How to Watch: Illinois Football vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field (Week 14)

On Saturday, the Illini hope to take the Wildcats out to a ball game, snatch away The Hat and get to bowling

Illinois Josh Kreutz (64) and running back Josh McCray (6) line up for a play against Rutgers during last week's 38-31 Illini win in Piscataway, New Jersey. / University of Illinois

How to Watch

Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) at Northwestern (4-7, 2-6 Big Ten)

Day and time: Saturday (Nov. 30) at 11 a.m. CT
Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: None
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Fighting Illini Mobile App
SiriusXM 83
SXM App

Odds and Ends

Favorite: Illinois (-8 points)*
Over/under: 43.5 points*
Illinois vs. Northwestern all time: Illinois leads the series 57-55-5
Streak: Northwestern has won one in a row against Illinois
Last meeting: Northwestern 45, Illinois 43 (Nov. 25, 2023 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign)

(*Figures as of Friday afternoon)

Trophy Week. #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/aCyBf78YbK

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) November 25, 2024

Smart-Fan Stuff

Key stat: 31.1

Northwestern has dragged in most areas all season, but perhaps no statistic better encapsulates the Wildcats' struggles than their 31.1 percent third-down conversion rate, which ranks No. 126 out of 133 FBS programs. The conditions on Saturday – cold, windy weather and an unfamiliar field – figure to limit NU's options somewhat, and even against an Illinois defense that has been hit or miss against the run, the Wildcats can hardly count on their rushing offense (97.2 yards per game), which ranks 124th out of 133 in the FBS. The Illini have had their own struggles on third down (allowing opponents a 43.4 third-down conversion rate, ranked No. 102 in FBS), but defensive coordinator Aaron Henry's unit is about as healthy as it has been all season and will have overwhelming advantages if it plugs up the run on early downs.

Quick tips:

• Saturday's matchup will be only the third time Illinois and Northwestern have played at Wrigley Field. Most recently, in 2010, the Illini took a 48-27 over the Wildcats in which they switched field position after every possession and played the game entirely in one direction. Before that game, the teams hadn't met in the Friendly Confines since 1923, when the Red Grange-led Illini ran away with a 29-0 win when the venue was then called Cubs park.
• Halftime will last an extra three minutes – 23, instead of the usual 20 – to accommodate a longer walk back to the field from the Wrigley Field locker rooms.
• The Illini are just 5-10 since they began playing the Wildcats for the Land of Lincoln Trophy – or The Hat – in 2009. Illinois coach Bret Bielema has made it clear that rivalry trophies won't be regarded as trinkets under his watch: "It's something we've made a big point of around here since we came," he said.

Illinois on SI Prediction

With or without the peanuts and Cracker Jack, this Wrigley Field matchup is likely to have an old-timey feel, featuring helmet-to-helmet football and countless clouds of dust, er, FieldTurf. The weather figures to limit both passing games – which may mean less to the Illini, who have lately scaled back the deep ball from their playbook. But with a dynamic and capable rotation of running backs in Josh McCray, Aidan Laughery and Ca'Lil Valentine, plus an offensive line that (for once) seems to have a clear physical advantage over the opposition, Illinois should be in position to pound out a wide victory and ride a wave of momentum into its bowl matchup.

Illinois 27, Northwestern 10

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois' Bret Bielema Anticipates First-Ever Wrigley Field Game as Coach

Illini Rewind: The Last Land of Lincoln Trophy Game at Old Ryan Field

Four-Star LB Grant Beerman Flips from Purdue to Illinois Football