Preview

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois (4-1, 1-1) returns to Memorial Stadium on Saturday to open a two-game home stand, taking on Iowa (3-2, 1-1) under the lights at 6:30 p.m. CT. All fans in attendance are encouraged to wear orange as part of the "Hail to the Orange Out" promotion.

The Fighting Illini enter the contest on a three-game winning streak, most recently beating Wisconsin in Madison for the first time in 20 years, while Iowa heads to Champaign off a 27-14 home loss to Michigan.

The Illinois defense remains one of the best units in the country, and it held Wisconsin to just two rushing yards in Saturday's 34-10 win. The Illini currently rank first nationally in points allowed per game (8.4), joint-first in touchdowns allowed (three through five games), third in total yards allowed (228.0 per game), third in rushing yards allowed (70.2 per game), and fourth in yards allowed per play (3.79).

The offense continued its strong start to the season, using a balanced attack through the air and on the ground to put up 34 points and 304 yards in the victory. Chase Brown remains the nation's leading rusher with 733 yards, with 129 of those coming against Wisconsin.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday night on Big Ten Network with Cory Provus, Jake Butt, and Elise Menaker on the call. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the statewide radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Martin O'Donnell (analyst), and Michael Martin (reporter).

Illini Stats and Notes

Illinois Hosts Big Ten Night Game against Iowa

• Illinois returns home to face Iowa in the Illini's third Big Ten Saturday night game at Memorial Stadium in the last 14 years (2019 vs. Nebraska, 2013 vs. Wisconsin).
• Illinois is hosting its "Hail to the Orange Out!" promotion. Fans are encouraged to wear orange.
• Illinois is on a four-game home winning streak, outscoring opponents by 31.7 points (37.5-5.8).

Illinois Overpowers Wisconsin in Madison

• Illinois won in Madison for the first time in 20 years by outscoring the Badgers 17-0 in the third quarter and cruising to a 34-10 win.
• Illinois held Wisconsin to just two yards rushing, the fewest yards the Badgers have rushed for at home since being held to 12 yards on Nov. 3, 2007, vs. Ohio State.
• Illinois held the Badgers to just 10 total yards in the third quarter and did not allow a completed pass or a first down.
• The 24-point margin of victory was the third-largest in an Illinois win in Madison and its biggest since 1988. It was the largest margin of victory for the Illini in a Big Ten road game since defeating Purdue by 34 points on Nov. 7, 2015.
• Bielema was the first Illinois head coach to win in his first trip to Madison since Lou Tepper in 1992.
• Bielema's three Big Ten road wins in first two seasons are the most since Lou Tepper won five Big Ten road games in his first two seasons 1992-93.
• Bielema is the first head coach in Illinois history to have wins at Penn State and at Wisconsin.
• The 2022 Illinois schedule has rematches against seven opponents that the Illini faced in Bielema's first season. Through the first two rematch games - Virginia and Wisconsin - the Illini are 2-0 and have flipped the score of those results dramatically in their favor, with a 49-point turnaround against Virginia and a 48-point turnaround vs. Wisconsin, for a total of 97 points.
• Bret Bielema improved to 9-8 in his Illinois career with the win last week. He is the first Illini head coach to start .500 or better through his first 17 games since John Mackovic started 10-6-1 in the 1988-89 seasons.

