Smith intercepted a pass by Kornfield and returned it 25 yards to the Illinois 2. Three plays later, Dortch burst through the middle for a one-yard touchdown to give the Spartans a 14-7 lead with 9:52 left in the second.
"We got off to a better start, I thought we came out with good energy," Illinois coach Ron Turner said. "Our confidence is so fragile right now, when something bad happens we lose all our confidence. We just have to keep fighting, I thought the guys prepared well and got off to a better start and all of a sudden, it just kind of collapsed."
"I think that was the play that turned the tide and sealed the deal," John L. Smith said. "That was big."
Smoker hooked up with Jerramy Scott on a 15-yard touchdown to increase Michigan State's lead to 21-7 with 5:30 remaining in the first half.
The Spartans wore down the Illini with an eight-play, 93-yard drive, capped by Dortch's four-yard TD that made it 28-7 with 7:34 left in the third quarter.
Safety Jason Harmon had a 15-yard interception return late in the fourth quarter and two plays later, Smoker fired a 21-yard scoring pass to Aaron Alexander to push the lead to 35-7 just 33 seconds into the fourth.
Harmon, who had four tackles, picked up a fumble by freshman Pierre Thomas and returned it 52 yards for Michigan State's final score with 6:29 remaining
Freshman running back E.B. Halsey scored on a six-yard TD reception with 65 seconds left for the final margin.
