Minnesota travels to Illinois this week for a crucial matchup with former Big Ten West foe Illinois. Between his time at Wisconsin and Illinois, the Gophers never defeated Bret Bielema. There are three major keys if they want to break the streak and leave Champaign with a win.

Offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. fell in love with the pass against Maryland last week. There was a good reason for that, as Max Brosmer had one of the best games by a Gophers quarterback in recent memory. Illinois has some health issues in the secondary, so this could lead to another big day in the air, but if Minnesota is able to get Darius Taylor going early, its chances of walking away with a win will increase dramatically.

Illinois’ run defense ranks 78th in college football, allowing 154.8 yards per game. Saturday presents a great opportunity for Taylor to get back on track and surpass 100 yards for the first time since DOING SO Oct. 5 against USC.

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer is at his best when the pocket is kept clean and he is not under pressure. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he is “under pressure” on 38.1% of his dropbacks this season and has received a PFF grade of 43.6 on those 101 plays, which is a steep drop from his PFF rating of 87.2 when the pocket is clean.

If Jah Joyner, Danny Striggow and the Gophers’ pass rush can generate pressure, I think it could be a long day for the Illinois offense.

Last week’s 48 points against Maryland were the most points Minnesota’s offense has scored against a Big Ten opponent since Harbaugh was named offensive coordinator. It was the most aggressive play from a play-calling perspective by a wide margin. The Gophers went for points in a situation two minutes before halftime and they continued to throw the football down the field despite having a sizable lead.

The Gophers’ performance against the Terrapins was a testament to how explosive the offense can be when you put the ball in the hands of playmakers. Against a familiar foe like Bielema and Illinois, it could be easy for Minnesota to fall back on their conservative approach, but they must continue to trust Brosmer and the deep offense.