GAME 5: ILLINOIS (1-3, 0-1) vs. Purdue (2-2, 0-1)
When	Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 | 2:30 pm CT (2:42 CT kick)
Where	Memorial Stadium (60,670), Champaign, Ill. | Seating Map | Interactive Map
Gameday Info	Gameday Central | Fan Guide | Parking Map | Weather
Tickets	Buy Online | Premium Seating
Promotions	Grange Grove | Promotions
Watch	BTN | BTN2Go.com (Eric Collins and Glen Mason)
Listen	Illini Sports Network | Listen | Sirius 112 / XM 202 | Mandarin Audio
Live Stats	FightingIllini.com
Illinois Links	Game Notes (PDF) | Record Book | Stats
Purdue Links	Game Notes (PDF) | Media Guide | Stats
Big Ten Links	Game Notes (PDF) | Media Guide | Stats
Monday Presser	Video | Quotes
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Social Media	@IlliniFootball  | #Illini | @IlliniFootball  | Facebook  | YouTube

PURDUE GAME PROMOTIONS

• Tailgating at Grange Grove » 11:30 am-2:30 pm (games, food trucks, beer tent and live music)

• Illini Walk » Noon (Ikenberry Commons to First Street, then through Grange Grove)

OPENING KICK

• Battle for the Cannon: The Fighting Illini (1-3 overall, 0-1 B1G West) return home to host Purdue (2-2 overall, 0-1 B1G West) and battle for the Cannon rivalry trophy this Saturday at Memorial Stadium (2:30 pm CT on BTN).

• Leading the Nation: Senior DE Carroll Phillips is averaging 2.5 TFLs per game, most in the nation and B1G. His 1.0 sacks per game rank 14th nationally and second in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin's T.J. Watt (1.1). 

• TFL U: As a team the Illini defense has been making plays in the backfield early and often in 2016. 
     » Illinois ranks sixth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in TFLs per game (9.3)
     » Illinois ranks 20th nationally and third in the Big Ten in sacks per game (3.25)

• Playing the Best: The Illini have played the toughest schedule in the nation based on winning percentage vs. FBS teams. Illinois' three FBS opponents are combined 14-1 this season – No. 12 Nebraska (5-0), No. 17 North Carolina (4-1) and Western Michigan (5-0), who is just outside the top 25, sitting 26th in the AP poll.

• Handle with Care: The Orange and Blue have done a good job taking care of the ball this season. 
     » With just three giveaways in four games, the Illini are tied for sixth in the nation in fewest turnovers. 
     » With just one interception thrown, the Illini are tied for third in the nation in fewest interceptions thrown.  North Carolina and Western Michigan are the only two teams that have yet to throw an INT this season.

• Throwing Strikes: QB Wes Lunt is one of the most accurate passers in the nation during his time with the Illini. 
     » Now in his third season starting at Illinois, Lunt has thrown 34 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions on 842 attempts (84.2 att/int). 
     » With one interception on 120 pass attempts in 2016, Lunt is one of five players in the nation with at least 120 attempts and 1 or less INT. 
     » Lunt threw 95 passes this season before throwing his first interception of the season in the fourth quarter of the third game vs. Western Michigan. 

• Lunt 2 Leek: Lunt's favorite target has been junior WR Malik Turner, who is averaging 5.0 receptions per game to lead the team and rank fifth in the Big Ten. He has 20 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns this season,  and just went over 1,000 yards for his career (84 rec. for 1,046 yards). Turner's high school coach, Ken Leonard (Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin), is the father of Lunt's high school football coach, Derek Leonard (Rochester HS). 

• Lunt's Legacy: QB Wes Lunt ranks in the top 10 on several UI career lists:  
     » 5,322 passing yds – 7th (1,709 behind Tony Eason for 6th)
     » 497 completions – 7th (64 behind Tony Eason for 6th)
     » 123.1 passing efficiency – 7th (just behind Kurt Kittner's 124.8 for 6th)
     » 34 passing touchdowns – 9th (1 behind Johnny Johnson for 8th & 4 behind Tony Eason for 7th)
     » 5,051 yards of total offense – 9th (107 behind John Beutjer for 8th)

• Smoot Point: DE Dawuane Smoot has 20 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, three hurries, one forced fumble and one safety in 2016, but has wreaked much more havoc than the stats indicate. Smoot was a preseason All-American and named the 20th-best player in the country by Pro Football Focus heading into his senior season, drawing plenty of attention from NFL draft experts.

• Chasing Perfection: Sophomore PK Chase McLaughlin (5-5 FG and 12-12 PAT) is one of 10 kickers in the country who is still perfect on the season (min. 1.0 FGA per game).

• Block Party: Senior DT Rob Bain blocked a field-goal attempt in the second quarter against Western Michigan, his fourth career blocked kick. He was second in FBS with three blocked kicks last season.

