Illini now

Illinois-Purdue Football: Latest Weather Update for Game Day

Like the 4-1 Illini, the weather in Champaign will be pretty hot

Steven Greenberg

Sep 14, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Fighting Illini cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Fighting Illini cheerleaders perform during the second half against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
In this story:

Ah, football weather. A crispness in the air. Is that our breath we're seeing? God bless America.

Yeah, right.

Get ready for 81 degrees Saturday afternoon when No. 23 Illinois hosts Purdue in a Big Ten game at Memorial Stadium. As if the Boilermakers and coach Ryan Walters, off to a miserable 1-4 start, weren't already sweating enough.

On what's expected to be a dry, partly sunny day, forecasted wind gusts of up to 23 mph could be a minor factor. Illinois' Luke Altmyer takes more downfield shots than Purdue's Hudson Card, so this could play into the hands of the Boilers – so far, better at running than they are at passing – just a bit. It also could affect Walters' and Illinois coach Bret Bielema's thinking in regard to long field goal attempts.

The Illini (4-1) are three-touchdown favorites in a game that kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1.

Illinois-Purdue Football Point Spread Shifts Significantly in Favor of Illini

Illinois vs. Purdue: Week 7 Odds, Ends and Prediction

6 Key Numbers Ahead of Saturday's Illinois-Purdue Football Game

Published
Steven Greenberg
STEVEN GREENBERG

Steve Greenberg, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, has written about college sports since the early 1990s.

Home/Football