CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois football team is on the road again for its third road game against a ranked opponent in its last four games. The Illini and #18 Iowa kickoff at 1:05 p.m. CT on FS1 at Kinnick Stadium.

The Illini have played one of the toughest schedules in the nation and Iowa will be Illinois' 7th bowl-eligible opponent, tied for the sixth-most bowl opponents in the country. With wins at Penn State (#7 AP) and at Minnesota (#20 CFP), the Illini are one of four teams to win two AP/CFP ranked road games this season (Boise State, Fresno State, Mississippi State).

Illinois (4-6, 3-4 Big Ten) announced a contract extension for defensive coordinator Ryan Walters on Sunday, after Walters has helped Illinois have one of the best defensive turnarounds in all of college football. Illinois' defense has made a 13.3-point improvement from last season (34.9 ppg to 21.6 ppg), the second-best improvement in the nation behind Michigan (18.4), and the Illini rank third in the Big Ten in scoring defense during conference games (17.6).

Iowa (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten) is tied for the lead in the Big Ten West with two weeks remaining. The Hawkeyes come in at #18 in this week's AP poll and were ranked #19 in last week's college football playoff poll before a 27-22 win over Minnesota on Saturday. 

FS1 has the television broadcast from Minneapolis with Adam Alexander (play-by-play) and Devin Gardner (analyst) on the call. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network will have the radio call featuring Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Martin O'Donnell (analyst), and Michael Martin (sideline).

Note: following the release of this article, head coach Bret Bielema tested positive for COVID-19, he announced Tuesday. Statements from Bielema and Director of Athletics Josh Whitman are below.

Bret Bielema Statement
"After developing mild symptoms yesterday, I was tested and unfortunately late Monday night tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19. I'm disappointed that I will not be with our team this week when we travel to Iowa, but I'm grateful that I'm vaccinated and received the booster shot last week. Going back to last spring and this fall, I have a set protocol for anyone on our staff who may be removed due to COVID, including myself as a head coach. Our players and coaches have prepared for 10 games already this year and today's news will just be a continuation of that process. Through technology, I will be as present as possible, however, when I can't be present our assistant head coach George McDonald will handle those moments. George and I have had discussions before today if this situation would arise and I have full confidence in him and our staff in preparation for Iowa. If all stays on the current path, I should be available and present for next week. Our team has shown repeatedly this year that next man up is the standard not the exception and this will be another example of this mentality in our Illini FamILLy."

Josh Whitman Statement
"Unfortunately, we are being reminded every day that the pandemic is not over – a point brought home by this most recent news regarding Coach Bielema. As with every other part of the program, Coach and the football staff have a plan for this contingency, and they began executing on that plan overnight. Coach will remain as involved as possible throughout the week, and we are confident in Coach McDonald's ability to serve in his place where needed, including during the game at Iowa on Saturday. In the meantime, our medical staff is taking all necessary steps to ensure that we are monitoring the team and taking appropriate precautions to limit any potential spread within the program. I have great confidence in our staff and players, and I look forward to another strong performance in Iowa City this week."

ILLINOIS STATS AND NOTES

BACK ON THE ROAD

• Illinois heads to Iowa City for its third ranked road game in the Illini's last four games.
• With wins at Penn State (#7 AP) and at Minnesota (#20 CFP), the Illini are one of four teams to win two AP/CFP ranked road games this season (Boise State, Fresno State, Mississippi State).
• Iowa will be Illinois' 7th bowl-eligible opponent, tied for the sixth-most bowl opponents in the nation.

