FRIDAY'S PROMOTIONS
» Hall of Fame Weekend – Members of 2018 Illini HOF class honored
» Coca-Cola Family 4-Pack Tickets – Four tickets for $69 | Get Tickets
» Foundation Weekend – UI Foundation's 83rd Annual meeting
» Tailgating at Grange Grove – 5-8 pm (Interactive games, food trucks and live music)
» Feudin' Hillbillies (south stage)
» DJ Vanic (student stage)
» Illini Walk – 5:45 pm through Grange Grove
OPENING KICK
• Friday Night Lights: The Fighting Illini will play under the lights Friday night when #10/9 Penn State comes to Memorial Stadium to open Big Ten play. Kick is set for 8:05 p.m. CT on Fox Sports 1.
• Hall of Fame Weekend: Members of the 2018 Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame, including linebacker Dana Howard and running back Jim Grabowski, will be honored at the game. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. at State Farm Center.
• Lovie Ball: Takeways have long been a staple of Lovie Smith defenses. That continues this year as the Illini lead the Big Ten and rank in the top 15 nationally in least turnovers (1, 7th), turnover margin (+1.67, 9th), and most turnovers gained (7, 13th).
» Illinois has forced a turnover in 17 straight games and has at least two in every game this season. The last time the Illini did not have at least one takeaway was 11/12/16 at Wisconsin.
» Illinois is one of just 14 teams in FBS and is the only team in the Big Ten without an interception thrown.
• The Wall: The Illini defensive line has a knack for batting down throws with nine passes defended in the first three games. Sophomore DE Bobby Roundtree leads the nation in PDs by a defensive lineman (4), while sophomore DT Jamal Woods is tied for second nationally (3). Junior DT Tymir Oliver has two passes defended on the year.
• Be Like Mike: Sophomore RB Mike Epstein had 113 rushing yards and one touchdown on 19 carries against USF, his second straight 100-yard game and third of his career.
» It was the first time an Illini rushed 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.
» Epstein's 7.17 yards per carry ranks 14th nationally and second in the Big Ten
» Epstein's three runs of 30+ yards is tied for sixth most in FBs.
• Chase McLongkick: Senior K Chase McLaughlin was 4-for-4 on field goals against USF, including a long of 53. He has hit a 50+ yard field goal in each of the last three games, becoming the first player in Illinois history to so.
» His three 50+ yard field goals this season is tied for the most in the nation (Wyatt Bryan, Colorado State), and is more than the rest of the Big Ten kickers combined (1 – Minnesota's Emmit Carpenter).
» McLaughlin has four career 50+ field goals, tied for most in Illini history with Dan Beaver and Jason Reda.
» His six 40+ yard field goals this season leads FBS, ahead of Bryan (5) and Utah State's Dominik Eberle (5).
» He's also a weapon on kickoffs, ranking 9th in the nation in touchback percentage (16-of-18, .889).
• AJ to M.J.: Graduate transfer QB AJ Bush Jr. led the Illini to victory over Kent State in the season-opener but was sidelined with an injury early in the second quarter against WIU. Enter true freshman M.J. Rivers II. Rivers came on in relief for Bush and threw two second-quarter touchdowns passes to give the Illini the lead, then managed the game in the second half finishing with 105 yards passing, 36 yards rushing and zero turnovers in his first collegiate action. Rivers got the start in game three against USF with Bush still hobbled with injury.
• Rivers in Select Company: Against USF last week quarterback M.J. Rivers II became the fifth Illinois true freshman to start a game at QB in program history, joining Cam Thomas (2017, 2G), Aaron Bailey (2013, 1G), Isiah "Juice" Williams (2006, 9G) and Kurt Kittner (1998, 5G). In two games this season, Rivers has thrown for 273 yards and two touchdowns while completing 64.4 percent of his passes.
• Fresh Starts: The first three games have seen the Illini play 16 true freshmen, including five that have earned starts – TE Daniel Barker, DB Sydney Brown, DB Jartavius Martin, QB M.J. Rivers II, DB Delano Ware.
• Boys of Summer: The Illini are 27-5 in Aug./Sept. home games dating back to the start of 2007.
• Fear the Beard: Illinois is 2-1 in games Lovie Smith coached with his signature white beard.
• NFL Experience: Lovie Smith's Illini staff has 60 seasons of combined NFL head and assistant coach experience, the most in college football for the third consecutive year, easily outpacing second-place LSU's total of 48.
