ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Illini could have taken a few more notes when watching Michigan game tape to prepare for their game Saturday.

Two weekends ago, No. 17 Michigan scored 31 fourth-quarter points to erase a 21-point deficit and defeat Minnesota 38-35.

This week at the Big House, the Illini could have used a Michigan lesson on the subject of comebacks.

For the fourth week in a row, Illinois dug itself a halftime pit — this time 35 points deep — and they came nowhere near climbing out in a 56-14 defeat by the Wolverines.

"I actually felt like we came out and played harder in the second half," Illini linebacker Matt Sinclair said. "We've been having to come back from these holes and then it finally starts to click and the defense starts playing the way they're capable of — but by that time it's too late. It's frustrating."

And so this week the only Michigan lesson the Illini will be able to watch on tape is how to completely beat up on a team.

In the Illini's worst defeat since 1997, they made the Wolverines look almost flawless in all aspects of the game.

First, Michigan running back Chris Perry tore the Illini apart on the ground for 140 yards and three acrobatic touchdowns.

Then, quarterback John Navarre showed that the Wolverines' air attack can hurt just as much, completing 18 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown.

Then Michigan's Steve Breaston showed off his special teams skills by returning a punt 74 yards in the second quarter for a touchdown.

And then, for the kick while they were down, backup quarterback Matt Gutierrez entered in the third quarter to add 41 more yards and a touchdown.

All the while, the Illini, without injured starting quarterback Jon Beutjer, just plain struggled — again.

They put up 89 rushing yards against a defense that allows 156 on average.

They converted one of 11 third down plays.

And they stopped the Michigan offense rarely, allowing nine of 15 third down conversions and making it impossible to catch up.

Freshman tailback E.B. Halsey, who said he watched the previous Michigan comeback many times, said confidence would have been the key ingredient to a comeback Saturday.

"We just have to continue to stay confident and believe that we can get the thing turned around," Halsey said. "We need to (find) guys who do believe things can get turned around. That's all you need is a couple guys to be out there and lift the team spirit and guys will follow suit."

But the Illini haven't done it yet. And now the only comeback Illinois can make for the season doesn't involve postseason plans. Illinois dropped to 1-7 with the loss and also lost any chance at going to a Bowl game.

"It would be easy for the coaches and everyone to come in and throw in the towel and look towards next year," Sinclair said. "But we can't do that."

More Illini injuries

Freshman tailback E.B. Halsey left Saturday's game at the beginning of the third quarter after spraining his knee on a punt return.

"A couple of guys came into the pile late, and one of them got me on the knee," Halsey said, clutching a pair of crutches at the Illinois press conference.

Halsey will undergo tests this week to assess the severity of the injury.

There is one bright spot in the Illini running back story, however.

In Halsey's quarter and a half absence, freshman tailback Pierre Thomas rushed for an Illinois-high 26 yards and two touchdowns and caught an eight-yard pass.

"We have some good young players, and (Thomas) is one of them," Turner said. "He's been practicing very well. He went in and showed a lot of poise ... He plays really hard all the time."

Senior defensive end Derrick Strong also left the game in the second quarter with a high ankle sprain.

Switching it up

Illini sophomore safety Kyle Kleckner totaled more tackles Saturday than he had in all of the first seven games of the season combined, tackling a team-leading eight times.

Kleckner saw enhanced time along with senior Eric McGoey at the position because Turner moved usual starter Travis Williams to play at cornerback instead of Christian Morton.

Sharriff Abdullah and Taman Jordan played opposite Williams in the absence of Alan Ball, who is injured.

Turner said Morton is "fine" and that he took him out based on his performance.

Back in the game

Junior receiver Ade Adeyemo and sophomore linebacker Josh Tischer both re-entered the Illini lineup Saturday after missing several weeks with cracked ribs. Adeyemo had one catch for nine yards and Tischer had two solo tackles.