Preview
No. 21 Illinois (7-2, 4-2) closes out its home slate with a meeting with Purdue (5-4, 3-3) at Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Saturday. The contest also marks Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day.
Both teams are coming off home defeats, though the Fighting Illini hold a one-game lead atop the Big Ten West standings. Â
Chase Brown recorded his 10th-straight 100-yard rushing game on Saturday, while Isaiah Williams registered a career-high two receiving touchdowns against Michigan State.
The Illini defense remains one of the most elite units in the nation, leading the FBS in scoring defense (10.44 points allowed per game), total defense (232.2 yards allowed per game), passing defense (152.6 yards allowed per game), and interceptions (16).
Saturday's game will kick off at 11 a.m. CT, and the contest will air on ESPN2.
Press Conference
Notes
Illinois Looks to Remain on Top of the Big Ten West
- Illinois is in first place of the Big Ten West at 4-2, one game ahead of a four-way tie for second place between Purdue, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota at 3-3.
- Illinois controls its own destiny for a Big Ten West championship, needing a win over Purdue plus one more win over Michigan or Northwestern to guarantee a spot in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 3.
- Illinois has been ranked for five straight weeks, the Illini's first time in the AP Top 25 since 2011.
- Illinois was ranked in last week's College Football Playoff rankings at No. 16. It was the first time Illinois has ever appeared in the CFP rankings.
- Illinois climbed to No. 14 in the AP Poll last week before falling to Michigan State. This is the third season in the last 30 years that Illinois has cracked the AP's top 15 (2001, 2007).
- Illinois is off to a 7-2 start through nine games, its best start since staring 8-1 in 2001.
- Illinois completed its first undefeated October since 2001 (3-0). The Illini won four games in October for the first time since 1990.
- Illinois has won five straight games against Big Ten West opponents for the first time since the Big Ten switched to East/West divisions in 2014. Illinois has beaten every Big Ten West opponent in their last meeting, except Purdue.
- Illinois is 4-2 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2007. The Illini have already matched their Big Ten wins total from last season (4).
- Illinois is 6-1 in its last seven home games. The Illini have outscored opponents 190-66 (27.1-9.4) during those seven home games.
- Illinois' seven wins are tied for its most since 2007. The Illini finished 7-6 in 2010 and 2011.
- Bret Bielema is 12-9 in his Illinois career (8-7 Big Ten). It is the best 21-game start for an Illinois head coach since John Mackovic started 13-7-1 in the 1988-89 seasons.
- Illinois is 3-0 against teams it lost to in 2021. The Illini have avenged losses against Virginia, at Wisconsin, and against Iowa by a 67-19 margin after losing to the same three opponents by a combined 99-37 last year.
- After winning in Madison for the first time since 2002, Illinois beat Iowa for the first time since 2008. The win over Iowa snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Hawkeyes.
- Illinois beat Iowa and Wisconsin in the same season for the first time since 1989. It is the first time Illinois has beaten Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota in the same year since 1983.
- The 24-point margin of victory over Wisconsin 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.
- Illinois is 10-4 in its last 14 games dating back to Oct. 23, 2021.
Illinois Defense Keeps Trending Up
- Illinois national ranks: 1st in scoring defense (10.4), 1st in total defense (232.2), 1st in passing efficiency defense (84.09), 1st in interceptions (16), 1st in first downs allowed (113), 1st in passing touchdowns allowed (5), 1st in passing defense (152.6), 2nd in touchdowns allowed (9), 2nd in passes defended (64), 2nd in yards per pass attempt (5.2), 2nd in fourth down conversions against (3), 3rd in takeaways (22), 3rd in third down defense (25.6%), 3rd in third down conversions against (31), 3rd in rushing touchdowns allowed (4), 3rd in fewest red zone attempts allowed (17), 3rd in red zone touchdown percentage (35.3%), 4th in rushing defense (79.7), 5th in yards per rush (2.86), 6th in TFL yards (300), 9th in fourth down defense (30.0%), 9th in red zone defense (70.6%), 9th in sack yards (190)
- Illinois' defense is ranked 3rd in the nation by ESPN's SP+ metric and 4th by PFF.
- Illinois has allowed only seven points in fourth quarters, the fewest in the nation.
More on the Illinois Defense
- Michigan State is the only team to have gained 100+ yards rushing and 100+ yards passing in the same game against Illinois. Wyoming and Minnesota are the only two teams to run the ball for 100+ yards against Illinois, and they threw for 30 and 38 yards, respectively.
