How to Watch: Illinois Football at Rutgers (Week 13)

The Illini travel to Piscataway, New Jersey, to take on the Scarlet Knights under fairly favorable conditions

Nov 16, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois fighting Illini players take the field against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

How to Watch

Illinois (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) at Rutgers (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten)

Day and time: Saturday (Nov. 23) at 11 a.m. CT
Venue: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey
TV: Peacock
Stream: None
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Fighting Illini Mobile App
SiriusXM 382
SXM App

Odds and Ends

Favorite: Illinois (+1.5 points)*
Over/under: 47.5 points*
Illinois vs. Rutgers all time: Illinois leads the series 5-3
Streak: Rutgers has won one in a row against Illinois
Last meeting: Rutgers 20, Illinois 14 (Oct. 30, 2021 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign)

(*Figures as of Friday morning)

Prepping for Saturday. #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/lGF4SZSXTv

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) November 18, 2024

Smart-Fan Stuff

Key stat: 114.2

If Illinois plans to leave Piscataway with a win, defensive coordinator Aaron Henry had better have a plan for slowing Rutgers lead back Kyle Monangai. A 5-foot-9, 209-pound between-the-tackles runner, Monangai ranks second in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (114.2). He excels at patiently sifting through blockers at the first level, which will put pressure on Illini defensive tackle TeRah Edwards and the gang up front to hold the line and avoid overpursuing. If Illinois' D-linemen can plug and occupy, the linebackers will be free to stuff Monangai before he gets downhill.

Quick tips:

• Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is tied for the lowest completion percentage (55.1) among qualifiers in the Big Ten, but he has been on a heater during the Scarlet Knights' current two-game win streak, averaging 239.0 passing yards and throwing for five touchdowns against one interception. All the more reason to put the wraps on Monangai, in order to create tough down-and-distance circumstances for Kaliakmanis.
• If you've been a close observer of Illini football in 2024, this won't come as a surprise – but is impressive nonetheless: Illinois' Pat Bryant ranks second among all college football receivers in run-blocking grade (82.4), according to PFF (minimum 100 snaps). Bryant has consistently shined in this area and helped turn a number of solid runs by Illini backs into big gainers this season.
• Two Illini with Rutgers connections: Henry's first full-time coaching gig was as the Scarlet Knights' defensive backs coach in 2016, and Illinois assistant quarterbacks coach Artur Sitkowski played three seasons at Rutgers (2018-20) before finishing his playing career with the Illini (2021-22).

Illinois on SI Prediction

The Scarlet Knights will be playing on home turf Saturday and are surging, last week throttling Maryland at College Park and previously taking down a Minnesota squad that had knocked off Illinois in Champaign just a week before. All that aside, the numbers and playing styles in this matchup seem to favor the Illini. Rutgers struggles to stop the run, and Illinois' offense is at its efficient best when Josh McCray and friends are setting up Luke Altmyer in manageable down-and-distance situations, as they did in last week's 38-16 win over Michigan State. The banged-up Illini D, which is healing up and produced five sacks last week, could thrive against a Scarlet Knights' passing offense with minimal big-play punch.

Illinois 31, Rutgers 23

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

ESPN Prediction: Who Wins Illinois Football vs. Rutgers Matchup?

Illinois Football Injuries Update: Uncertainty at Receiver, Linebacker

Illinois Football at Rutgers: Early Week 13 Weather Report and Game Conditions