• Tackling Machine: Graduate transfer LB Hardy Nickerson is averaging 9.8 tackles per game to rank second in the Big Ten and 25th in the nation. 

BATTLE FOR THE CANNON

• This week, Illinois and Purdue will play for the coveted Cannon rivalry trophy. Purdue leads the traditional trophy series by a 33-28-2 mark. 

• The Illini currently hold the Cannon after a 48-14 win in West Lafayette last season. 

• The Cannon is one of three rivalry trophies the Illini play for along with the Illibuck (Ohio State) and the Land of Lincoln Trophy (Northwestern). 

• The Cannon, more accurately known as the Purdue Cannon, made its first trip to Champaign-Urbana in 1905 when a group of Purdue students brought it to fire after a Boilermaker victory. Purdue won the game, 29-0, but the Cannon was never fired. Illinois student Quincy Hall found the Cannon hidden near the old Illinois Field. Hall and a group of Delta Upsilon brothers confiscated the Cannon and held it until 1943, when they donated it as a symbol of the UI-Purdue rivalry. Tomahawk Service and Leadership honorary at Purdue and Illini Pride of Illinois maintain the trophy when the respective school has won it. The Cannon was last fired Nov. 4, 2001, at the Illinois football complex following the victory, but is no longer functional.

THE ILLINOIS-PURDUE SERIES

• Saturday's game marks the 92nd meeting between the Illini and Boilers, dating back to 1890. The series with Purdue is the oldest in Illinois' 127-year history. Purdue was one of two teams that Illinois played in its inaugural year of college football (the other was Illinois Wesleyan). 

• Illinois leads the overall series 44-41-6, including a 48-14 win last season in West Lafayette. The Illini are 23-20-2 all-time against Purdue in Champaign, but the Boilermakers have won four of the last five at Memorial Stadium.
     » 2016 Game Recap: Illinois 48, Purdue 14

• The Illini are 2-1 against current Purdue head coach Darrell Hazell. 

• RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn had career highs in rushing yards (180), rushing touchdowns (2), long rush (78) and all-purpose yards (203) against Purdue last season as the Fighting Illini had 595 total yards of offense.

• QB Wes Lunt threw for 332 yards against Purdue in 2014, the most in his career against a Big Ten opponent. Lunt's career numbers against Purdue: 46-72, 501 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs in 2 games

• RB Kendrick Foster rushed for an 18-yard touchdown, the first of his career, on his only touch against the Boilermakers last season.

• P Ryan Frain set the program's single-game punting average last year at Purdue when he punted three times for 174 yards (58.0 yards per punt).

• WR Mike Dudek had eight receptions for 200 yards in Illinois' win over Purdue in 2014, the fourth-most ever by an Illini in a single game.

• Dan Beaver's 57-yard field goal vs. Purdue 10/18/1975 still stands as the longest in Illini history.

• David Williams set the Illinois single-game record with 16 receptions at Purdue 10/12/1985.

• Alex Agase, a 1963 inductee into the College Hall of Fame, was an All-American at Illinois in 1942 and 1946, and also an All-American at Purdue in 1943 while in the Army.

PURDUE CONNECTIONS

• Illinois AD Josh Whitman grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana.

• Purdue defensive coordinator Ross Els was the linebackers coach at Nebraska for Lavonte David, who started at linebacker for Lovie Smith when he was the coach of Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014-15.

• Purdue co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Marcus Freeman played LB at Ohio State and had 18 tackles in Illinois' 28-21 win over the No. 1 Buckeyes on Nov. 10, 2007 (Darrell Hazell was the Buckeyes' wide receivers coach). Freeman was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 2009, when Lovie Smith was the Bears' head coach.

• Purdue offensive line coach Darrell Funk was a graduate assistant at Illinois from 1988-89, earning a master's degree in athletic administration in 1990.

• Purdue defensive line coach Randy Melvin, Purdue defensive graduate assistant Joe Montag and Illinois defensive backs coach Paul Williams were all on staff at Miami (Fla.) in 2015. 

• Purdue running backs coach DeAndre Smith coached the running backs at Illinois from 2010-11.

• Illinois has three Indiana natives on its roster. Purdue has seven Illinois natives on its roster.

• Illinois DE Carroll Phillips and Purdue CB Da'Wan Hunte played at Miami Central HS in Miami, Florida.

• Illinois OL Adam Solomon and Purdue OL Matt McCann played at Bishop Chatard HS in Indianapolis, Indiana.

• Illinois DT Tito Odenigbo and Purdue DT Jake Replogle played at Centerville HS in Centerville, Ohio.

• Illini TE Ainslie Johnson and PU WR Domonique Young transferred to their respective schools from Cerritos College.

• Illinois OL Connor Brennan and Purdue DE Austin Larkin transferred to their respective schools from City College of San Francisco.

THE ILLINOIS RENAISSANCE CONTINUES

On Oct. 3, University of Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced the latest phase of the ongoing Illinois Renaissance on Monday, a $132 million renovation to the south and east sides of historic Memorial Stadium. 