DEFENSE STEPS UP

• Illinois announced a contract extension for defensive coordinator Ryan Walters on Sunday, after Walters has helped Illinois have one of the best defensive turnarounds in all of college football.
• Illinois' defense has made a 13.3-point improvement from last season (34.9 ppg to 21.6 ppg), the second-best improvement in the nation behind Michigan (18.4). The 13.3 ppg improvement is the program's best improvement since 1963 (26.0 ppg to 10.3 ppg = 15.7 ppg).
• Illinois has allowed 17.6 points in Big Ten games, third-best in the conference. That's an 11-spot jump from last year, when Illinois finished last with 34.9 points allowed per Big Ten game.
• Illinois' 17.3 ppg improvement in Big Ten games is second-best conference-only improvement in the nation, behind only UTEP (19.8).
• Illinois has held nine of its 10 opponents under their season scoring average.
• Illinois' total defense has improved by 77.4 yards per game (467.3 to 389.9).
• Illinois' scoring defense (97th to 35th), total defense (114th to 74th), and third-down defense (89th to 42nd) have all improved 40 or more spots in the national rankings.
• Illinois has held opponents to 24 points or fewer in seven straight games for the first time since an eight-game stretch that spanned the final five games of the 2002 season and the first three games of the 2003 season. Last year's Illini team allowed 24 points or fewer twice in eight games.
• Illinois has allowed only 29 points (9.7) in regulation of its three Big Ten road games this season, including only three TDs in Big Ten road games.
• Illinois has allowed only 2.1 yards per carry in Big Ten road games this year (90 carries, 189 yards) and only 0.7 yards per carry in the fourth quarter of those games (19 carries, 14 yards).
• Illinois leads the nation in fewest points off turnovers allowed (6).
• Illinois is 19th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in fumbles recovered (8).
• Illinois is 17th in the nation third in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+0.7).

CHASE BROWN CHASES HISTORY

• Chase Brown has 145+-yard rushing games in two straight road games (at #7 Penn State, at #20 Minnesota), becoming the first Illini with two 145-yard rushing games on the road since 2007 when Rashard Mendenhall had 214 at Indiana and 201 at Minnesota.
• Brown's 223 rushing yards at Penn State were the most ever by an opponent at Beaver Stadium and the fourth-most ever against Penn State.
• Brown's 223-yard game marked his second game of the season with 200+ yards (257 vs. Charlotte). He joined Howard Griffith (1990) and Rashard Mendenhall (2007) as the only players in Illinois program history with multiple 200-yard rushing games in a single season.
• Brown's 147 rushing yards at Minnesota were the most by an opponent at Minnesota since 2017.
• Brown is the first Illini in history to run for 220+ yards twice in a career. He did it in the span of three games this season.
• Brown led the nation in yards after contact in Week 8 with 145 at Penn State, according to PFF. He has led the nation in yards after contact twice in a four-week span in October and he is the only running back to lead the nation in yards after contact twice this season.
• Brown is one of five players in FBS to have two 200-yard rushing games this season.
• Brown is 13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (106.4).

KERBY'S EMERGENCE

• Kerby Joseph is the only player in the nation with 4+ interceptions and 3+ fumble recoveries.
• Joseph is fifth in the nation in interceptions (4).
• Joseph is second in the nation in fumble recoveries (3).
• Joseph is one of only three Illini since 1971 to record 4+ interceptions and 3+ fumble recoveries in a single season.
• Joseph is only the second Big Ten player in the last five years to record 4+ interceptions and 3+ fumble recoveries in a single season (Christian Izien, Rutgers, 2020).
• Joseph's three fumble recoveries are tied for the 10th-most in Illinois history (stat since 1971).
• Joseph had either an interception or a fumble recovery in five straight games from Sept. 11-Oct. 9.

CARNEY'S BEST SEASON

• Owen Carney Jr. has 6.5 sacks on the season, ranking fifth in the Big Ten in sacks.
• Carney is ninth in Illini history in career sacks with 16.0.
• Carney has already surpassed his career high for sacks in a season (5.0, 2020).

