Illini game notes...

swingman

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Illinois has held opponents to 24 points or fewer in six straight games for the first time since an eight-game stretch that spanned the final five games of the 2002 season and the first three games of the 2003 season.

Four of Illinois' six losses have come when Illinois had a chance to win on its final drive.
» vs. UTSA - Drive stopped at the 30 with 0:00 left while trailing by 7
» vs. Maryland - Loss on a 32-yard field goal with 0:00 left
» at Purdue - Drive stopped at the 19 with 0:40 left while trailing by 4
» vs. Rutgers - Drive stopped at the 34 with 1:08 left while trailing by 6

  • Chase Brown's 223 rushing yards at Penn State were the most ever by an opponent at Beaver Stadium and the fourth-most ever against Penn State.
  • Brown eclipsed the 100-yard mark in the first half (134) at Penn State. By halftime, Brown's 134 yards were already the most given up in a game by Penn State this season.
  • Brown led the nation in yards after contact in Week 8 with 145 at Penn State, according to PFF. He has led the nation in yards after contact twice in a four-week span in October and he is the only running back to lead the nation in yards after contact twice this season.
  • Brown is one of four players in FBS to have two 200-yard rushing games this season.
  • Brown is 17th in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.34) .
  • Brown is 21st in the nation and third in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (100.6)

  • Illinois is seventh in the nation in net punting (43.75).
  • Illinois is 13th in the nation in kickoff return defense (15.0)

  • Illinois is 10th in the nation in run blocking grade, according to PFF (80.3)
 

  • Illinois offensive coordinator Tony Peterson was the co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and eventually the passing coordinator at Minnesota from 1999 to 2006, where quarterback Bryan Cupito set the school's all-time passing mark.
  • Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck is a native of Sugar Grove, Illinois, and went to Kaneland High School. Fleck was coached by Illinois wide receivers coach George McDonald at Northern Illinois.
  • Illinois wide receivers coach George McDonald served as the wide receivers coach for two seasons (2007-08) at Minnesota.
  • Illinois offensive line coach Bart Miller coached the offensive line at Minnesota during the 2016 season.

  • Illinois chancellor Robert J. Jones had a 34-year career at the University of Minnesota, where he began as a plant physiologist in the department of agronomy and plant genetics and rose through a series of academic administrative appointments, serving as senior vice president for academic administration at the University of Minnesota System from 2004 to 2013.
  • Illinois head football athletic trainer Jeremy Busch was a graduate assistant athletic trainer with the Minnesota football program and graduated from Minnesota with a master's degree in sports management in 2005.
  • Illinois' Travis Perry worked for Minnesota's football staff for four years as the Gophers' full-time graphic designer/recruiting assistant before coming to Champaign. Perry's wife, Brittany Perry, is Illinois' Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Nutrition and was a four-year hockey letterwinner for the Gophers.
 

Illinois has played a lot of close games and 14 points for the Gophers might be a bit much, if you're a gambling person.
 

I think BB is building something. He has the recruiting grounds to do it.

MN cannot over look this game or we will lose and look very stupid
 



Minnesota by 18. They'll lead by 8 - 11 for a lot of the game until midway through the 4th when they put it out of reach. They'll turn Illinois over on the final drive to seal the deal.

PS: In two weeks MInnesota will win by 10 in Iowa City :)
 

This year, IL RB Chase Brown rushed for over 200 yards against Penn State. I remember when, in 2018, RB Reggie Corbin rushed for over 200 yards in an IL rout of the Gophers (resulting in Robb Smith getting fired). Control Chase Brown = Control Illinois.
 




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