• Leading the Way: Illinois announced three season captains voted by the team prior to the season: OL Nick Allegretti (OFF), LB Del'Shawn Phillips (DEF) and LB Dele Harding (ST). A fourth captain is voted on each game to join the three season captains. For the first three games they have been QB AJ Bursh Jr. (Kent State), TE Austin Roberts (WIU), and LB Jake Hansen (USF).
• Youth Movement, Part Two: For the second straight year, Illinois is putting one of the youngest teams in the nation on the field (roster breakdown as of Sept. 6, 2018).
» 2018 class breakdown: 8 seniors, 16 juniors, 38 sophomores, 39 freshmen (32 true-frosh, 7 RS frosh)
» The 8 seniors and 24 total upperclassmen are both the fewest in the nation
» With 77 underclassmen – 38 sophomores and 39 freshmen (32 true and 7 RS) – out of 101 players, the Illini roster has the highest percentage of underclassman in the nation – 76.2 percent
» 38 out of the 101 players on the roster are newcomers
» Only three Illini have as many as 15 career starts – Nick Allegretti 27, Stanley Green 17, Mike Dudek 16.
» Illinois' four fifth-year seniors – Nick Allegretti, Mike Dudek, Chase McLaughlin, Austin Roberts – is tied for the third-fewest nationally behind UConn (2) and Auburn (3). (All 5 years at one school)
NEW KIDS ON THE QUAD
• A total of 25 players, including 16 true freshmen, have made their Illini debuts in 2018.
» True-Freshmen (16): DT Calvin Avery, TE Daniel Barker, DB Sydney Brown, WR Edwin Carter, DB Ron Hardge III, LB Jacob Hollins, WR Jordan Holmes, DB Kerby Joseph, DB Jartavius Martin, RB Jakari Norwood, QB M.J. Rivers II, QB Matt Robinson, WR Carlos Sandy, LB Khalan Tolson, DB Delano Ware, DB Dylan Wyatt
» Redshirt Freshmen (3): OL Kendrick Green, DL Lere Oladipo, OL Jake Stover
» Sophomores (3): WR Dominic Stampley, OL Andrew Trainer, DB Nick Walker
» Juniors (1): DB Nolan Bernat
» Seniors (2): QB AJ Bush Jr., WR Zac Holman
THE ILLINOIS-PENN STATE SERIES
• Penn State leads the all-time series against Illinois, 18-5, including an 8-4 record in Champaign.
• Illinois has won three of the last nine meetings (2007, 2010 and 2014). Prior to 2007, Penn State had won 11 of 13 meetings, including seven in a row from 1972-2000.
• Penn State's last visit to Champaign was in 2014, when David Reisner's 36-yard field goal with eight seconds left secured a 16-14 victory. It is also Illinois' last win in the series.
• Penn State won the last meeting between the two teams 39-0 in University Park, Pennsylvania, on Halloween in 2015. Current University of Illinois Department of Intercollegiate Athletics marketing employee D.J. Taylor led the Illini with four catches for 45 yards.
• This will be Lovie Smtih's first game against Penn State. James Franklin is 1-1 against the Illini (2014 and 2015).
• Illinois is 1-10 all-time against ranked Penn State teams (AP Poll). The Illini's lone win was a 27-20 win over No. 21 Penn State 9/29/2007. Illinois is 0-4 against top-10 ranked Penn State teams.
• Last 100-yard rusher vs. Penn State: Jason Ford, 100, 10/29/2011
• Last 300-yard passer vs. Penn State: Nathan Scheelhaase, 321, 11/2/2013
• Last 100-yard receiver vs. Penn State: Ryan Lankford, 104, 9/29/2012
ILLINOIS-PENN STATE CONNECTIONS
• Penn State co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks was in the same role at Illinois from 2012-15.
• Illinois DL Tymir Oliver is from Philadelphia, Pa. He is the Illini's only player from Pennsylvania.
ILLINI AT HOME UNDER THE LIGHTS
The Fighting Illini will have at least two home night games at Memorial Stadium this season – vs. Western Illinois on 9/8 and vs. Penn State on 9/21. It marks the sixth time ever and the second year in a row that Illinois will play two prime time home games in the same season. The Illini are 16-11 all time in night games at Memorial Stadium (start after 6 p.m.) after the week two win over Western Illinois.
» Complete Illinois-PSU Game Notes (PDF)