OFFENSIVE LINE

• Illinois is 9th in the nation in run blocking grade, according to PFF (84.0).
• Doug Kramer is the No. 27 graded center in the nation according to PFF (74.1) (min. 400 snaps). Kramer has the No. 19 run blocking grade in the nation among centers (77.8).
• Alex Palczewski is the No. 39 graded tackle in the nation according to PFF (78.1) (min. 400 snaps), although he played guard in the last three games. Palczewski has the No. 9 run blocking grade in the nation among tackles (88.3).
• Vederian Lowe is the No. 33 graded tackle in the nation according to PFF (79.0) (min. 400 snaps). Lowe was the highest graded offensive lineman in the nation in Week 5 against Charlotte (93.7).

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Illinois is 12th in the nation in net punting (43.0).
• P Blake Hayes is one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award.
• Illinois is 12th in the nation in kickoff return defense (15.0).

MAN OF THE YEAR

• Vederian Lowe is one of 20 semifinalists for the Jason Witten Man of the Year Award, the college football version of the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
• Lowe and his wife Haylee have two children, Kingston and Trey.
• Lowe adopted his younger brother, Vydalis, after the passing of their mother, Veneka, and officially gained guardianship in July 2021.

ALL-TIME SERIES

ILLINOIS vs. IOWA

• Series: Illinois leads, 38-36-2
• Last: #24 Iowa 35, Illinois 21 (12/5/2020)
• Streak: Iowa W7
• at Iowa City: Illinois trails, 18-19-2
• Bielema vs. Iowa: 3-2
• Saturday will be the 77th meeting between the Illini and Hawkeyes in a series that dates back to 1899.
• Illinois and Iowa did not play a game from 1953-1966 because of a fight following the 1952 game.
• Illinois leads the all-time series 38-36-2.
• Iowa has won seven straight meetings dating back to 2008, their longest streak in the series history.
• Illinois hung with #17 Iowa during their last trip Iowa City in a defensive battle. The Illini had more first downs than Iowa (20-16) and held the Hawkeyes to four field goals on scoring drives, but Illinois could only put 10 points on the board behind 336 yards of total offense. Donny Navarro caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Peters for Illinois' only touchdown of the game, which tied the game 7-7 in the first quarter. After Navarro's touchdown it was a field goal battle with Illinois hitting one and Iowa hitting four.
• Al Brosky started one of the most impressive streaks in college football history when he intercepted a pass Nov. 11, 1950 against Iowa. That was the first of Brosky's NCAA record 15 consecutive games with an interception.
• Shawn Wax tied a program record with three touchdown receptions vs. Iowa 11/3/1990.
• Dike Eddleman set an Illinois record with an 88-yard punt vs. Iowa 11/6/1948.
• Illinois' most rushing yards vs. Iowa: 178 Jack Pierce 11/10/1945, 174 John Karras 10/8/1949
• Illinois' most receiving yards vs. Iowa: 190 Rex Smith 11/8/1952, 148 Geronimo Allison 10/10/2015
• Illinois' most passing yards vs. Iowa: 358 Jason Verduzco 11/3/1990, 317 Wes Lunt 10/10/2015
• Illinois' longest rush vs. Iowa: 65 Buddy Young 10/14/1944, 63 John Karras 10/8/1949, 62 Chubby Phillips 10/27/1973, 61 Dick Raklovits 11/11/1950
• Illinois' longest pass vs. Iowa: 67 O'Connell to Smith 11/8/1952
• Illinois head coach Bret Bielema played football at Iowa as a defensive lineman from 1989-92.
• Bielema served as a graduate assistant at Iowa from 1994-95 before spending five years as linebackers coach (1996-2001) for the Hawkeyes.
• Iowa offensive line coach George Barnett was a graduate assistant at Illinois during the 2004 season.
• Iowa senior Henry Marchese is the twin brother of Illini senior Michael Marchese. Their dad, John Marchese, played football at Iowa from 1982-86.
• Illinois head football athletic trainer Jeremy Busch graduated from Iowa and worked as an undergraduate athletic trainer for the Hawkeyes.