No rest for the victor. No. 20 Illinois just dispatched reigning champion Michigan for the first time since 2009. Their reward? A journey to play No. 1 Oregon this season as huge underdogs in one of the loudest stadiums in the country.

Eugene isn’t usually mentioned as one of the wildest venues in sports, but the big games Oregon hosted in 2024 were a scene. Illinois will be walking into a high-energy threshing machine to take on an Oregon team without many, if any, weaknesses.

Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer was a miracle worker, posting a top-10 EPA per pass despite having an offensive line. The junior is pressured on 40 percent of his dropbacks, and Illinois ranks 124th in tackles for a loss allowed. Oregon’s fearsome pass rush should be a meal for Altmyer’s protection detail. The Ducks are 18th in sacks and 16th in quarterback pressures, which has led to 111 hurries so far this season.

But the Illini have a very credible defense of their own, ranking 22nd in points allowed per game (18.6). The only bummer was a surprising overtime shootout against Purdue, where the Illini gave up 49 points and 536 yards of offense to a rookie quarterback. However, they’ve been wide open to rushing attacks lately, meaning Oregon’s Jordan James could be in line for some resume-boosting stats.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has all the attention right now, but James is averaging 5.9 yards and has eight touchdowns. That’s more than enough talent to punish a shaky unit. Altmyer will need to put up points consistently to cover the significant spread, but if the Ducks get going early, the underdog Illini could be swallowed up in a hurry by the moment.

All odds from BetMGM. Looking for college football tickets? Find them here.

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No. 20 Illinois ranked No. 1 in Oregon

How to view Illinois in Oregon

• Location: Autzen Stadium – Eugene, Oregon.
• Time: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday
• TV: CBS
• Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

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(Photo of Tez Johnson: Justin Casterline/Getty Images)