- Illinois' pass coverage is ranked third in the nation and its run defense is ranked fifth by PFF.
- Illinois had held six straight opponents to 14 points or fewer before the Michigan State loss, the longest streak since 1989.
- Illinois is 7-0 when allowing fewer than 20 points. The Illini allowed 23 points in both losses.
- Illinois has allowed only nine touchdowns on 114 opponent drives and only seven in the last 90 drives. Indiana and Michigan State are the only opponents to score points on back-to-back drives against Illinois this season.
- Illinois has at least one interception in all nine games this season and has an interception in 12 straight games dating back to last season. Seven different Illini have an INT this season.
- During Illinois' seven wins, opponents have a third down conversion rate of 19.8% (18-91).
- 11 different Illini have a sack this season, tied for the eighth-most in the nation.
- Illinois had allowed only 17 second half points before MSU scored 14 in the third quarter.
- Illinois is outscoring opponents 81-31 in the second half.
- 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 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).
- Illinois has allowed 50 passing yards or fewer in three games (30 vs. Wyoming, 49 vs. Chattanooga, 38 vs. Minnesota). It is the first time since at least 2000 Illinois has held three opponents under 50 passing yards.
- Kendall Smith and Sydney Brown are tied for eighth in the nation in interceptions (4) and second in the Big Ten. Illinois is the only team in the nation with two players with four interceptions.
- Johnny Newton (43) and Seth Coleman (33) have 76 combined pressures, tied for the most of any teammates in the nation, according to PFF (Washington's Bralen Trice and Jeremiah Martin).
Spoon - Thorpe Award Semifinalist
- Devon Witherspoon is one of 12 semifinalists for the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back. Witherspoon is the fourth Illini in history to be a Thorpe semifinalist, joining Henry Jones (1990), Eugene Wilson (2002), and Vontae Davis (2007, 2008)
- Witherspoon is the highest graded cornerback in the nation by PFF and has the best coverage grade in the nation.
- Witherspoon is second in the nation in forced incompletions (13), third in NFL passer rating against (30.7), and third in reception percentage against (29.8, min. 200 coverage snaps).
- Devon Witherspoon and Jartavius Martin are both tied for fifth in the nation in passes defended (12). Illinois is the only team with two players in the top five.
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.
- Johnny Newton is the third-highest graded defender in the nation by PFF and No. 1 in Power-5.
- Newton leads the nation in QB hits (16) and ranks fifth in the nation in pressures (43).
- Newton and Randolph's combined 66 pressures are the most in the country among any interior defensive line tandem. Newton has 43 QB pressures and Randolph has 23.
- Newton leads the Illini in tackles (47), TFLs (12.0), and sacks (5.0).
- Randolph ranks second on the team in TFLs (10.0) and sacks (4.0), and fifth in tackles (37).
Time of Possession
- Illinois is fourth in the nation in time of possession (34:59).
- Illinois has held the ball for 10+ minutes of the fourth quarter in seven of its nine games. The Illini had the ball for 8:19 of the fourth quarter against Iowa a nd 7:44 against Michigan State.
- Illinois doubled up Minnesota in time of possession, 40:04 to 19:56, after Minnesota came to Memorial Stadium as the national leader in time of possesion, averaging 37:58 per game.
Chase Brown: Chasing History | FightingIllini.com/ChaseBrown
- Chase Brown is the nation's leading rusher with 1,344 yards. No other Power-5 running back has over 1,200 rushing yards.
- Brown was the first running back in the nation to 1,000 yards and tied the Illinois record for the fastest to 1,000 when he eclipsed the mark in just seven games (tied J.C. Caroline, 1953).
- Illinois launched a campaign website for Brown on Oct. 19 to promote Brown's candidacy for national awards. The site launched at FightingIllini.com/ChaseBrown.
- Brown is only the fifth player since 2000 to rush for 100+ yards in his first nine games while leading his team to a 7-2 record or better. The others are Ezekiel Elliott (Ohio State, 2015), Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma, 2004), JJ Arrington (Cal, 2004), and LaDainian Tomlinson (TCU, 2000).
- Brown has more rushing yards through nine games than any of the last three Doak winners. Kenneth Walker III (Michigan State) had 1,330 yards at this point last season, Najee Harris (Alabama) had 1,038 yards in 2020, and Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin) had 1,259 yards in 2019.
- Brown leads in the nation in all-purpose yards (1,485) without having return duties.
- Brown leads in the nation in rushes of 10+ yards (41), 100-yard games (9), and rushing attempts per game (28.6)
- Brown is fourth in the nation in yards after contact (756) and third in forced missed tackles (62), according to PFF.
