Meet the Opponent: 3 things to know about the Illinois Fighting Illini
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue will look to pick up its third win of the season when Illinois comes to town on Saturday. Under head coach Jeff Brohm, the Boilermakers are 2-0 against Illinois, with a 29-10 win in 2017 and a 46-7 win last season in Champaign.
Here’s a quick primer for you on the game:
The Details
- Who: Illinois (3-4) vs. Purdue (2-5)
- When: Saturday, Noon ET
- Where: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Ind.
- TV: Big Ten Network
Here are three things you need to know about the Fighting Illini:
Biggest upset of the year for Illini
Illinois is coming off of the biggest upset in college football this season, a 24-23 victory over No. 6 Wisconsin as 31-point underdogs. After intercepting a pass at midfield with 2:33 remaining, Illinois was able to drive into field goal range and set up the game-winning kick. James McCourt’s kick was right down the middle, completing the upset. It was Illinois' first win over a ranked team since 2011, and their first over a ranked Big Ten team since 2007.
Illinois looked to be one of the easier games on Purdue’s schedule, but now the Boilermakers get them after a signature win. Teams respond differently after pulling off big upsets. They either keep the momentum going, or let up big time. We’ll have to wait to see which way Illinois responds, but after that win, things definitely got much more interesting for Saturday’s game.
Dominant pass rusher
Illinois enters Saturday’s game with one of the best pass rushers in the nation on its side in Junior Oluwole Betiku Jr. The junior, and 5-star recruit and transfer from USC, ranks sixth in the NCAA in sacks with eight. He’s recorded at least one sack in every game but two this season.
Betiku plays a big role in the Illinois defense and what they’re able to accomplish. With the shakiness of the Purdue offensive line, he may be in for another big day. The group has looked better as of late, but hasn’t faced a guy the caliber of Betiku. Brohm and the coaching staff will have to get creative to limit his ability to get to the quarterback.
Offensive struggles
Purdue has been tasked with facing three some good offenses in recent weeks in Penn State, Maryland and Iowa. They finally get to face a weaker offense against Illinois. The Fighting Illini rank 108th in passing yards per game, throwing for just 188 yards per game. On the ground, they are a little better and sit in the middle of the pack at 89th in the country. They average 145 yards rushing and a total of 334 yards per game, which ranks them 12th in the Big Ten in total offense.
The Purdue defense has looked better lately, even against strong opponents. An Illinois team that has struggled for most of the year may be just what they need to improve even more and keep things moving in the right direction. The offense should be able to put up points on the Saturday, so if the defense does what they should, Purdue may be in for its second Big Ten win of the season.
