Illinois at Purdue

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019: noon ET, Ross-Ade Stadium

Surface: Natural Grass

Capacity: 57,236 (Tickets Available)

Schedule/records: Illinois 3-4 in 2019, 4-8 in 2018; Purdue 2-5 in 2019, 6-7 in 2018

Line: Purdue: -9

Series notes: Purdue and Illinois are tied for the all-time series at 44-44-6. The Boilermakers and the Fighting Illini have faced each other a total of 94 times, their 95th time this weekend in West Lafayette. Their most recent matchup occurred last season, with Purdue beating Illinois 46-7 at Memorial Stadium. The Boilermakers have the largest victory in series history, beating Illinois 62-0 back in 1890.

TV: BTN (Lisa Byington, PBP: J Leman, analyst: Elise Menaker, sidelines)

Radio (Purdue): Sirius 133 / XM 195 / Tunein.com (Tim Newton, play-by-play; Pete Quinn, analyst; Kelly Kitchel, sidelines; Rob Blackman, studio host). Coverage concludes with Boilermaker Sports Wrap with Nate Barrett and Alan Karpick at 30 minutes after game.

Pregame: Gold and Black Radio

Purdue roster | Purdue Schedule/results | Purdue Game Notes | Purdue Depth Chart

Illinois Roster | Illinois Schedule/Results | Illinois Game Notes | Illinois Depth Chart

West Lafayette Weather

MORE: First Look: Illinois | Opponent View: Illinois | Coach's corner: Even when David Bell is wrong, he's right | Data Driven: A look at Illinois | Twin City Superstore Video: Co-OC/WR coach JaMarcus Shephard talks offense | Number Crunching Week 9 | Twin City Superstore Videos: Worship, Plummer, Hopkins, Collins on Tuesday | Purdue getting healthier, but still no sign of Moore or Neal | Twin City Superstore Video: Purdue coach Jeff Brohm on Iowa, Illinois, more

Illini back Reggie Corbin (No. 2) came up with some big plays last week, including the 43-yard touchdown when the Illini were hanging on by a thread. But he rushed for just over 40 yards for the rest of the game, and the Purdue run defense is really improving. Possibly more impressive is that Dre Brown (25) had 70 yards rushing against the vaunted Badgers D on just 11 carries, so Purdue will have to keep tabs on him as well. It was Brown's best effort in a while. I expect the Boilermakers and defensive coordinator Nick Holt to work extra hard at making Illinois one dimensional, and that starts with stopping the run.

Michigan transfer Brandon Peters (18) came up big enough in last week's shocker, only completing nine passes, but it got the job done. USC transfer Josh Imatorbhebhe (9) is a threat on the outside, and has six TD receptions in just 22 catches. Ricky Smalling (4) leads the team in receptions, but his production has dropped off of late and he is dinged up.

Despite playing behind an experienced line, Peters has been sacked a lot. Not surprisingly, his numbers struggle when pressured. The Boilermakers' pass rush has an opportunity to do some big things in this game, and it will need to if the the home team is expecting to get out of Ross-Ade with the win.

Illinois really hasn't been all that great against the run this season, but it was last week when it needed to be against Wisconsin. It slowed Jonathan Taylor to 132 yards and created a key turnover from the All-American back at crunch time. Their linebacker duo of Jake Hansen and Dele Hardy play, as coach Jeff Brohm said this week, downhill and the fact that the Illini D is eighth in the country in tackles for loss is indicative of that.

Purdue's struggles in the run game are well documented, but don't be surprised if Purdue tries to establish the run, especially if wet conditions persist early Saturday afternoon in Ross-Ade Stadium. The Illini defensive line is also a bit banged up. Still, it is hard to give the advantage to the team (Purdue) that is ranked 129th out of 130 in the FBS in rushing.

Jack Plummer had an up, then down, then back up again game last week at Iowa, becoming the first Boilermaker freshman quarterback in 42 years (Mark Herrmann, 1977) to throw for over 300 yards in back-to-back weeks. David Bell just might be the best receiver in the Big Ten, and if coach Lovie Smith gives him room to roam in his Tampa 2 coverage, it could be a big day for Bell. Wisconsin's Jack Coan threw the ball well against Illinois (75 percent completions and 264 yards), but picked the absolute worse time to throw an interception. Look for Purdue to have a big day through the air on Saturday assuming it isn't playing in a deluge.

Brown has been good in the return game averaging 26.4 yards on kickoff return, so the Boilermakers need to tackle well on special teams. Place-kicker James McCourt nailed the 39-yard game winner last week and has hit three field goals of 50 yards or more in 2019. Blake Hayes is having very good year punting averaging 45.4 per kick and has been good pinning opponents inside their 20.

Purdue's deep threat in the return game has been hampered without Rondale Moore, though Jackson Anthrop has been productive in the kickoff return game. If Illinois has an advantage here, it is slight.

This may be the toughest category from which to make a call. One would think Illinois would be ready to prove that last week's shocker, the biggest upset in a Big Ten game in some 36 years, was no fluke. And Purdue has its pride, and hopes of somehow turning this injury-riddled season into a strong finish, at stake. Illinois did all the right things at all the right times last week, but there isn't much data in the Smith Era to support that the Illini will put two strong games together. Brohm is stubborn and his teams often play like it. And against the Illini and Smith, they look at it as a game that shouldn't lose. And they likely won't.

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