FOR OPENERS
• Kicking Off: The Fighting Illini (5-5 overall, 2-4 B1G West) hit the road to face Minnesota (4-6 overall, 1-5 B1G West) at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday (11 am CT, ESPNews). Illinois is trying to clinch bowl eligibility with a win, while the Gophers need to win their last two games to become bowl eligible.
• Bowl Bound? Illinois is one win away from reaching bowl eligibility for the second straight year and fourth time in the last six years. The Fighting Illini won the 2010 Texas Bowl (over Baylor) and 2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (over UCLA), then endured a two-year bowl drought before returning to postseason play at the 2014 Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl.
• Tough Sledding: The Illini have faced the 10th-toughest schedule in the nation based on opponent winning percentage. Illinois' five losses have come to teams that are a combined 44-6. Four of those five teams are ranked in the latest AP Top 25 (No. 2 Ohio State, No. 6 Iowa, No. 12 North Carolina, No. 21 Wisconsin).
• Block Party: Illinois ranks second in FBS with five blocked kicks this season (2 punts, 2 PATs, 1 FG). Junior DT Rob Bain is tied for the individual NCAA lead with three of those blocks (2 PATs, 1 FG).
• D-Fence: The Fighting Illini defense has shown vast improvement since last season.
» The Illini have improved at least 65 spots in the NCAA rankings in seven different categories, including interceptions (+81), third down defense (+80), total defense (+73), scoring defense (+73), first downs allowed (+69), passing efficiency defense (+69) and rushing defense (+65).
» In 2014, the Illini allowed 456.4 ypg and 34.0 ppg. In 10 games this season, they are allowing 351.7 ypg and 22.3 ppg. The 104.7 ypg improvement is second best in FBS behind only UNC (-116.2 ypg).
» The Illini rank eighth in the nation in third-down conversion defense, allowing just 45 first downs in 154 third-down attempts this season (.292).
» The Illini have forced 47 three-and-out drives this season (4.7 per game), 16th-most in FBS. Illinois forced 44 three-and-out drives in all of 2014 (3.4 per game).
• Junior QB Wes Lunt leads the Big Ten in completions per game (21.6) and ranks fourth in passing yards per game (224.1). He has thrown just four interceptions in 393 pass attempts in 2015 (98.3 att/int) and has seven career interceptions in 634 attempts (90.6 att/int).
• Senior FS Clayton Fejedelem leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth in in the nation in tackles per game (11.5). He has been dominant in B1G play (12.8 tpg), leading the confernece by 1.4 tpg. The former NAIA transfer and Illinois walk-on had a career-high 19 tackles vs. Wisconsin, the most by a B1G player and 10th-most by an FBS player in a game this season.
• Senior RB Josh Ferguson returned against Purdue after missing three games due to injury and has rolled up 249 all-purpose yards in the last two games (182 rushing, 67 receiving). Ferguson is one of four active players in the nation with 2,000+ rushing and 1,000+ receiving yards. With 2,441 career rushing yards, Ferguson needs 44 yards to climb into the UI career top 10.
• True freshman WR Desmond Cain has hauled in 16 catches for 176 yards and a touchdown the last two weeks. He scored his first career TD at Purdue Nov. 7, then had career highs in catches (10) and yards (102) against Ohio State Nov. 14. Cain has 43 catches, ranking fourth among FBS true freshmen in receptions, for 398 yards.
• Junior LEO Dawuane Smoot is having a big year, racking up 14.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks through 10 games. He ranks 21st in FBS in TFLs per game (1.4) and 29th in sacks per game (0.70).
• Senior WR Geronimo Allison has 57 catches for 794 yards this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (79.4) and third in receptions per game (5.7). A midseason addition to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, Allison has blown by his production from the entire 2014 season (41-598).
• OL Pride: The Fighting Illini offensive line has had the same five starters all season – LT Austin Schmidt, LG Chris Boles, C Joe Spencer, RG Ted Karras and RT Christian DiLauro. The unit allowed 16 sacks in 10 games this season, which ranks 36th nationally (1.6 sacks/game).