Illinois Defense Keeps Trending Up

• Illinois defensive ranks nationally: 1st in scoring defense (8.4), 1st in opponent passer rating (79.7), 2nd in red zone defense (50%), 3rd in total defense (228.0), 3rd in rushing defense (70.2), 5th in first downs allowed (61), 6th in takeaways (13), 8th in interceptions (8), 9th in third-down conversion rate against (25.7%).
• Illinois' 42 points allowed are its fewest through five games since 1950.
• Illinois' defense is ranked ninth in the nation by ESPN's SP+ metric and fifth by PFF.
• Illinois' run defense is ranked third in the nation and its pass coverage is ranked fourth by PFF.
• Illinois is one of two schools in the nation that has yet to allow a touchdown at home this season, along with UMass. UMass has only played one home game (vs. Stony Brook).
• Illinois has allowed 169 rushing yards over 112 rushes in the last four games (1.5 yards/rush).
• Illinois has at least one interception in all five games this season and has an interception in eight straight games dating back to last season.
• Six different Illini have an interception this season, tied for the sixth-most in the nation.
• During Illinois' four wins, opponents have a third down conversion rate of 16.4% (9-55). Wisconsin was 4-14 on third downs, Wyoming went 1-12, Virginia went 0-15, and Chattanooga was 4-14.
• Illinois has allowed 50 passing yards or less in two games (30 vs. Wyoming, 49 vs. Chattanooga). It is the first time since at least 2000 Illinois has held two opponents under 50 passing yards.
• Illinois did not allow a touchdown in nonconference play for the first time since 1921 (52-0 vs. South Dakota, 21-0 vs. DePauw), helping Illinois complete its first undefeated nonconference schedule since 2011. It was the first time Illinois played 3+ nonconference games without allowing a TD since 1917 (22-0 vs. Kansas, 44-0 vs. Oklahoma, 28-0 vs. Camp Funston).
• Kendall Smith ranks fifth in the nation in interceptions with three, one back of the national lead, and tied for the Big Ten lead. Illinois free safeties have eight interceptions in the last 15 games, with Kerby Joseph - a third round pick of the Detroit Lions - having five interceptions in the final 10 games of last season and Smith having three interceptions in the first five games this season.
• Devon Witherspoon ranks second in the nation in passes defended (1.8 per game) and Jartavius Martin ranks eighth (1.6 per game). Illinois is the only team with two ranked inside the top-15.
• Jartavius Martin has a pass breakup in six straight games dating back to last season.
• Keith Randolph has 1.0+ sacks in three straight games.
• Nine different Illini have a sack this season, tied for the fifth-most in the nation.

Chase Brown Chases History

• Chase Brown is the nation's leading rusher with 733 yards.
• Brown ran for 129 yards at Wisconsin last week in Illinois' first win in Madison in 20 years.
• Brown leads the nation in rushes of 10+ yards (25), six more than any other player. He is tie for fourth in 20+ yard runs (7) and tied for second in 30+ yard runs (4).
• Brown ranks sixth in the nation in all-purpose yards (770) without doing kick or punt return duties.
• Brown is second in the nation in yards after contact (423) and fifth in forced missed tackles (32), according to PFF.
• Brown is the first Illini ever to rush for 100+ yards in six straight games.
• Brown is the only player in the nation to rush for 100+ in his last six team games. The streak of six straight 100-yard games is the second longest active streak in the nation, behind only Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim (13), who missed last week and most of the 2021 season.
• Brown is the first Illini in history to rush for 100+ yards in the first five games of a season.
• Brown had his 11th career 100-yard game against Wisconsin, tying Red Grange for the fourth most in Illinois history. Only Robert Holcombe (16 from 1994-97), Mikel Leshoure (12 from 2008-10), and Jim Grabowski (12 from 1963-65) have more.
• Brown was the first player in program history to rush for 140+ yards in the first three games of a season. He went for 146 yards on 20 carries against Virginia, had 199 yards on 36 careers at Indiana, and 151 yards on 19 carries against Wyoming in Week 0.
• Brown became the 14th 1,000-yard rusher in program history when he broke the 1,000-yard mark in the season finale against Northwestern last year. He finished the season with 1,005 rushing yards on 170 carries (5.9 per carry) and five touchdowns.
• Brown is looking to join an elite group if he can reach 1,000 yards again in 2022. Only Jim Grabowski and Robert Holcombe have reached 1,000 yards rushing in two seasons for Illinois.
• Brown surpassed 2,000 career yards in the season opener against Wyoming when he rushed for 151 yards and scored three touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 receiving).
• Brown has 2,296 rushing yards for his career at Illinois, No. 13 on Illinois' all-time career rushing list. Brown tallied 352 yards as a freshman at Western Michigan for 2,648 for his career, good for No. 13 on the NCAA's active career leaders list.
• Brown was the 14th 1,000-yard rusher coached by Bielema in his 13-year head coaching career.
• Brown's 223-yard rushing game at Penn State marked his second game of 2021 with 200+ yards (257 vs. Charlotte). He joined Howard Griffith (1990) and Rashard Mendenhall (2007) as the only players in Illinois history with multiple 200-yard rushing games in a single season. Brown nearly became the first Illini running back to rush for 200 yards on three occasions, falling one yard short at Indiana.
• Brown's 223 rushing yards at Penn State last year were the most ever by an opponent at Beaver Stadium and the fourth-most ever against Penn State.
• Brown was the first Illini in history to run for 220+ yards twice in a career. He did it in the span of three games during the 2021 season (vs. Charlotte, at Penn State).

