Ryan Colburn threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns, and host Fresno State held off Illinois and its potent rushing attack 25-23 Friday night.

Illinois (6-6) ran for 317 yards, and were a 2-point conversion away from coming back from a 16-point first half deficit.

Colburn's third touchdown pass - 21 yards to Rashad Evans - gave Fresno a 25-17 lead with 5:11 left in the third quarter. Illinois had closed to 19-17 when Nathan Scheelhaase's 18-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Jenkins capped a 17-play, 92-yard drive to open the second half.

Scheelhaase's 21-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter made it 25-23, but his 2-point conversion pass failed. Scheelhaase was 6 of 17 passing for 72 yards.

Fresno State (8-4) raced to a 16-0 lead, and led 19-10 at halftime. Colburn threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter - 78 yards to Jalen Saunders and 27 yards to A.J. Ellis, and Kevin Goessling kicked field goals of 52 and 45 yards.

Illinois made it 19-10 on Mikel Leshoure's 35-yard touchdown run. Leshoure finished with 142 yards rushing; Scheelhaase 130.

Illinois could be headed for the Texas Bowl in Houston on Dec. 29, and a meeting with Baylor.

Fresno State beat Illinois 53-52 last season in bizarre fashion. Coach Pat Hill decided to go for two in the final seconds rather than go to overtime. Quarterback Ryan Coburn's pass was deflected into the arms of offensive lineman Devan Cunningham, who leaned into the end zone.