All stolen from FightingIllini.com as I am lazy and busy.
#23 Illinois (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) vs. Purdue (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten)
Date/Time Saturday, Oct. 12 | 2:30 p.m. CT
Location Champaign, Illinois (Memorial Stadium)
Watch FS1
Radio Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | SiriusXM (146/195), SXM App
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 23 Illinois will return to Memorial Stadium for the first time in four weeks on Saturday, when Purdue makes the short trip to Champaign. The Fighting Illini and Boilermakers will battle for the Cannon, with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1.
The Orange and Blue (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) will play their first conference home game of the year after opening their Big Ten slate with back-to-back away contests against ranked opposition. Illinois began its two-game road swing with a 31-24 overtime win at then-No. 22 Nebraska on Sept. 20 before suffering their first loss of the year in Week 5 at then-No. 9 Penn State.
The Illini boast an unblemished 3-0 home record thus far this season, which includes a shutout win against Eastern Illinois, a 23-17 victory over then-No. 19 Kansas, and a Homecoming triumph versus Central Michigan.
Purdue (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) arrives in Champaign on a four-game skid, most recently falling on the road to Wisconsin, 52-6, on Saturday. The Boilermakers have won each of their last four meetings with the Illini; Illinois will look to power past Purdue at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2010.
As part of the team's season-long celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Memorial Stadium, Illinois will wear its Four Stars helmets on Saturday. Famously worn during Dick Butkus' years at Illinois, the Fighting Illini wore versions of the four-star helmets from 1962-68. Players' numbers were featured under the four stars, and the helmet donned a gray facemask with white-blue-white center stripes.
Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) have the call on FS1. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the statewide radio broadcast, with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Kevin Mitchell (analyst), and Michael Martin (sideline) on the call.
Air Raid Siren: New for 2024, an Illini celebrity will sound the Illini air raid siren right before kickoff to get the crowd pumped up for the Fighting Illini football team. University of Illinois alumni Sean Evans, who hosts the popular YouTube show Hot Ones, will sound the siren before kickoff against Purdue.
Bielema is officially the modern era's tallest Illini football head coaching midget in some time:
Bret Bielema has improved to 22-20 during his Illinois career. Since Robert Zuppke went undefeated in two of his first three seasons at Illinois from 1913-15, Bielema's 22-20 start is the third-best through 42 games by an Illini head coach, behind only Mike White (1980-83) and John Mackovic (1988-91).
Bielema tied the program record for road ranked wins (AP/Coaches/CFP) during his first four seasons. He is the second coach in Illinois history to win three ranked games on the road during his first three seasons, joining Lou Tepper (1992-96).
Bielema is the first Illini coach to earn Top 25 rankings in two of his first four seasons since Ron Zook led the Illini into the top-25 rankings in 2007 and 2008, his Years 3 and 4 in Champaign, respectively. Illinois reached as high as #14 and were ranked for five consecutive weeks in October and November 2022 under Bielema.
Illinois has sucked against Purdue:
Purdue leads the traditional trophy series, 42-30-2 (since 1943), while the overall series is 48-45-6 in Purdue's favor.
Last season in West Lafayette, the Illini fell 44-19 despite 202 yards and a touchdown connection to Pat Bryant by Luke Altmyer. Josh McCray rushed for a touchdown and Kaden Feagin ran for a then-career-high 85 yards.
In the last matchup in Champaign in 2022, Illinois dropped a 31-24 decision in a game that proved to be the difference in the Boilermakers earning a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game. The game was tied 21-21 going into the fourth quarter before Purdue scored 10 fourth-quarter points. Chase Brown rushed for 98 yards, snapping his 100-yard game streak at 10 straight.
Illinois rushed for a season-high 242 yards in 2019 when they won 24-6 on a rain-soaked field at Ross-Ade Stadium, the Illini's last win in the series. It was the second game of what ended up being a four-game winning streak that propelled Illinois to bowl eligibility in 2019.
In Illinois' last home win in the series came in 2010. Nathan Scheelhaase rushed for 118 yards and threw for 195 and four touchdowns to lead Illinois to the 44-10 victory. Scheelhaase was 16-for-20 passing with touchdowns to A.J. Jenkins, Mikel Leshoure, Darius Millines and Chris James.
GAMBLING! Illini -19.5 per VSiN (seems odd since Purdue has won 7 in a row in Champaign despite being just as sucky as Illinois). O/U 49.5 (seems high!) ML: Illini -1111 to -1400! Started -1363! Purdue started +760 and is now +700-+800.
Go Illini.
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