Early Look: Rutgers (2-6, 0-5)

Here's a Monday look at Illinois's ninth opponent of the 2019 season, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Date/time: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2:30 p.m. CST

Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 60,670

Schedule/records: Illinois 4-4 overall, 2-3 Big Ten, 4-8 in 2018 (2-7 in Big Ten); Rutgers 2-6 overall, 0-5 in Big Ten, 1-11 (0-9 in Big Ten) in 2018.

Series notes: The all-time series favors Illinois 3-2 after the teams split a non-conference home-and-home contract in 2005 and 2006. Illinois has won two of the three Big Ten Conference games since Rutgers joined the league.

TV: Big Ten Network

Early line: Illinois by 21

Illinois defense is a turnover machine

After eight weeks of play, including back-to-back Big Ten Conference wins for the first time in the Lovie Smith era, the Illinois defense is first in the nation in fumble recoveries (13), second in the nation in forced fumbles (14), second in the nation in turnovers gained (19), fourth in the nation in defensive touchdowns (three), eighth in the nation in turnover margin (+1.13) and ninth in tackles for loss per game (8.3). 

Illini are a rare major favorite in a Big Ten game 

For the first time in nearly a decade, Illinois is a 20-point favorite in a Big Ten game. The last time the occurred was not a fond memory for the Illini as Illinois lost 38-34 on Nov. 13, 2010 vs. a Minnesota squad that was on an interim coach and was 1-6. In its first five Big Ten games this season, Rutgers has been outscored 207-14 and hasn't won a road league game since defeating Illinois 35–24 on Oct. 14, 2017. 

Rutgers' version of Johnny Football

Just a few weeks ago, Rutgers was only the second Power 5 conference program to be held to one (or fewer) pass yards in a game since 2000, according to Sports Reference in a 35-0 loss at Indiana. Last week, in a win over Liberty, Rutgers' freshman local product quarterback Johnny Langan rushed for 118 yards on 21 carries, becoming the first Rutgers quarterback to rush for 100-plus yards since Sam Mudie did it against Lehigh in 1961. Langan also tossed a career-high 192 yards on 15-of-21 passing, finding wide receivers Eddie Lewis and Isaiah Washington for the first two touchdown passes of his career. Langan played high school football at nearby Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey for Rutgers' current interim head coach Nunzio Campanile.

Lovie Smith on trying for the Illini's first three-game Big Ten winning streak in his four-year tenure:

"At this point, you know what we're focused on by now right? Yes. Rutgers, on Dad's Day. We need this three wins (in a row). Our goal wasn't to be a .500 football team when we started this season but now we can get over the hump."