- Brown's 64 first down runs are fourth in the nation, according to PFF.
- Brown has rushed for 100+ yards in an Illinois record 10 straight games.
- Brown is the only player in the nation to rush for 100+ in his last 10 team games.
- Brown's streak of nine straight 100-yard games is the second longest active streak in the nation, behind only Minnesota's Mohamed Ibrahim (17), who missed most of the 2021 season.
- Brown is the first Illini in history to rush for 100+ yards in the first nine games of a season.
- Brown is the first Big Ten player to record 100+ rushing yards in each of his first nine games of a season since Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott in 2015.
- Brown had his 15th career 100-yard game against Michigan State. Only Robert Holcombe (16 from 1994-97) has more in Illinois history.
- 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 joined an elite group to reach 1,000 yards in two seasons for Illinois. Only legends Jim Grabowski and Robert Holcombe reached 1,000 yards rushing in two seasons before Brown.
- Brown has 2,907 rushing yards for his career at Illinois, No. 3 on Illinois' career rushing list behind only Robert Holcombe's 4,105 (1994-97) and Antoineo Harris' 2,985 (1999-2002).
- Brown also tallied 352 yards as a freshman at Western Michigan for 3,259 for his career, good for sixth on the NCAA's active career leaders list.
- Brown was the 13th and 14th 1,000-yard rusher coached by Bielema in his 13-year head coaching career.
- Brown's 223-yard rushing game at Penn State last season 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 this year.
Offense Making Strides
- Illinois is the only team in the nation with two wins over teams in the top 10 of total defense. Iowa is third and Minnesota is seventh in total defense.
- Illinois has won three games over top 25 defenses. Iowa (No. 3), Minnesota (No. 7), and Wisconsin (No. 23) all rank in the nation's top 25 for total defense.
- Illinois has improved 83.3 yards/game from 2021, the biggest improvement in the Big Ten.
- Illinois is 33rd in the nation in rushing (192.7), an improvement of 18 spots in the national rankings year-over-year.
- Illinois is 53rd in the nation in total offense (413.2), an improvement of 59 spots in the national rankings year-over-year.
- Illinois is 47th in the nation in passing efficiency (145.2), an improvement of 74 spots in the national rankings year-over-year.
Tommy DeVito Passing Efficiently
- DeVito ranks second in the nation in completion percentage (71.8%) and ranks among the Big Ten's best in completions (3rd), passing efficiency (5th), and passing touchdowns (5th).
- DeVito's 150.3 passer rating ranks fifth in the Big Ten and is on pace to break the Illinois record of 141.6 set by Wes Lunt in 2014.
- Illinois ranks third in the nation in team completion percentage (71.5%), a 20.3% improvement of last year's completion percentage (51.2%) and a jump of 121 spots in the national rankings.
- DeVito is on pace for career highs in nearly every statistical category including completions, passing yards, touchdown passes, and completion percentage.
- DeVito's .909 completion percentage at Nebraska broke the Illinois record (min. 20 attempts) previously held by Reilly O'Toole (.839 [26-31] vs. Charleston Southern, 9/15/2012). It also set the stadium record at Nebraska's Memorial Stadium.
#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. He has tied his career-high nine receptions on two more occassions this season (Chattanooga, Nebraska).
- Williams is third in the nation in yards after catch (498) according to PFF.
- Williams has at least one catch in all 21 games of the last two seasons.
- Williams ranks 12th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.8).
- 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).
Sixth-Year Palczewski
- Alex Palczewski is the NCAA's active leader in career starts with 61 and is four away from tying the NCAA record set by App State WR Thomas Hennigan from 2017-21.
- Palczewski is the active leader in snaps, according to PFF.
- Palczewski has started every game for the Illini in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. The only games he has not started were one as a true freshman in 2017 and four after a knee injury in 2020.
- Palczewski is the first 6-year starter in college sports history (min. 50% starts of team games).
- Palczewski is the No. 7 graded tackle in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten according to PFF (min. 300 snaps) this season.
- Palczewski has gone 573 consecutive pass blocking snaps without allowing a sack. He has not allowed a sack this season in 333 pass blocking snaps.
- Palczewski will be only the second Illini in history to captain two bowl teams, as he was also a captain for Illinois' 2019 Redbox Bowl appearance. Moe Gardner, who was selected for College Football Hall of Fame induction this year, captained Illinois bowl teams in 1989 and 1990.
