Every game has a turning point, a play that divides the winner and loser. Here's the play from Saturday's Illinois-Washington State game:

Illinois struggles against the Pac-10 Conference continued in a loss to the Cougars. The Illini are now 1-10 against the Left Coasters in the '90s.

   Game statistics for Illinois and Washington State

PULLMAN, Wash. – Illinois football fans can forget one number, 17. It's been replaced by its evil sibling, 18.

Washington State stopped the Illini 20-13 Saturday at Martin Stadium. The loss extended Illinois' second-longest-in-the-nation skid to 18 games.

PULLMAN, Wash. – There's no more looking over the shoulder for Mark Hoekstra. Not this year.

Tim Lavery is playing baseball. Kirk Johnson is buried on the depth chart. Kurt Kittner and Jeff Ziegler still are learning.

The Illini defense was short two potential starters against the Cougars.

Defensive end Fred Wakefield was at home in Tuscola with a virus. According to Illinois officials, the virus is bothering Wakefield in the chest. He will return to the hospital Tuesday for tests.

   PULLMAN, Wash.  The Illinois defense did some Saturday it hadn''t done since Sept. 21, 1996: hold a team to 20 points or less.

   Every Illini opponent had at least 23 last season. The last seven teams in ''96 scored that many.

SAN DIEGO – Frank Hartley comes from a long line of big guys, and he's always had natural strength.

It's hard to dwarf an NFL tight end, but at family reunions the 6-foot-2, 258-pound Hartley is the peewee. Dad checks in at 6-5 and 290 pounds. One of his uncles is 6-7, 310.