Illinois football is 4-3 on the season, 2-2 in the Big Ten after a cathartic 21-10 victory over the Oregon Ducks that head coach Bret Bielema later admitted was "personal" to him. 

The Fighting Illini running game helped pave the way to victory against the Ducks, while backup quarterback-turned-starter Michael Clayton II did his part, playing under control and avoiding the big mistake. 

Clayton II helped engineer a huge upset win at Gies Memorial Stadium, cinching a prestigious Big Ten award in the process. 

Clayton II was part of a long list of Big Ten award winners after Week 8, which included the Illini's upset win, Northwestern beating Rutgers, Indiana beating Michigan and other key conference showdowns. 

Clayton II passed for two second half touchdowns in the Fighting Illini's win, looking calm and composed in the pocket. He executed plays well, ran the offense, commanded the huddle, and showed the poise of a mature upperclassmen en route to the huge win. 

He finished with 11-of-18 completions, 97 total yards and two touchdowns against coach Dan Lanning's team in a winning effort. 

Clayton II is a 6-foot-4 true freshman from Miami, Fla., where he played for Miami Edison. He previously played for Orlando's Edgewater High School where he led them to an 11-1 record and a trip to the regional semifinals of Florida's 3M playoffs. 

Clayton II had offers from Nebraska, South Carolina, Iowa, Colorado and other notable programs out of high school, but chose to pursue athletics and academics in Champaign, Ill. with Bielema's program. Things have worked out well for Clayton II so far as he's guided Illinois to two wins Katin Houser sidelined due to a broken right throwing hand. 

Clayton II's star receiver Collin Dixon lauded his young quarterback for a performance that lived up the practice hype he's been collecting in Champaign.

"We see that in Mike every day," Dixon said to The Daily Illini.  

"From when he first got here in the spring to fall camp and just now what you guys see, it's what we've been seeing all the time. There was no confidence that was lost when he came in the game." 

Clayton II earned the praise of QB coach Arthur Sitkowski during training camp, who shared comments on how he impressed him during that time.

"He's been super impressive," Sitkowski said. "He keeps showing up, just how well he throws the football efficiently and effectively, how well he locates it from start to finish."