ILLINI FACING TOUGH SLATE IN 2015
• Illinois' schedule currently ranks as the 10th-toughest among FBS institutions in the latest NCAA strength of schedule list as opponents have posted a 48-28 record against FBS opponents (.632), not counting their games against Illinois. The schedule projects to be the seventh-toughest in the nation when the records of future opponents are factored in, including No. 20 Northwestern (8-2).
• Illinois' five losses have come against teams that are a combined 44-6 (.880) overall and 27-3 (.900) in conference play – No. 2 Ohio State (10-0, 6-0), No. 6 Iowa (10-0, 6-0), No. 12 North Carolina (9-1, 6-0 ACC), No. 21 Wisconsin (8-2, 5-1) and Penn State (7-3, 4-2).
ILLINOIS-MINNESOTA SERIES NOTES
• Saturday's game between Illinois and Minnesota will be the 68th meeting between the two teams. Minnesota leads the all-time series 35-29-3. Minnesota leads the series in Minneapolis 20-12-2.
• The Illini forced three turnovers and had 11 TFLs to beat Minnesota 28-24 in 2014, despite being out-gained 411-263 during last season's Homecoming game in Champaign. V'Angelo Bentley returned a fumble 12 yards for a touchdown with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter for the game's final score.
• Last year's win over Minnesota was the Illini's last over a ranked opponent, as the Gophers came in ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. It was the first win over an opponent ranked in either the Associated Press or coaches poll since a 17-14 victory over No. 22 Arizona State on Sept. 17, 2011.
• Illinois has not visited Minneapolis since 2011, a 27-7 loss for the Illini in what turned out to be the final game for former Illini coach Ron Zook. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak in Minneapolis for Illinois (2007, 2009).
• Illinois is looking to beat Minnesota in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1993-95.
• The Gophers have won 10 of the last 14 meetings, with Illinois pulling out victories in 2014 (28-24 in Champaign), 2009 (35-32 in Minneapolis), 2007 (44-17 in Minneapolis) and 2001 (25-14 in Champaign).
• The Illini are 1-1 in TCF Bank Stadium since it opened in 2009.
HIGHLIGHTS AGAINST THE GOLDEN GOPHERS
• LB Mason Monheim posted 15 tackles against the Gophers in 2012, including 1.5 TFLs and a half-sack. Monheim intercepted a pass against the Gophers last season.
• CB V'Angelo Bentley returned a fumble recovery 12 yards for a touchdown vs. Minnesota last season.
• LB T.J. Neal Jr. led the Illini with 12 tackles in 2014, including 2.5 TFLs, and forced the key fumble that Bentley returned for a touchdown.
• The Illini's single-game record for tackles of 34 was set by John Sullivan vs. Minnesota in 1977.
• Last 100-yard rusher vs. Minnesota: Mikel Leshoure, 141, 11/13/2010
• Last 100-yard receiver vs. Minnesota: A.J. Jenkins, 137, 11/13/2010
• Last 300-yard passer vs. Minnesota: Juice Williams, 462, 10/11/2008
BLOCK PARTY
• Illinois ranks second in the NCAA, behind only Temple (6), with five blocked kicks in 2015 (2 punts, 2 PATs, 1 FG), the most for an Illinois team since the 2001 Big Ten champs blocked six kicks. Junior DT Rob Bain is tied for the individual NCAA lead with three of those five blocks.
» In week eight at Penn State, Bain blocked two PATs back-to-back following the Nittany Lions' first two scores. It marked the first time the Illini had two blocked kicks in a game since 2003 at Purdue.
» In week four against Middle Tennessee, junior DB Caleb Day blocked a punt and senior FS Clayton Fejedelem recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
» In week two against Western Illinois, sophomore CB Jaylen Dunlap blocked a punt and sophomore WR Marchie Murdock returned it 12 yards for a touchdown. Prior to that, the last Illinois blocked punt for a touchdown was by Vontae Davis against Missouri on Sept. 1, 2007.
