Stolen from usual sources unless otherwise indicated....
#22 Illinois at Purdue
Date/Time Saturday, Oct. 4 | 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT
Location West Lafayette, Ind. (Ross-Ade Stadium) [LEAVE NOW, JUDGE JUDY]
TV Big Ten Network
Radio Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | SiriusXM (85), SXM App
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. After a 34-32 win over #21 USC, #22 Illinois is back on the road for a trip to Purdue for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff on Saturday on Big Ten Network. Saturday's contest is the 101st meeting between the Fighting Illini and the Boilermakers.
Illinois (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) looks to retain The Cannon after a 50-49 (OT) win over Purdue (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten) in Champaign last season.
Big Ten Network has Saturday's national television broadcast with Mark Followill (play-by-play), Yogi Roth (analyst), and Rhett Lewis (reporter) on the call. [NO CLUE WHO THE HELL THESE PEOPLE ARE] The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Michael Martin (reporter).
Notes
Illinois in the Rankings
Illinois is ranked #22 in this week's AP Top 25, up one spot from last week.
Illinois has been ranked in 11 straight AP Top 25 polls and 18 of the last 20 dating back to Week 3 of 2024.
Illinois is ranked #22 in this week's US LBM Coaches Poll, up one spot from last week.
Illinois has the #11 strength of record and the #9 strength of schedule in the nation, according to ESPN. [WAY TO GO GUENTHER, JR.!]
Turnover Margin
Illinois is tied for 11th in the nation and tied for third in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+5).
Illinois has only three turnovers this season, a fourth-quarter interception at Indiana and two red zone fumbles vs. #21 USC. [THEY WERE NOT HUGE AT ALL....]
Illinois has thrown only seven interceptions over the last two seasons (2024-25), tied for the second-fewest in the nation during that span, behind only Marshall (5).
Illinois is 10-1 when it has committed zero or one turnover over the last two seasons (2024-25). The Illini's only loss during that stretch was at Indiana this season, when the Illini's fourth-quarter interception was their lone turnover. [THAT GAME SUCKED]
Illinois is 11-1 when it has forced one or more turnovers over the last two seasons (2024-25). The Illini's only loss during that stretch was at Oregon last season, when the Illini gained a fourth-quarter interception.
The Illinois Offense
Illinois is averaging 34.9 points per game over its last nine games, while going 8-1 during that stretch. [GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP OUTSCORING PEOPLE]
QB Luke Altmyer is 12th in the nation and sixth in the Big Ten in passing efficiency (179.1).
Altmyer (11 TD/0 INT) is tied for the national lead in touchdown passes among quarterbacks who have not thrown an interception this season, along with Alabama's Ty Simpson (11/0) and North Texas' Drew Mestemaker (11/0).
Altmyer is 17th in the nation and sixth in the Big Ten in completion percentage (71.4).
Altmyer is ninth in the nation and third in the Big Ten in touchdown passes (11).
WR Hank Beatty is the first Big Ten player to record a passing, rushing, receiving, and punt return touchdown in a single season since Michigan's Steve Breaston in 2003.
Beatty is the only player in the nation with a passing, rushing, receiving, and punt return touchdown this season. [HEISMAN!]
Beatty is seventh in the Big Ten in receiving yards (382).
Beatty is 14th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (578).
The Illinois Defense [IS NOT BUENO]
Illinois is tied for the national lead in fumble recoveries (6), along with Bowling Green, Toledo, East Carolina, and Vanderbilt.
Illinois is tied for 10th in the nation and tied for the Big Ten lead in forced fumbles (5).
Illinois is tied for 22nd in the nation and tied for sixth in the Big Ten in sacks (13.0).
Preseason All-American OLB Gabe Jacas is tied for 14th in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten in sacks (4.0), while ranking tied for fourth in the nation in forced fumbles (2).
The Illinois Special Teams
Hank Beatty ranks fifth in the nation in yards per punt return (21.3) and sixth in punt return yards (170).
