CHAMPAIGN (WCIA) — From junior college baseball to making game changing plays in Big Ten football, it’s been quite the year for Illinois freshman Mac Resetich. This time last year the Spring Valley native had plans to play baseball at Blawk Hawk Community College, then the Illini reached out with a late offer to play for his home state school. Resetich jumped on board, committing the same day he signed on the opening day of the period, and is making a difference in the stretch run for the Illini secondary. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound safety picked off a second half pass in the Indiana game on Saturday.

“And as soon as I caught it, I didn’t really believe it and then I turned around and saw the whole sideline going crazy and coming to attack me so it felt amazing, a pretty good moment,” Resetich said. “I was always a pretty confident person, but after that pick now it made it a little bit higher but I’m really confident in myself, I think I can accomplish anything I want to.”

Illinois visits Iowa Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff on FS1.