     » Project Details
     » Illinois Renaissance Website

TOUGH ROAD

• The Illini have played the toughest schedule in the nation based on winning percentage vs. FBS teams. Illinois' three FBS opponents are combined 14-1 this season – No. 12 Nebraska (5-0), No. 17 North Carolina (4-1) and Western Michigan (5-0), who is just outside the top 25, sitting 26th in the AP poll. Even when projecting out future games, the Illini schedule is the sixth-toughest in the nation. 

• Four Illinois opponents are ranked in the current AP Top 25, with all four falling in the top 17 – No. 4 Michigan, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 12 Nebraska and No. 17 North Carolina. Two more are receiving votes – Western Michigan (who sits 26th) and Michigan State.

• Only four college football teams will play against more 2015 bowl teams during the 2016 season. Illinois' nine bowl opponents are tied for fifth in the nation behind USC (11), BYU (10), Colorado (10) and Ole Miss (10).

• The Big Ten moved to a nine-game conference slate this season, meaning each team plays three division crossover games. Illinois' cross-division games are home against No. 12 Michigan State, at No. 7 Michigan and at Rutgers, meaning the Illini have five road games and four home games in B1G play.

The Illini have played the toughest schedule in the nation based on win pct. vs. FBS teams. Illinois' three FBS opp. are 14-1 this season.

— Illini Stats & Notes (@IlliniStats) October 3, 2016

THE LOVIE EFFECT

• Arrow Pointing Up: Through three games, the Illini are averaging 50,089 fans per game in 2016. In 2015, Illinois averaged 41,342 fans per game with a high of 51,515 (vs. Ohio State 11/14/15)

• Selling Out: Illinois welcomed a sellout crowd of 60,670 against North Carolina on Sept. 10, marking the first sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium since hosting Michigan on Nov. 12, 2011. It was the first non-conference sellout since hosting Arizona State on Sept. 12, 1987 (Capacity at the time was 70,060).

• Big Opener: The crowd of 48,644 for the 2016 season-opener against Murray State marked Illinois' best non-conference attendance since Sept. 17, 2011 against Arizona State (50,669) and was Illinois' best home-opener attendance since Sept. 11, 2010 against Southern Illinois (52,217).

GRAD TRANSFERS MAKING EARLY IMPACT

Both of Illinois' graduate transfers have made an immediate impact for the Fighting Illini. 

• Cal transfer LB Hardy Nickerson is averaging 9.8 tackles per game to rank second the Big Ten and rank 25th nationally. He has added 3.0 TFLs, fourth-most on the team, and a sack. 

• Auburn transfer DE Gimel President has 5.0 TFLs to rank second on the team and sixth in the Big Ten. He has 15 total tackles and 2.5 sacks  on the season. He had six tackles against Western Michigan, the most of his career.

HE'S LUNT, HE'S LUNT, HE'S LUNT, HE'S IN MY HEAD

• Senior QB Wes Lunt started off his final season with an efficient performance against Murray State, completing 15-of-21 passes for 226 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. His passing efficiency of 209.0 against the Racers ranked as eight-best in the nation during the first week of action. Through four games, he has six touchdowns and one interception, while throwing for 798 yards, including a 312 yard game vs. Western Michigan. 

• Lunt currently ranks in the UI career top-10 six different categories – passing yards (7th), passing completions (7th), passing attempts (7th), passing efficiency (7th), total offense (9th) and passing touchdowns (9th). 

• Lunt was named to four preseason watch lists heading into 2016 – Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Unitas Golden Arm and Manning Award.

• With one interception on 120 pass attempts in 2016, Lunt is one of five players in the nation with at least 120 attempts and 1 or less INT. 

• Lunt has thrown 34 TDs against just 10 INTs on 842 attempts in his three-year UI career (84.2 att/int).

SMOOT, SO HOT RIGHT NOW

• The preseason hype for senior DE Dawuane Smoot was large. In addition to being named to three preseason watch lists (Bednarik, Hendricks, Lombardi), Smoot also was named a preseason All-American, the 20th-best college football player in the country and is a projected first round draft pick by Pro Football Focus. Phil Steele, Athlon and Lindy's all named him to their preseason All-Big Ten teams. 

• Smoot is off to a modest start in 2016, at least on the stat sheet, but has still been disruptive on the line while managing 20 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, three hurries, one forced fumble and one safety. He had a career-high eight tackles against Western Michigan on Sept. 17 and match that total at Nebraska on Oct. 1. 

• When Smoot tackled UNC RB Elijah Hood in the end zone for a safety on Sept. 10, it marked the Illini's first safety since Sept. 13, 2014, at Washington. 

• Smoot had a breakout year in 2015, racking up 15.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks while earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. 

» COMPLETE ILLINOIS-PURDUE GAME NOTES (PDF)