SATURDAY'S PROMOTIONS
• Dads Day – Annual Dads Association Dads Weekend on campus Nov. 2-4
• Military Appreciation Day – Veteran military servicemen & women will be honored throughout the game
• Tailgating at Grange Grove – 11:30 am-2:30 pm (Interactive games, food trucks and live music)
• Illini Walk – 12:15 pm through Grange Grove
• Grapple in the Grove – 12:30 pm Illinois wrestling vs. Missouri in the south end of Grange Grove
OPENING KICK
• Back Home for Dads Day: The Fighting Illini return home to host the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday, Nov. 3 (2:30 pm CT on BTN). It will be Dads Day and Military Appreciation Day at Memorial Stadium.
• Runnin' Reggie: Junior RB Reggie Corbin has been the Illini's home run hitter this season.
» Rushed for a career-high 155 yards on 18 carries (8.6 ypc) in his return home to the state of Maryland. He had a 69-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, his fifth run of 50+ yards this season.
» Ranks second nationally and first in the Big Ten in yards per carry (8.03).
» Ranks second in FBS in runs of 70+ yards (2), 60+ yards (3), 50+ yards (5) and 40+ yards (5).
» Ranks third in FBS in runs of 30+ yards (7) and 20+ yards (10).
» Ranks second in FBS with six scrimmage plays of 50+ yards (five runs and one reception)
» Has three 100-yard games – 155 at Maryland (10/27), 137 at Rutgers (10/6), 100 at Wisconsin (10/20)
» Had an 80-yard touchdown run at Wisconsin, tied for the 10th-longest run in Illinois history. It equaled Illinois' longest run since Rashard Mendenhall's 86-yard run at Northwestern 11/18/2006 (Daniel Dufrene also had an 80-yard run at Ohio State on 11/10/2007).
• Big Play Run Game: The Illini running game is not only one of the best in the nation, it's also very explosive.
» The Illini are averaging 226.9 rushing yards per game, good for 23rd in FBS and third in the Big Ten. It is over 120 rushing yards per game better than last season's average per game (105.6).
» Illinois has nine runs of 40+ yards, tied for third-most in FBS, and 13 rushing plays of 30+ yards, tied for fifth-most in FBS. In all of 2017 (12 games), the Illini had two and five, respectively.
» Running backs Reggie Corbin (8.03 ypc) and Mike Epstein (6.85 ypc) rank first and fifth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (min. 60 carries). Corbin ranks second in FBS while Epstein is 14th.
» Illinois has had a 100-yard rusher seven times in eight games this season – three by RB Reggie Corbin and two each by RB Mike Epstein and QB A.J. Bush Jr. Last season, the Illini had one 100-yard rushing performance.
• Going Deep: AJ Bush Jr.'s 84-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Stampley at Maryland was the third-longest passing play in Illinois history (90 Taliaferro to Yavorski vs. Ohio State 10/13/1962 and 86 Eason to O. Williams vs. Wisconsin 10/24/1981). It was Illinois' longest play since Rashard Mendenhall's 86-yard run at Northwestern 11/18/2006.
• Chase McLongkick: Senior K Chase McLaughlin has emerged as one of the best long range kickers in the nation.
» Leads Big Ten and fifth in FBS in field goals made per game (1.88) after tying his career-high with four field goals made at Maryland.
» Leads the Big Ten in both scoring average (8.5 ppg) and total points scored (68).
» With a 52-yard field goal at Wisconsin, McLaughlin set the Illinois single season (4) and career (5) records for most 50+-yard field goals made.
» Leads the nation in 50+ field goals (4, tied with San Diego State's John Baron II) and ranks second in FBS in 40+ field goals made (8).
» Has as many 50+ field goals this season (4) as the rest of the Big Ten kickers combined (4).
• Take Your Pick: Illinois has been among the top teams in the nation in interceptions all season.
» The Illini's 13 interceptions is tied for fourth in FBS and ranks second in the Big Ten (14, Maryland).
» A pair of Illini are tied for 14th in FBS and third in the Big Ten in interceptions – CB Jartavius Martin and LB Del'Shawn Phillips with three picks each.
HOMEGROWN O-LINE
The starting offensive line consists of all players from Illinois. The group of senior Nick Allegretti (Frankford, Ill.), redshirt freshman Kendrick Green (Peoria, Ill.), sophomore Doug Kramer (Hinsdale, Ill.), sophomore Vederian Lowe (Rockford, Ill.) and sophomore Alex Palczewski (Mount Prospect, Ill.) have started all eight games and have played a majority of the snaps together, paving the way for Illinois' potent rushing attack.
GETTING OFFENSIVE
The revamped Illinois offense, directed by new offensive coordinator Rod Smith, has made huge improvements in 2018. The Illini have made huge jumps in the national rankings from 2017 to 2018 in several key offensive categories, including 90+ jumps in rushing offense (+99), big plays (+96) and big rushing plays (+93).
FAST AND FURIOUS
The revamped Illini offense has shown its explosiveness with 13 scoring drives of less than a minute this season, the fourth-most in FBS behind only Alabama, Utah State and Clemson. The offense had three sub-one-minute scoring drives against both Rutgers and Wisconsin, and two at Maryland. In 2017, the Illini had four such drives all season.
Most Scoring Drives Under One Minute
Alabama – 20
Utah State – 18
Clemson – 14
Illinois – 13
Houston – 12
LOVIE BALL
Takeaways have long been a staple of Lovie Smith defenses. That trend continues this year as the Illini rank 24th nationally in turnovers gained per game (1.88).
» The Illini rank fourth in FBS in interceptions with 13 (1.63 per game).
» Illinois' turnover margin of +4 (15 gained, 11 lost) ranks 32nd nationally and fourth in the Big Ten.
» Illinois streak of 21 straight games forcing a turnover ended Oct. 27 at Maryland. At the time it was the longest active streak among Power 5 conference teams. The streak dated back to 11/12/16 at Wisconsin.
» The defense has at least two takeaways in six of eight games this season (Purdue, Maryland).
THE ILLINOIS-MINNESOTA SERIES
• Saturday's game between Illinois and Minnesota will be the 71st meeting between the two teams.
• Illinois trails in the all-time series against Minnesota, 29-38-3. Illinois is 17-16-1 all-time against the Gophers in Champaign.
• Last season, Minnesota beat Illinois 24-17 on the Gophers' Homecoming in Minneapolis. The game was tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter before Minnesota pulled away in true freshman QB Cam Thomas' Illini debut.
• Illinois forced three turnovers and had 11 TFLs to beat Minnesota 28-24 in 2014, despite being out-gained 411-263, in Illinois' last win over the Gophers. 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.
• The 2014 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.
• The Gophers have won seven of the last 10 meetings, with Illinois winning in 2014 (28-24 in Champaign), 2009 (35-32 in Minneapolis) and 2007 (44-17 in Minneapolis).
• Longest Illinois winning streak vs. Minnesota: 5 (1981-1984, 1987)
• Longest Minnesota winning streak vs. Illinois: 7 (1900-1903, 1911-1913)
• Illinois head coach Lovie Smith vs. Minnesota: 0-2. Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck vs. Illinois: 2-0 (1-0 at MINN)
MINNESOTA CONNECTIONS
• Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck is a native of Sugar Grove, Illinois, and went to Kaneland High School.
• Minnesota running backs coach Kenni Burns is a native of Springfield, Illinois, and went to Sacred Heart Griffin.
• Illinois offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Rod Smith was the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Arizona from 2012-17. Minnesota defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae worked at Arizona from 2013-17, first as an analyst (2013-15) and later as the defensive backs coach (2016-17). Smith and Addae also worked together at West Virginia in 2007 and Michigan in 2008 and 2009. Smith was the quarterbacks coach at Michigan from 2008-10, while Addae was a defensive graduate assistant at Michigan from 2008-09. Smith was the West Virginia's quarterbacks coach in 2007 and Addae was a video graduate assistant for the Mountaineers.
• 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' Director of Sports Nutrition and was a four-year hockey letterwinner for the Gophers.
• Minnesota has 11 Illinois natives on its roster. Illinois does not have any players from Minnesota.
FRESHMAN REDSHIRT WATCH
• The NCAA passed new legislation in the offseason that allows players who play in up to four games -- regardless of when they take place -- to redshirt for that season and preserve a year of eligibility. Here's look at games played for each of the 17 Illini true-freshmen that has played in 2018.
» Played in 5+ games (12): DT DL Calvin Avery (8), TE Daniel Barker (8), DB Jartavius Martin (8), LB Khalan Tolson (8), DB Sydney Brown (7), WR Jordan Holmes (7), WR Carlos Sandy (7), DB Kerby Joseph (6), DB Delano Ware (7), DB Dylan Wyatt (7), LB Jacob Hollins (5), QB M.J. Rivers II (5).
» Have played in 4 or less games (5): QB Matt Robinson (3), DB Ron Hardge III (2), WR Edwin Carter (1), RB Jakari Norwood (1), DL Julian Pearl (1).
SAINT NICK
Senior OL Nick Allegretti is having another big year on and off the field in his final season in orange and blue.
» Pro Football Focus Midseason All-Big Ten First Team with the second-best grade for an offensive guard (76.7).
» Allegretti has made 32 consecutive starts and has played all but three snaps this season, leading a young offensive line that features three sophomores and a RS freshman in the starting unit. The only snaps Allegretti has missed were the final three-play drive of the fourth quarter vs. WIU when the Illini led by 20.
» Named a candidate for virtually every national community service award – Senior CLASS Award, Campbell Trophy, Wuerffel Trophy and AFCA Good Works Team.
» Is the team's Uplifting Athletes chapter president and Lift for Life organizer, helping raise over $86,000 for rare disease research and awareness the last two years. Also active in the Tom Jones Challenger Baseball League.
» Played 760 of 762 offensive snaps in 2017 (99.7%), most on the team, and led the team with 782 snaps in 2016.
» Voted a team captain in both 2018 and 2017, Allegretti was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick last year.
ILLINI STANDOUTS
• Can't Catch Corbin: Junior RB Reggie Corbin is thriving in offensive coordinator Rod Smith rushing attack.
» Leads team with 739 rushing yards on 92 carries and has a team-high seven rushing touchdowns this season.
» Ranks fourth in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (92.4). In Big Ten games he's been even better, rushing for 99.8 yards per game in five conference games.
» Has been stellar away from home, averaging 122.5 yards per game in road/neutral games, 10th-best in the nation. His 9.80 yards per carry away from home is best in the nation for anyone with 25+ road carries.
» Is averaging 8.03 yards per carry, second most in FBS, and has six scrimmage plays over 50 yards this season, second-most in FBS:
» 80 yard TD run at Wisconsin
» 73 yard TD run at Rutgers
» 69 yard TD run at Maryland
» 52 yard run at Rutgers
» 52 yard reception vs. Purdue
» 51 yard run vs. Penn State
» Is averaging more rushing yards per game this season (92.4) than he had total in 2017 (78)
» Is the 45th player in Illinois history to gain over 1,000 career rushing yards. He currently ranks 30th on the UI all-time rushing list with 1,340.
• Blake Can Boom: Australian sophomore Blake Hayes has become one of the top punters in the nation.
» Leads the Big Ten and ranks 29th in the nation in punting average (43.7 ypk).
» Has booted 12 punts over 50 yards and has dropped 18 of 46 kicks inside the 20 with only four touchbacks.
» Career average of 42.6 yards per kick ranks second all-time at Illinois behind only long-time NFL punter Steve Weatherford (43.5 ypk).
• Roundtree Repeat: Sophomore DE Bobby Roundtree is wreaking havoc on the defensive line once again.
» Has six PBUs this season, tied for most in the nation among defensive linemen
» Ranks 14th in FBS and third in the Big Ten in tackles per game among defensive linemen (5.1)
» Had a monster game against Penn State with a career-high 12 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks and one PBU.
» Tied for team lead with 7.5 TFLs and has a team-high 4.0 sacks on the season, which ranks 11th in the Big Ten
• Hansen, So Hot Right Now: Sophomore LB Jake Hansen has had a monster 2018 so far.
» Tied for team lead in TFLs (7.5) and tackles (8.3 tpg), ranking seventh in the B1G, after an 11-tackle, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack performance at Maryland.
» Earned Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week and Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after racking up 15 tackles and a school-record tying 6.0 TFLs in week one win over Kent State.
» The 6.0 TFLs against Kent State not only tied the Illinois single game program record (Jeff Weisse vs. Middle Tennessee 9/12/1998), but also tied for the seventh-most in a game in Big Ten history.
» His 6.0 TFLs in week one was more than the 2017 Illinois team leader for the season (James Crawford, 5.5).
» Had eight career tackles entering the 2018 season, all as a true-freshman in 2016 before missing last season with an injury.
• Ambassador of Quan: True-freshman cornerback Jartavius "Quan" Martin is making quite a splash.
» Had three interceptions in his first five career games with a pick on the first defensive play at Rutgers
» Tied for 14th in the nation and third in the Big Ten with three interceptions on the season
» Is one of only four true freshmen to have three or more interceptions heading into Week 8. Syracuse true freshman Andre Cisco, Texas' Caden Sterns each have four, and Oregon's Jevon Holland has three.
» Had his first career interception in the third quarter of the season-opening win over Kent State, making him the only true freshman in the nation to start and also have an interception in Week 1.
• Bush is Back: Graduate transfer QB AJ Bush Jr. finally found a home at Illinois after playing for three schools during his first four years of college.
» Ranks 24th in FBS and second in the Big Ten in yards per completion (13.36)
» Came in after starter M.J. Rivers II was injured at Maryland and completed 11-of-19 passes for a career-high 216 yards and two touchdowns. His 84-yard TD to Dominic Stampley was the third-longest pass play in school history.
» After missing 2 1/2 games due to injury earlier in the season, graduate transfer QB AJ Bush Jr. returned to start in the win at Rutgers, running for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and also throwing his first touchdown pass as an Illini in the 38-17 victory.
» Rushed for 139 yards against Kent State in the season-opener, the fifth-most all-time by an Illinois QB. He was the first Big Ten QB with at least 190 pass yards and 139 rushing yards in a game since Ohio State's J.T. Barrett in 2014.
» First Illini QB with multiple 100-yard rushing games in a season since Nathan Scheelhaase had four in 2010.
» Made a splash in his Illini debut, piling up 329 yards of total offense in a win over Kent State.
» Bush Jr.'s impact off the field has been even bigger. Despite not officially joining the team until training camp, he has become a team leader and was voted a team captain for the season-opener.
» Lovie Smith officially announced Bush Jr. as the Fighting Illini's game one starting QB on Aug. 27 after a training camp battle with four other quarterbacks.
» Began his career in 2014 at Nebraska before transferring to Iowa Western in 2016 and Virginia Tech in 2017.
• Be Like Mike: When healthy sophomore RB Mike Epstein forms an explosive 1-2 punch with Corbin in the backfield.
» Had back-to-back 100-yard games against WIU (105) and USF (113) and has three career 100-yard games
» Was the first Illini to rush for over 100 yards in back-to-back games since 2013 when Josh Ferguson went for 115 and 110 against Purdue (11/23/13) and Northwestern (11/30/13), respectively.
» Ranks 14th nationally and fifth the Big Ten in yards at 6.85 per carry (min. 60 carries)
» Ranks 20th in FBS with four runs of 30+ yards
» Has 411 rushing yards on the season ranks second on the team
» Complete Illinois-Minnesota Game Notes (PDF)
