Champaign, IL -- (Sports Network) - Jason Ford ran for three touchdowns as the Illinois Fighting Illini crushed the Indiana Hoosiers, 55-13, in Big Ten Conference action at Memorial Stadium.

Ford finished the night with 19 carries for a game-high 172 yards for the Illini (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) as they won for the second time in the last three outings. Quarterback Juice Williams added to the attack with his 16-of-22 passing for 271 yards and three scores as well.

The Hoosiers (2-5, 0-4) were led by Bryan Payton who gained 68 yards rushing and scored the lone TD of the game for a team that has dropped five in a row after opening the 2008 campaign with back-to-back wins over Western Kentucky and Murray State.

Williams gave Illinois an early 14-0 lead as he tossed a one-yard TD pass to Michael Hoomanawanui and a 20-yard effort to Jeff Cumberland in the opening quarter.

A 25-yard scoring run by Payton at the 1:16 mark of the frame cut the deficit to 14-7, but from there the game belonged to the Illini.

A five-yard touchdown run by Ford in the second period was followed by a 37- yard scoring connection between Williams and wideout Arrelious Benn to make the score 28-7 at the break. Benn finished the game with seven catches for 130 yards.

On the first possession of the second half Ford raced into the end zone from 41 yards away to make the score 34-7 following a failed PAT.

For the first of his two field goals on the night, Indiana kicker Austin Starr knocked through a 23-yard effort less than four minutes later, a 31-yard conversion for Starr came with just over six minutes remaining in the fourth.

Williams, who finished with 30 yards rushing on eight attempts, was credited with an eight-yard TD run late in the third to make the score 41-10.

For his third score of the night Ford needed just a single yard three seconds into the fourth quarter and while Starr made good on his second of four attempts later in the period, the Illini answered immediately with a 96-yard kickoff return by A.J. Jenkins to put the 42-point win in the books.

Illinois, which ran for 292 yards on 44 attempts, finished with 563 yards of total offense, compared to an Indiana squad that produced 313 yards.