No. 9 Illinois is set to take a road trip to Indiana and take on No. 19 Indiana for the first Big Ten game of the season. For both teams, this will be their first game against a ranked opponent this season.
The Fighting Illini are looking for their first win against the Hoosiers at Indiana since 2011, and their first win away from home as a top-ten team since 1990.
Illinois: Though Illinois is starting off the season undefeated in their first three games, some critics have raised questions about whether Illinois truly deserves to be ranked in the top 10. In the past two games, the Fighting Illini have had trouble setting the tone early in the game, letting opponents have a chance at taking the lead. In their last game, Illinois entered halftime with only a ten-point lead against Western Michigan. Head Coach Brett Bielma has been harping on the players that they need to play strong and fast all four quarters because Indiana will make them pay if they have a slow start.
Indiana: The Hoosiers are coming into this game with considerable momentum. Indiana outscored their last two opponents by 120 points combined, lighting up the scoreboard in their most recent game against Indiana State with a final score of 73-0. Led by their newly transferred quarterback from California, junior Fernando Mendoza has over 700 passing yards and nine touchdowns on the season. Illinois’ defense will be looking to eliminate the passing attack from Mendoza and force him to run the ball to get an advantage in the game.
The statistics indicate both teams are playing similarly in terms of offense, meaning the key to winning may depend on which team’s defense shines brightest on the field.
The Illini and Hoosiers will kick off the primetime matchup on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in Bloomington, Indiana, at Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium.