OPENING KICK
• Rivalry Game: The Land of Lincoln rivalry trophy will be on the line Saturday when the Fighting Illini (3-8, 2-6) face in-state rival Northwestern (5-6, 4-4) in Evanston to close the season (11 am CT on BTN).
• Phillips in the Backfield: Senior DE Carroll Phillips is having a monster year, leading the Big Ten in TFLs (17.0) and ranking second in sacks (8.0), totals that rank eighth and 30th in FBS, respectively. Phillips is just outside the Illini single-season top-10 list in both categories (see page 15).
• TFL U: As a team the Illini defense has been making plays in the backfield often in 2016.
» Illinois ranks 13th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in TFLs per game (7.8)
» Senior DE Carroll Phillips is averaging 1.5 TFLs per game, eighth-most in FBS and most in the Big Ten.
» Senior DE Dawuane Smoot is second in the B1G during conference play, averaging 1.4TFLs per game
» Phillips (17.0) and Smoot (13.0) have combined for 30.0 TFLs, the most of any Big Ten duo and fourth-most in FBS behind pairs from Virginia Tech (32.5), Wake Forest (30.5) and NC State (30.5).
• Fourth Down 'D': A stop on fourth-and-3 in the final seconds sealed the win over Michigan State. That's something the Illini defense has excelled at all season, as opponents have converted just five of 15 fourth-down attempts (.333), best in the Big Ten and seventh-best in FBS.
• Declining Penalties: The Illini have cut down on penalties as of late, an issue that plagued the team early in the season. Through five games, Illinois averaged 9.2 penalties/game and 75.0 penalty yards/game, ranking last in the Big Ten in both categories. In the last six games, they're averaging just 3.8 penalties/game and 34.0 penalty yards/game. In the last four games, those numbers are down to just 3.0 and 24.8, respectively.
• Elementary, Watson: During conference play, sophomore LB Tré Watson is averaging 10.8 tackles per game to lead the B1G. In the last three games, he has made 41 stops (13.7 tpg), including 16 vs. Michigan State and 15 vs. Iowa.
• Tackling Machine: Graduate transfer LB Hardy Nickerson is averaging 9.4 tackles/game to rank third in the Big Ten. He has 349 career tackles (246 at Cal, 92 at Illinois), fifth-most among active FBS players. No active Power-5 player has more career tackles than Nickerson.
• Nickerson (103) and Watson (95) have combined for 198 combined stops, more than any other teammate duo in the Big Ten and are tied for ninth-most in FBS.
• Smoot Point: Senior DE Dawuane Smoot has come on strong in conference play, averaging 1.4 TFLs per game to rank second in the Big Ten during league play. He is currently eighth in Illinois history with 36.5 career TFLs.
• Jaylen Island: Junior CB Jaylen Dunlap had four PBUs in the win over Michigan State, tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history and the most by an Illini since 2002. He has eight PBUs in the last four games, nine during Big Ten play (7th-most in the B1G) and has 10 for the season.
• Big Play Run Game: Illinois has five runs of 50+ yards this season, tied for 10th-most in the nation. Kendrick Foster had a pair of 56-yard TD runs against Murray State and added a 64-yard TD run against Michigan State, Ke'Shawn Vaughn had a 65-yard TD scamper vs. UNC and Reggie Corbin busted a 53-yard run at Rutgers.
• Dual Threat: Junior RB Kendrick Foster (721 rush, 532 KOR) is one of only two players in the nation with at least 700 rushing yards and 500 kick return yards (Cal's Khalfani Muhammad 711 rush/534 KOR).
• Fresh Start: Illinois has had 28 first-time starters this season, the most in the nation, just ahead of Missouri (27). Included in that number are 13 freshmen (four true-freshmen and nine redshirt-freshmen).
