No. No. 23 Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium after a two-game road trip, hosting Purdue on Saturday at 2:30 PM CT. The Fighting Illini will play at home as a ranked team for the first time since 2022, taking on the Boilermakers at The Cannon in Champaign.

The Orange and Blue are looking to claim the rivalry trophy for the first time since 2019, while Illinois is looking to derail Purdue at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2010.

After taking their first of two weeks off of the 2024 season in Week 6, the Illini are 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play after winning their first four games of the campaign before they suffered a setback at No. 9 Penn. Available on September 28.

The Boilermakers (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) make the short trip west while in the midst of a four-game skid, recently dropping a road game to Wisconsin last week. Purdue has won each of the last four meetings between the sides, including a victory over Illinois in West Lafayette, Indiana, last year.

Illini head coach Bret Bielema The goal is to beat the Boilermakers for the first time since taking over the reins of the Illinois football program, and he knows nothing will be easy when two rivals go head-to-head with a trophy on the line.

“When you play in the Big Ten, not just because we’re playing for a trophy or a rivalry,” Bielema said, “you have to come play every weekend and prepare that way.”

Here are a few storylines to watch as Illinois and Purdue clash for The Cannon.

A productive week off

After a five-game series to open the 2024 season, the Orange and Blue took a well-deserved break last week, giving the team a chance to reflect on the season so far and get some much-needed rest and recovery ahead another tough stretch of Big Ten games.

Illinois is using the time to self-evaluate and do some recruiting, entering its sixth game week of the year with more energy and focus after a productive week off for its head coach Bret Bielema and the Illini.

“A lot happens on a bye week,” the Illinois offensive coordinator said Barry Lunney Jr. “We got our players fresh. We developed some younger players. We were able to practice well with them. All in all it was a good period for us.”

The Illini will now embark on a run of four straight games, three of which will be played at Memorial Stadium and two against ranked opponents. After playing Purdue on Saturday, Illinois will host No. 24 Michigan for the Memorial Stadium Rededication Game on Oct. 19 before traveling to face Big Ten newcomer No. 3 Oregon (Oct. 26) and Minnesota (2 November).

The Illini offensive starts soon

After being forced to punt on their first possession against Eastern Illinois, the Fighting Illini have found early success in each of their last four games. The Orange and Blue have scored on their last four opening drives, including touchdowns on first possessions in each of their last three games.

The Illini have opened the scoring in all five games thus far, while holding a lead after the first quarter in each of their three home games.

The Boilermakers, on the other hand, struggled to contain opposing offenses in the first quarter and were outscored 35-7 in the opening period of their five games. Purdue has yet to score in the first quarter during its four-game losing streak, though it has allowed just one opening drive score so far this season — a 5-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown against Notre Dame . .

Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. has attributed his unit’s early success to finding an early rhythm and building confidence quickly. The Illini will look to continue that trend on Saturday against the Boilermakers.

“One of the things that stands out is that when our guys get into a rhythm, we perform pretty well. One of the best things you can do to get into a rhythm is get early first downs, and that’s what we did. can do on those drives,” Lunney said. “We have to do a better job of creating that rhythm on other drives and playing with that same rhythm after the opening drive.

“I have confidence that our players can do that if we put them in good situations.”

The cannon

Saturday’s game marks the 100th meeting between Illinois and Purdue, although it will be the 75th time the two sides have competed at The Cannon. The Boilermakers have the edge in both the overall series, 48-45-6, and the traditional trophy series, 42-30-2, but the Illini coaches know anything can happen when two rivals go head-to-head.

“Let’s remember this is a rivalry game. Despite what they’re dealing with and what they’re going through, they have good players and really good coaches. At the end of the day, this is a rivalry game,” Illinois defensive coordinator said Aaron Hendrik. “I fully expect that when they walk into this stadium it’s the first game of the year and it’s a brand new season because it’s a rivalry game. You have to throw everything else they’re going through out the window.”

“It’s about us playing good football. It’s about us doing what we have to do in terms of our job every game. I know it will be a live atmosphere so we’re really looking forward to that.”

Henry, who has fought for rivalry trophies both as a player and as a coach, knows how much it would mean to return The Cannon to the Illini for the first time in his fourth season with the program.

“It’s really cool. We haven’t had it yet, so I can’t say much about it,” Henry said. “We have some guys in the building that have had The Cannon, but the reality is when you play in these trophy games and rivalry games, they are so sacred to college football and the sanctity and the brotherhood because it is a tradition.” That has been a fact for years. To give this game a chance to play for something, I think it’s really incredible, not only for us as coaches, but for our players.

“Ultimately the goal is to win every match, but when it comes to a trophy there’s a little more sauce and juice involved.”

Opponent scout

The Boilermaker offense is led by senior quarterback Hudson Card, who is in his second season with the program after starting his college career at Texas. Through Purdue’s first five games of 2024, Card has recorded 738 passing yards, seven passing scores and four interceptions while completing 63.4% (71-for-112) of his attempts. QB Ryan Browne has also gotten snaps under center, appearing in two games while going 7-for-11 for 68 yards.

In the rushing attack, RB Devin Mockobee and former Illinois running back Reggie Love III. Mockobee leads the Boilermakers with 362 yards on the ground on 60 carries, although Love isn’t far behind with 210 rushing yards and a team-leading two rushing scores.

Two different Boilermakers have totaled double-digit catches – tight end Max Klare and wide receiver Jaron Tibbs – through the Boilermakers’ first five games. Klare leads Purdue with 15 receptions for 219 yards, while leading the team with two receiving touchdowns (with sophomore wide receivers De’Nylon Morrissette and Leland Smith). Klare and WR Jahmal Edrine have each eclipsed 100 receiving yards this season.

On defense, Kyndrich Breedlove is the only Boilermaker to record an interception this season, and he had two picks against Wisconsin last week. Defensive back Dillon Thieneman has made a team-high 42 tackles, a mark that ranks fifth in the conference, while linebacker Kydran Jenkins has recorded a team-best 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.

Purdue has attempted the second-fewest field goals in the Big Ten, with kicker Spencer Porath going 3-for-4 on a season-long 45-yard kick.

Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is Saturday at 2:30 PM CT on FS1.