NO FLY ZONE
The improvement of the Illini defense in 2015, led by co-defensive coordinators Tim Banks and Mike Phair, has been remarkable. The Illini have jumped over 65 spots in national rankings from last season in eight categories and are in the top 26 nationally in blocked kicks, third down defense, TFLs, interceptions and passing efficiency defense.
| ILLINOIS' DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT IN 2015 |
| Category | 2014 (Nat'l Rk) | 2015 (Nat'l Rk) | Improvement |
| Blocked Kicks (total) | 1 (70) | 5 (2) | +68 |
| Third Down Conversion % | .423 (88) | .292 (8) | +80 |
| Tackles for Loss (per game) | 6.3 (49) | 7.7 (15) | +34 |
| Interceptions (total) | 7 (105) | 12 (24) | +81 |
| Pass Efficiency Defense (rating) | 136.0 (95) | 114.0 (26) | +69 |
| First Downs Allowed (per game) | 22.5 (101) | 18.3 (32) | +69 |
| Scoring Defense (ppg) | 34.0 (107) | 22.3 (34) | +73 |
| Total Defense (ypg) | 456.4 (109) | 351.7 (36) | +73 |
| Rushing Defense (ypg) | 239.2 (115) | 153.8 (50) | +65 |
FERGY FAST
• Senior RB Josh Ferguson has his name all over the Fighting Illini record book.
» Ferguson ranks fourth in career all-purpose yards at UI (4,194). He needs 12 yards to catch Keith Jones for third place (4,206) and 257 yards to rise to Pierre Thomas' second-place total (4,451). Robert Holcombe holds the all-time UI mark of 4,737.
» Ferguson ranks 11th on the Illinois career rushing list with 2,441 yards. To crack the top 10, Ferguson needs 44 to catch Howard Griffith's 2,485 career yards.
» Ferguson is one of four active FBS players with more than 2,000 career rushing yards (2,441) and 1,000 receiving yards (1,372), along with Arizona State's D.J. Foster, Louisiana-Lafayette's Elijah McGuire and Oregon State's Storm Woods.
• The Fighting Illini offense has a much different with Ferguson on the field. The senior missed three full games with an injury (Iowa, Wisconsin and Penn State), and the offense struggled in all phases in his absence.
» Illini with Ferguson (7 games): 5-2 record, 28.9 ppg, 408.1 total ypg, 169.6 rushing ypg
» Illini without Ferguson (3 games): 0-3 record, 11.0 ppg, 287.7 total ypg, 46.0 rushing ypg
HE'S LUNT, HE'S LUNT, HE'S LUNT, HE'S IN MY HEAD
• Junior QB Wes Lunt leads the Big Ten in completions per game (21.6), ranks fourth in the conference in passing yards per game (224.1) and sixth in passing touchdowns (12).
• Illinois has seven fourth-quarter comeback wins in the last two seasons (five in 2014 and two so far in 2015) and Lunt has orchestrated five of those, including both this season (vs. Middle Tennessee and vs. Nebraska).
• Lunt has thrown 26 touchdowns against just seven interceptions in his UI career.
• With just four interceptions in 393 pass attempts this season, Lunt is one of just four players in the nation with over 350 attempts and four or less INTs.
• Lunt had a streak of 190 straight pass attempts without an interception snapped in the fourth quarter against Wisconsin. It was the third-longest active streak in the nation at the time.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Consistency is Key – Offensive Line Edition: A big part of the success of the offensive line this year (16 sacks allowed in 10 games) can be attributed to continuity among the unit. The save five players – LT Austin Schmidt, LG Chris Boles, C Joe Spencer, RG Ted Karras and RT Christian DiLauro – have started all 10 games and have played a majority of the snaps this season.
• Instant Impact Freshmen: A pair of true freshmen (WR Desmond Cain and RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn) have accounted for 838 of the Illini's 2,101 total yards (41.3 percent) in Big Ten play (6 games).