• Final Go: Saturday's game at Northwestern will mark the final college game for 24 Illini seniors. Rob Bain, Taylor Barton, Man Berg, Connor Brennan, Dillan Cazley, Chunky Clements, Andrew Davis, Ryan Frain, Zach Grant, Justin Hardee, Ainslie Johnson, Wes Lunt, Michael Martin, Darius Mosely, Hardy Nickerson, Carroll Phillips, Gimel President, David Reisner, Austin Schmidt, Dawuane Smoot, Joe Spencer, Mike Svetina, D.J. Taylor and Tyler White all were recognized on the field at Memorial Stadium last Saturday, their final home game.
BATTLE FOR THE LAND OF LINCOLN TROPHY
• Illinois and Northwestern will play for the "Land of Lincoln" trophy on Saturday, the eighth battle for the relatively new rivalry trophy. Illinois is 3-4 against Northwestern since the beginning of the Land of Lincoln trophy.
• Illinois owns "Land of Lincoln" trophy wins in 2014, 2011 and 2010.
• The Fighting Illini and Wildcats played for the "Sweet Sioux" Tomahawk from 1947-2008. Illinois led the traditional trophy series by a 32-28-2 mark, but Northwestern won the final meeting for the Tomahawk with its 27-10 win in 2008. The Tomahawk was retired following the 2008 season.
• The Land of Lincoln Trophy, a bronze replica of a stovepipe hat famously worn by Abraham Lincoln, was chosen by fans of both schools in 2009 in an online vote to replace the 62-year-old Tomahawk Trophy.
THE ILLINOIS-NORTHWESTERN SERIES
• Saturday's game will be the 110th meeting between Illinois and Northwestern.
• Illinois leads the series 55-49-5 overall. Illinois has split the last six games against Northwestern.
• The Illini are 27-27-1 when playing the Wildcats in the Illini's Big Ten finale.
• Illinois is 27-27-3 all-time in Evanston.
• Northwestern won last year's meeting, 24-14, at Soldier Field in Chicago. Wes Lunt threw for 241 yards and Ke'Shawn Vaughn had 62 yards on 12 carries in the loss to the 17th-ranked Wildcats.
• Illinois won in its last trip to Evanston, 47-33, in 2014. The Illini used 291 yards rushing to reclaim the Land of Lincoln Trophy and with a 47-33 win over Northwestern in the 2014 regular-season finale. Illinois forced five turnovers - three interceptions and two fumbles - and held the Wildcats to 62 yards in the first half.
• Prior to the 2014 win, Illinois' two previous wins over Northwestern came in incredible fashion. In 2011, the Illini rebounded from a 28-10 third-quarter deficit to beat Northwestern 38-35 after Nathan Scheelhaase's one-yard touchdown plunge with 13 seconds left in the game. In 2010, the Illini crushed the Wildcats 48-27 at Wrigley Field in Chicago behind Mikel Leshoure's record-breaking 330 rushing yards. It was the first college game played at Wrigley Field in 40 years and was famously played one way, as all offensive drives went toward the west end zone due to safety concerns with the wall behind the east end zone.
NORTHWESTERN CONNECTIONS
• Illinois linebackers coach Tim McGarigle had a stellar playing career at Northwestern, finishing as the college games' most prolific tackler, holding the FBS career record of 545 total tackles (NCAA tackles records date back to 2000.) Current Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald was Northwestern's linebackers coach during McGarigle's career. McGarigle got his start in college coaching as a graduate assistant for Fitzgerald in 2011.
• Illinois offensive coordinator Garrick McGee coached at Northwestern from 2004-07. He served as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator in 2006 and 2007.
• Illinois DT Tito Odenigbo's brother, Ifeadi Odenigbo, is a defensive lineman for Northwestern.
• Northwestern offensive line coach Adam Cushing is the brother of former Illinois tight end Matt Cushing.
HIGHLIGHTS AGAINST THE WILDCATS
• Most receiving yards vs. NU (since 1945): 268 A.J. Jenkins (2011), 208 David Williams (1984), 155 Steve Hull (2013)
• Most rushing yards vs. NU (since 1945): 330 Mikel Leshoure (2010), 263 Howard Griffith (1990), 187 Jim Grabowski (1965), 180 Mitchell Brookins (1979)
• Most passing yards vs. NU (since 1945): 409 Tony Eason (1981), 391 Nathan Scheelhaase (2011), 387 Kurt Kittner (2001)
• Last 100-yard receiving game vs. Northwestern: Josh Ferguson, 100, 11/28/2015
• Last 100-yard rushing game vs. Northwestern: Reilly O'Toole, 147, 11/29/2014
• Last 300-yard passing game vs. Northwestern: Nathan Scheelhaase, 307, 2013
TOUGH ROAD
• Illinois has played the 12th-toughest schedule in the nation based on winning percentage vs. FBS teams (.598).
• Illinois' 10 FBS opponents are combined 70-40 this season – Western Michigan (11-0), Michigan (10-1), Wisconsin (9-2), Nebraska (9-2), Minnesota (8-3), North Carolina (8-3), Iowa (7-4), Michigan State (3-8), Purdue (3-8) and Rutgers (2-9).
• When projecting out through the end of the season, the Illini schedule ranks as the 10th-toughest in the nation according to NCAA stats.
• Four Illinois opponents are ranked in the latest AP Top 25 (Nov. 13) – No. 3 Michigan, No. 5 Wisconsin, No. 14 Western Michigan and No. 17 Nebraska, plus North Carolina comes in just outside the poll at No. 29, Iowa at No. 33 and Minnesota at No. 35.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
• Illinois has had 28 first-time starters this season, the most in the nation, just ahead of Missouri (27). Included in that number are 13 freshmen (four true-freshmen and nine redshirt-freshmen).
• Freshmen accounted for 34 tackles in the win over Michigan State (Nelson 9, Harding 7, Green 6, Sumpter 6, Watkins 5, Milan 1).
• On Oct. 29 vs. Minnesota, six Illini freshmen started on defense – true-freshmen S Stanley Green, LB Jake Hansen and DT Kenyon Jackson along with RS freshmen DT Jamal Milan, S Patrick Nelson and CB Frank Sumpter.
• As the season has progressed, several new faces have seen their playing time and production increase, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
» RS freshman LB Justice Williams is the latest frosh to crack the starting lineup. Williams made his first career start Nov. 19 against Iowa and recorded his first career tackles (6) and TFL (1.0).
» RS freshman CB Cameron Watkins got his first start at Wisconsin on Nov. 12 and responded with a career-high seven tackles and one PBU.
» RS freshman SS Patrick Nelson played only on special teams the first two games, making zero tackles. In the last eight games, he's racked up 74 tackles at safety, making six starts. He ranks 11th in the Big Ten in tackles during conference games (8.5 tpg)
» True-freshman Stanley Green did not play in the first two games before seeing action on special teams in games three and four. In week five against Purdue, he saw his first action at safety and made three tackles. He has started the last six games, making 53 tackles and forcing three fumbles in those games. He ranks 20th in the Big Ten in tackles per game during conference play (7.1).
» A pair of freshmen have seen increasing snaps the senior-laden defensive line. After playing sparingly in the first two games, RS freshman DT Jamal Milan has come on to make four starts, 23 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, two forced fumbles, two hurries and one sack in his last six games (missed Purdue & Wisconsin games due to injuries). Meanwhile, true-freshman DT Kenyon Jackson has made 16 of his 18 tackles during Big Ten play and has made five starts.
» RS freshman RB Reggie Corbin had seven carries for 71 yards in the first three games before breaking out for 57 carries for 382 yards in Big Ten play.
SMOOT, SO HOT RIGHT NOW
• Senior DE Dawuane Smoot has been stuffing the stat sheet as of late, ranking second the Big Ten in TFLs during conference play (11.0 total / 1.4 per game). For the season, he has 51 tackles, 13.0 TFLs, 3.0 sacks, nine hurries, two forced fumbles, one PBU and one safety, wreaking even more havoc than the stats indicate.
• Smoot currently sits in eighth place on Illinois career TFLs list with 36.5.
• In the Nov. 5 win over Michigan State, Smoot played a key role in the final fourth down stop to seal the victory, getting deep penetration to force MSU QB Damion Terry to scramble where Carroll Phillips was waiting to make the game-clinching sack.
• Smoot had his best game of the year at Rutgers on Oct. 22, making five tackles and adding three TFLs, one sack, one forced fumble and two QB hurries performance in the win.
• 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.
• The preseason hype for 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.
• For his career, Smoot has racked up 132 tackles, 36.5 TFLs, 14.5 sacks, 15 QB hurries, 5 PBUs and 5 forced fumbles.
GRAD TRANSFERS MAKING BIG IMPACT
Both of Illinois' graduate transfers have made a huge impact for the Fighting Illini defense.
• Cal transfer LB Hardy Nickerson is averaging 9.4 tackles per game to rank third in the Big Ten and 21st nationally. He has added 5.5 TFLs, fifth-most on the team, a team-high two interceptions and 2.0 sacks.
• Auburn transfer DE Gimel President has 9.5 TFLs to rank third on the team and 18th in the Big Ten. He also has 35 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, two QB hurries and one PBU on the season.
HE'S LUNT, HE'S LUNT, HE'S LUNT, HE'S IN MY HEAD
• The Return: Senior QB Wes Lunt returned from an injury at Wisconsin on Nov. 12, playing the entire second half against the Badgers before starting and playing the whole game last week against Iowa. He had been out since the first half of the Purdue game on Oct. 8, missing four full games (plus a halves against Purdue and Wisconsin).
• Streak Snapped: When Lunt missed the Rutgers game on Oct. 15 with an injury, it snapped a streak of 17 consecutive starts. He missed four total games due to the injury (RUT, MICH, MINN, MSU), before returning at Wisconsin.
• Throwing Strikes: QB Wes Lunt is one of the most accurate passers in the nation during his time with the Illini.
» With two interceptions on 178 pass attempts in 2016, Lunt is one of two players in the nation with at least 150 attempts and 2 or less INTs (the other is Western Michigan's Zach Terrell with 1 INT on 293 att.)
» Now in his third season starting at Illinois, Lunt has thrown 34 touchdowns against just 11 interceptions on 900 attempts (81.8 att/int).
» Lunt's interception percentage (1.22 percent) at Illinois is the second-lowest in FBS since 2014 behind only Northern Illinois' Drew Hare (0.93 percent)
• Lunt's Legacy: QB Wes Lunt ranks in the top 10 on several UI career lists:
» 5,523 passing yds – 7th (1,508 behind Tony Eason for 6th)
» 522 completions – 7th (39 behind Tony Eason for 6th)
» 5,249 yards of total offense – 8th (109 behind Johnny Johnson for 7th)
» 34 passing touchdowns – 9th (1 behind Johnny Johnson for 8th & 4 behind Tony Eason for 7th)
» 119.6 passing efficiency – 10th (just behind Juice Williams' 121.1 for 9th)
NO AVERAGE JOE
• Senior OL Joe Spencer continues to be a model student-athlete both on and off the field, as evidenced by being a semifinalist for the Campbell Award (top student-athlete in the nation) and on the preseason watch lists for the Rimington Award (top center in the country) and Wuerffel Trophy (an award recognizing community service).
» On the field, Spencer has been an anchor of the offensive line for the past three years, making 36 career starts, and is regarded as a team leader by his teammates. He sat out the Murray State game due to injury, but returned to start at center against North Carolina, even picking up a fumble and advancing it 14 yards to nearly gain a key first down making him Illinois all-time leader in rushing yards by an offensive lineman.
» Off the field, he's been even more valuable, serving as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Illinois Uplifting Athletes chapter, which raises money for rare disease research. He's also a member of the Illinois Leadership Academy, serves as a "Big" for Big Brothers Big Sisters and organizes countless visits to local schools and events.
» Spencer also is one of 11 graduates on this years roster, earning a bachelor's degree in finance in May. He's currently pursuing a master's degree in business administration.
THE HARDY BOYS
• Former NFL great Hardy Nickerson is on the Illinois sideline as defensive coordinator in 2016, and he's joined by his son, also named Hardy, manning the middle of the defense. The younger Nickerson is a graduate transfer middle linebacker from Cal. He said he couldn't pass up the chance to play for his father and for Coach Lovie Smith for his final season of college football.
• In 11 games with the Illini, Young Hardy has started at middle linebacker and leads the team in tackles (9.4 tpg) and interceptions (2) while adding 5.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks.
• His 349 career tackles (246 at Cal + 103 at Illinois) rank fifth in FBS among active players.
• At Cal, Young Hardy had 246 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one interception.
• As a team captain in 2015, Nickerson had a team-high 112 stops, third-most in the PAC-12, to earn honorable mention All-Pac 12 honors.
• Father and son have different middle names, so they are not Sr. and Jr. They both simply go by Hardy Nickerson. We usually refer to them as defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson and linebacker Hardy Nickerson, or Hardy and Young Hardy.
LINEBACKER U, IT'S NOT WHERE YOU THINK IT IS
• Like many Illini teams over the years, the 2016 Illini defense is getting big production from its linebacking corps, led by senior graduate transfer Hardy Nickerson, a 2016 Butkus, Nagurski and Lombardi Award candidate who leads the team in tackles with 103, and sophomore Tré Watson who ranks second on the team with 95 stops.
• Illinois' history at the linebacker position is up there with any program in the nation. It begins with the greatest linebacker in football history, Dick Butkus, who was a two-time All-American and led the Fighting Illini to a 1964 Rose Bowl win over Washington. Illinois boasts two Butkus Award winners, Dana Howard in 1994 and Kevin Hardy in 1995, several first-team All-Americans like Darrick Brownlow (1990), Simeon Rice (1994 & '95) and J Leman (2007), not to mention second-team All-American Scott Studwell (1976) and NFL legend Ray Nitschke.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• No Sack Zone: Illinois has not allowed a sack in three games this season (PUR, MSU & WIS) and has allowed just nine sacks in eight Big Ten games, ranking third in conference play. For the season, the OL is allowing 1.55 sacks per game, 30th-best in FBS.
• Zach Attack: Senior WR Zach Grant had career day in his final game at Memorial Stadium, hauling in eight receptions for 65 yards, both career-highs. For the season, the Rochester, Illinois, native and high school teammate of QB Wes Lunt is second on the team with 25 catches and 241 receiving yards.
• Comeback Kid: RS freshman QB Jeff George Jr., in his third career start, led the Illini on a game-winning drive in the final minutes to beat Michigan State, 31-27. The Illini marched 75 yards on four plays, culminating in a 16-yard TD strike from George to sophomore WR Sam Mays with 1:35 left. George was 3-of-3 for 42 yards on the drive. It was Illinois' eighth fourth-quarter comeback win in the last three seasons.
• Mistake Free: Illinois had zero turnovers in the win against Michigan State, the third time this season the Illini had zero giveaways (Murray State 9/3 and Nebraska 10/1).
• Three-headed Monster: The backfield trio of junior Kendrick Foster, sophomore Ke'Shawn Vaughn and RS freshman Reggie Corbin has been explosive at times, combining for 1,475 yards on 250 carries (5.9 ypc) and 11 touchdowns in 2016.