David Olano hit a game-winning 41-yard field goal against #21 USC, giving Illinois a 34-32 win. It was the third game-winning field goal in Illinois history kicked with the Illini trailing as time expired.
Olano is seventh in the nation in kickoff touchback percentage (29/31, 93.6%).
Keelan Crimmins would rank 14th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in yards per punt (46.2), but he does not meet the minimum punts threshold. Crimmins has 3.4 punts per game, the NCAA minimum is 3.6 punts per game.
Ranked Wins
Illinois is 5-3 against AP Top 25 opponents over the last two seasons (2024-25). From the 2008 Rose Bowl game through the 2023 season, Illinois went 3-40 against AP Top 25 teams (and one of those wins was by Bielema). [DAMN, THAT SUCKS]
Illinois' 5-3 record against ranked teams over its last eight games is tied for the program's best eight-game run since 1951-53. [NICHI REMEMBERS THOSE SEASONS VERY WELL!] It is tied for the second-best eight-game run vs. ranked opponents in program history. [YET ANOTHER INDICTMENT]
Illinois has beaten a ranked opponent in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1994 (7-year run from 1988-94). [OH BROTHER]
Illinois tied the program record with four ranked wins in 2024, joining the 1946 and 1983 teams as the only squads in Illini history to defeat four AP Top 25 ranked teams. [JFC]
All five of Illinois' ranked wins over the last two seasons have come as underdogs.
Illinois had ranked wins over Kansas (#19), Nebraska (#22), Michigan (#24), and South Carolina (#14) in 2024.
Bret Bielema is 7-8 against ranked teams as Illinois head coach. His .467 winning percentage against ranked teams is second-best in Illinois history, behind only John Mackovic (8-8, .500). [JUST WOW]
One-Score Wins
Illinois is 11-4 in one-score games over the last three seasons (2023-25), tying the program record for one-score wins (5) in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024.
Illinois' one one-score win this season was the 34-32 last-second victory over #21 USC.
Illinois' five one-score wins in 2023 and 2024 tied the program record first set in 1934.
Comeback Wins
Illinois has six fourth-quarter comeback wins over the last two seasons (2024-25), while going 14-4 overall during the two-year span.
Illinois has one fourth-quarter comeback victory this season, a 34-32 win over #21 USC after trailing 32-31 until David Olano's game-winning 41-yard field goal as time expired.
Four of Illinois' six fourth-quarter comebacks over the last two seasons have come against ranked teams.
Illinois led the nation with five fourth-quarter comeback wins in 2024. [YAY US!]
The Illinois-Purdue Series
Purdue leads the traditional trophy series, 42-31-2 (since 1943), while the overall series is 48-46-6 in Purdue's favor. [PURDUE SUCKS!]
Saturday's contest is the 101st meeting between the Fighting Illini and the Boilermakers in the series dating back to 1890. [NICHI WAS AT THE FIRST GAME]
Last season in Champaign, the Illini won a 50-49 overtime thriller to take back The Cannon. Pat Bryant hauled in the eventual game-winning touchdown reception from Luke Altmyer before Dylan Rosiek took down Purdue QB Ryan Browne on the Boilermakers' two-point conversion attempt to seal the victory. Altmyer threw for a career-high 379 yards and recorded four total touchdowns (three passing and one rushing) in the victory. [WHAT A RIDICULOUS GAME THAT WAS]
In the last matchup in West Lafayette in 2023, the Illini fell 44-19 despite 202 yards and a touchdown connection to Pat Bryant by Luke Altmyer. Kaden Feagin ran for a then-career-high 85 yards. [THAT GAME SUCKED TOO]
In Illinois' last win in West Lafayette in 2019, the Orange and Blue rushed for a season-high 242 yards en route to a 24-6 victory on a rain-soaked field at Ross-Ade Stadium. It was the second game of what ended up being a four-game winning streak that propelled Illinois to bowl eligibility in 2019.
Mike Dudek set Illinois' freshman single-game receiving yards of 200 against Purdue 10/4/2014.