• Raising Cain: Freshman WR Desmond Cain had a breakout game at Purdue, leading the Illini with six receptions for a career-high 74 yards. He caught his first career touchdown pass, a 20-yard reception, during the second quarter. He followed that up with 10 catches for 102 yards, both career-highs, against Ohio State.
• Dynamic Duo: The RB tandem of senior Josh Ferguson (133 yards) and freshman Ke'Shawn Vaughn (180 yards) exploded for 313 combined rushing yards in the Nov. 7 win at Purdue. It marked the 24th time in school history that two Illini rushed for 100+ yards in a game and the first since Troy Pollard (133) and Donovonn Young (100) vs. Western Michigan on Sept. 24, 2011 (Bill Cubit was WMU's head coach).
• Ke'Shawn Vaughn took home Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors (Nov. 9) after rushing for 180 yards at Purdue, the most by an Illini true freshman since Rocky Harvey's 215 yards vs. Middle Tennessee on 9/12/98. His 78-yard TD scamper against the Boilers was the longest run by an Illini since Jason Ford's 79-yard TD run against Michigan in 2009.
• Vaughn is second among FBS true freshmen in carries (145) and is fifth in rushing yards (661).
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Consistency is Key – Defensive Edition: The defense has featured the same starters in every game this season at 9 of 11 positions. The only changes have been at the STAR position, where senior Eric Finney (6 starts) and sophomore James Crawford (4 starts) have split time, and Carroll Phillips getting two starts at defensive end in place of DT Chunky Clements (at Purdue). The other nine starters have not changed in the first nine games – DE/DT Jihad Ward, DT Rob Bain, LEO Dawuane Smoot, WLB Mason Monheim, MLB T.J. Neal, CB V'Angelo Bentley, CB Eaton Spence, SS Taylor Barton and FS Clayton Fejedelem.
• That's so Fej: Senior FS Clayton Fejedelem leads the Big Ten in tackles for both all games (11.5 tpg) and during conference play (12.4 tpg). His 19 tackles vs. Wisconsin on Oct. 24 are tied for the most by a B1G player and 10th-most by an FBS player in a game this season. It's also the most by an Illini since J Leman had 20 vs. Missouri on September 1, 2007. In addition to his team-high 115 tackles, Fejedelem also has two interceptions, 3.5 TFLs, five PBUs and a forced fumble this season.
• Smoot Point: The Illinois defense has 77 TFLs on the season (7.7 per game), which ranks 15th in the nation and second in the Big Ten. Junior LEO Dawuane Smoot leads the way with 14.0 TFLs (1.4 per game), ranking fifth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally.
• Junior SS Taylor Barton recorded his fourth interception of the season against Purdue, the most for an Illini in a season since Kevin Mitchell had five in 2007 and more than the total for the entire team in all of 2013 (3). Barton ranks second in the Big Ten and 23rd in FBS averaging 0.4 interceptions per game.
THE SPECIAL TEAMS
• Big Game Frain: Junior punter Ryan Frain punted three times for an average of 58.0 yards per punt at Purdue to shatter the Illinois single game record of 54.3 (minimum 3 punts). Frain had a then-career-long 63-yard punt against the Boilers and is averaging 40.1 yards on 60 punts this season. He booted a 72-yard punt the next week against Ohio State to set a new career high.
• Mr. Clutch: Senior PK Taylor Zalewski nailed a 51-yard field goal with 2:09 left for what proved to be the winning points in the 27-25 win over Middle Tennessee on Sept. 26. Zalewski also provided the deciding point in the 14-13 win over Nebraska, nailing the extra point after Allison's touchdown with 10 second left.
• Zalewski has made 32 career field goals at Illinois, which ranks ninth on the UI career list, and has scored 189 career points, just ahead of football legend Red Grange for ninth on the all-time Illinois list.
• Zalewski has three career FGs of 50 or more yards, including the game-winner vs. MTSU. His career long is 54 yards against Purdue in 2012.
» Complete Illinois-Minnesota Game Notes