» Foster broke out for a 118 yards, including two 56-yard TDs, on four carries in the season-opening win over Murray State (29.5 ypc), breaking a 61-year old Illini record for most yards/rush in a game. He had his second 100-yard game in the win at Rutgers (108 yards on 21 carries) and ran for a career-high 146 yards and two TDs in the win over Michigan State.
» After playing sparingly in the first three games, Corbin has burst onto the scene with 382 yards conference play. For the year, he is second on the team with 453 yards on only 65 carries (7.0 ypc). Entering the Nebraska game, he had 7 carries for 71 yards in his brief Illini career.
» Vaughn became the 42nd Illinois player to reach 1,000 career rushing yards earlier this season. He started the North Carolina game with a 65-yard touchdown run and finished the night with 116 yards on 15 carries, his second career 100-yard game. He has 301 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and has added 89 receiving yards (on nine catches) this season.
• Foster Fast: Junior RB Kendrick Foster ran for a career-high 146 yards on 17 carries in the win over Michigan State, his third 100-yard game of the season. All three of his 100-yard games have come in the three Illini wins (118 vs. Murray State, 108 at Rutgers and 146 vs. Michigan State).
» Foster leads the team with 721 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns and nine total touchdowns.
» Foster is averaging 5.8 yards per carry, third-best in the Big Ten and 44th in FBS (min. 10 rush/gm)
» Foster has three TD runs of 50+ yards (56, 56 and 64), tied for 10-most in FBS and most in the B1G.
» Foster ranks fifth in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards per game (118.8) and third in the Big Ten in combined kick return yards (532)
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Bookends: The defensive end duo of Carroll Phillips and Dawuane Smoot have combined for 101 tackles, 30.0 TFLs, 11.0 sacks, 12 QB hurries, 3 forced fumbles, 1 safety, 1 PBU and 1 fumble recovery.
• Push 'Em Back: The Illinois defense had 10 TFLs against Michigan State. It marked the third time this season the Illini D had 10+ TFLs in a game and the first time since Sept. 10 against North Carolina. For the season, the Orange and Blue are averaging 7.8 TFLs per game, 13th-most in FBS.
• Nice Recovery: As a team, the Illini have recovered 10 fumbles, second-most in the Big Ten and 24th in FBS.
• Elementary, Watson: Sophomore LB Tré Watson was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 7 after making a career-high 16 tackles, including 1.5 TFLs, and breaking up one pass in the Illini's victory over Michigan State. During conference play, Watson is averaging 10.8 tackles per game to lead the B1G. In the last three games, he has made 41 stops (13.7 tpg).
• He's Not Green: True-freshman Stanley Green forced two fumbles in the win over Michigan State and has three for the season, ranking 15th in FBS and second in the Big Ten (0.33 FF/game). Green is fifth on the team with 57 tackles, all of them coming in Big Ten play.
• Don't Throw Toward Dunlap: Junior CB Jaylen Dunlap leads the team with 10 PBUs on the season, including four in the win over Michigan State, tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history and the most by an Illini since 2002. He also had a big game at Michigan, making nine tackles and a career-high 2.5 TFLs. For the season, Dunlap is fourth on the team with 62 tackles and 4.5 TFLs in addition to his team-high 10 PBUs.
• Nelson Making Noise: RS freshman safety Patrick Nelson has burst onto the scene in Big Ten play. He had 16 tackles at Nebraska in his first career start and then 14 at Rutgers to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Nelson's 48 tackles in the month of October were the most by any FBS freshman and his 8.5 tackles per game in conference play ranks 11th in the Big Ten.
• Mild Peppers: The Illinois defense held Michigan's Jabrill Peppers to nine yards on five carries (1.8 yards per carry) after he averaged 19.6 yards per carry (5 for 98) with two TDs in the first six games. Defensively, Peppers had two tackles without a TFL. He came into the game as Michigan's second-leading tackler and had 10.0 TFLs.
» COMPLETE ILLINOIS-NORTHWESTERN GAME NOTES (PDF)
