CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Illinois wide receiver Justin Bowick doesn’t lead the team in receptions or receiving yards.

In fact, he Hank Beatty, Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement in both of those categories. However, no one on the team, including the running backs, has more touchdowns than the 6-foot-4 Ball State transfer.

Bowick has just nine catches on the year, but four of them have ended with him in the end zone. Plus, he had a catch against Duke ruled a touchdown on the field before review spotted him out of bounds at the one yard line.

What makes the former Cardinal and EIU Panther such a threat in the red zone?

“His size,” Illinois wide receivers coach Justin Stepp said. “He’s got a lot of twitch for a guy his size, which is good to have down there. And the number one thing is that Luke [Altmyer] has confidence in it down there. We all do. So definitely a nice, nice target to have been there.”

Four games may seem like a small sample size, but the Illini QB is valuing the lengthy receiver as Illinois inches towards the goal line. In fact, when Stepp asked Altmyer which receivers he wanted in the game late against USC, and Illinois was nearing the red zone, the senior quarterback said to make sure Bowick was on the field.

“I can miss, you know, with him in the game and he makes me right,” Altmyer said. “[Bowick is] a special player, it’s going to only keep getting better and just had a lot of fun with him out there.”

Bowick scored a touchdown against USC, another vs Duke and two versus Western Illinois. The only two games he has gone without finding the end zone were Western Michigan and Duke, both of which his participation was limited due to injury.

This isn’t new for the Powder Springs, Ga. native. He had three touchdowns in just four games for Ball State in 2024, and eight touchdowns across two seasons with EIU before that.

Bowick, Altmyer and the Illini hope to keep the momentum rolling as they visit Purdue for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 4