#1 from QB to WR

• Former quarterback Isaiah Williams has been Illinois' leading receiver over the last two seasons, his first two seasons playing wide receiver in his life.
• Williams set career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (112) at Indiana, then he had nine more receptions and 103 yards against Chattanooga.
• Williams had a 90.3 grade by PFF against Indiana, the second-best offensive grade in the Big Ten in Week 1 behind only Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud.
• Williams has at least one catch in all 17 games of the last two seasons.
• Williams ranks 12th in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten in receptions per game (7.0).
• Last season, Williams was third in the nation among Power-5 freshmen in receptions (47), behind only Texas' Xavier Worthy (62) and Georgia's Brock Bowers (56).

PB Breaks Out

• Pat Bryant had career highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (115) against Chattanooga.
• Bryant was the #1 graded Power-5 wide receiver in the nation last week, according to PFF.
• Bryant leads the Illini in receiving yards (313) and yards per catch (17.4).

Time of Possession

• Illinois is seventh in the nation in time of possession (34:43).
• Illinois has held the ball for 10+ minutes in every fourth quarter this season.

DeVito Playing Consistent

• Illinois QB Tommy DeVito is one of 21 quarterbacks nationally to have 1,100+ yards passing, 9+ touchdowns, and a completion percentage over 66%. In the Big Ten, only C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) has reached those numbers.
• DeVito is the only quarterback in the Big Ten with 9+ passing touchdowns and 3+ rushing touchdowns.
• DeVito's 1,112 passing yards are the most by an Illini through four games since Wes Lunt had 1,237 through five games in 2014.

The Law Firm

• Defensive linemen Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton and Keith Randolph Jr., who go by the nickname "The Law Firm," have been one of the top defensive tackle duos in the nation to date.
• Newton is the #2 graded interior defensive lineman in the nation by PFF and Randolph is #42.
• Newton leads the nation in QB hits with 12 and is tied for the national lead in QB pressures with 28, both according to PFF.
• Newton and Randolph's combined 40 pressures are the most in the country among any interior defensive line tandem.

Sixth-Year Palczewski

• Alex Palczewski is the No. 2 graded tackle in the Big Ten according to PFF (min. 200 snaps).

Series vs. Iowa

Series: Illinois leads, 38-37-2
Last: L, 33-23 (11/20/21 at Champaign)
Streak: L8
In Champaign: Illinois leads, 20-16
Bielema vs. Iowa: 3-3

The Illinois-Iowa Series

• Saturday will be the 78th 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 38-37-2.
• Iowa has won eight straight meetings dating back to 2008, their longest streak in the series history.
• Last year, Illinois led 10-0 in Iowa City before falling 33-23. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema could not make the return trip to his alma mater due to being isolated in COVID protocols.
• In Iowa's last visit to Champaign, Illinois jumped out to a 14-0 lead before the Hawkeyes stormed back for a 35-21 win over Illinois. Illini starting quarterback Brandon Peters finished the game with 10 completions for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
• 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 Superlatives vs. Iowa

• 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-Iowa Connections

• Illinois head coach Bret Bielema played football at Iowa as a defensive linemanfrom 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
• Illinois senior Michael Marchese's twin brother, Henry, played football for Iowa. 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.