David Williams set Illinois' single-game receptions record of 16 against Purdue 10/12/1985. [DAVID WILLIAMS!]
The Cannon, more accurately known as the Purdue Cannon, made its first trip to Champaign-Urbana in 1905 when a group of Purdue students brought it to fire after a Boilermaker victory. Purdue won the game, 29-0, but the Cannon was never fired. Illinois student Quincy Hall found the Cannon hidden near the old Illinois Field. Hall and a group of Delta Upsilon brothers confiscated the Cannon and held it until 1943, when they donated it as a symbol of the Illinois-Purdue rivalry. Tomahawk Service and Leadership honorary at Purdue and Illini Pride of Illinois maintain the trophy when the respective school has won it. The Cannon was last fired Nov. 4, 2001, at the Illinois football complex following the victory, but is no longer functional. [SUCK IT BOILERS!]
The Cannon is one of three rivalry trophies the Illini play for along with the Illibuck (Ohio State) and the Land of Lincoln Trophy (Northwestern).
Illinois' most receiving yards vs. Purdue: 200 Mike Dudek 10/4/2014
Illinois' most rushing yards vs. Purdue: 195 Antoineo Harris 10/12/2002
Illinois' most passing yards vs. Purdue: 413 Jack Trudeau 10/12/1985
Illinois' longest rush vs. Purdue: 84 Antoineo Harris 10/12/2002
Illinois' longest pass vs. Purdue: 77 Dave Wilson to Mike Martin 10/18/1980
Last 100-yard receiving game vs. Purdue: Pat Bryant, 104, 10/12/2024
Last 100-yard rushing game vs. Purdue: Josh McCray, 156, 9/25/2021
Last 300-yard passing game vs. Purdue: Luke Altmyer, 379, 10/12/2024
And now over to Brent and Greek and VSiN!
Brent: Tough week for you Greek.
Greek: Fuck off you beady eyed twerp!
Brent: Greek, Illinois started off as 12.5 favorites and the line is now down to 8.5 and 9 at one book! That is quite a swing!
Greek: Yes, the sharps hate Illinois. If Purdue has a mobile quarterback who can throw on the run accurately, lookout Illinois! That dumb fuck from USC could not hit the broadside of a barn when he was on the run Saturday and they still almost won.
Brent: Purdue on the Money line has gone from +270 to +275. Even see a +260 in there. Illini started -340
and now -345 to even -310. -335, -350! Lot of movement there.
Greek: Yeah, lot of suckers betting these days.
Brent: Over/under is steady at 55.5. One book at 56.
Greek: This is a dull looking game.
Brent: Ok, Greek, time for more insightful analysis from you.
Greek: Illinois is 4-1 against the spread and 3-2 over/under. That fucking World's Largest Bass Drum is annoying. But so is Illinois' defense. So I am taking the points and the over. I see Illinois outscoring Purdue, but not by much! Time for a nap.
Dr. Roberts is unavailable, so formerly alive NBC5 weatherman Jim Tilmon is joining us today!
Shit man, it is going to be warm Saturday in West Lafeyette!
Morning will be 81ฐ RealFeelฎ 83ฐ RealFeel Shade 78ฐ
Sunny and warm
Wind SW 6 mph
Wind Gusts 21 mph Could create havoc for the passing games!
Humidity 62%
Dew Point 57ฐ
Probability of Precipitation 1%
Precipitation 0.00 in
Cloud Cover 0%
Visibility 10 mi
Damn, it will be warm in the afternoon too! 85ฐ
RealFeelฎ 86ฐ RealFeel Shade 82ฐ
Sunny and warm
Wind SW 9 mph
Wind Gusts 24 mph
Humidity 34%
Dew Point 52ฐ
Probability of Precipitation 0%
Precipitation 0.00 in
Cloud Cover 1%
Visibility 10 mi
Sunrise 7:47 AM
Set 7:25 PM
Waxing Gibbous Moon!
6:13 PM
The damned pictures are all fucked up. I have to finish this later....
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