CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Land of Lincoln Trophy is on the line Saturday when Illinois travels to #15 Northwestern for the annual rivalry matchup. Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Mike Golic (analyst), and Taylor McGregor (sideline) have the call for ESPN2 at 11 a.m. CT at Ryan Field. 

It is the final regular season game of the season for Illinois and the rest of the Big Ten before next week's Big Ten Champions Week (details TBA). Dec. 12 will be the latest regular season game in Illinois football history. 

THE LAND OF LINCOLN TROPHY

• Illinois and Northwestern will play for the "Land of Lincoln" trophy on Saturday, the 12th battle for the relatively new rivalry trophy. Illinois is 3-8 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 combined trophy series (Sweet Sioux Tomahawk and Land of Lincoln Trophy) is 36-35-2 in favor of Northwestern.
• 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.

ILLINOIS STATS AND NOTES

ILLINOIS LOOKS FOR THIRD WIN IN LAST FOUR GAMES

• Illinois had won back-to-back games before falling to Iowa, 35-21, last week on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium. The Illini jumped to a 14-0 lead, but Iowa followed with 35 unanswered points.
• Illinois won Big Ten road games in consecutive weeks against Rutgers 11/14/20 and Nebraska 11/21/20. It was the first time Illinois had won Big Ten road games in back-to-back weeks since Nov. 3, 2007 at Minnesota (44-17) and Nov. 10, 2007 at No. 1 Ohio State (28-21).
• Illinois dominated in all three phases of the game in a 41-23 win at Nebraska 11/21/20, the Illini's first win in Lincoln since 1924 (previously five-game losing streak). 
       » QB Brandon Peters threw for over 200 yards and RB Mike Epstein and RB Chase Brown both ran for over 100 yards. 
       » Illinois' defense had five takeaways at Nebraska (3 interceptions, 2 fumbles). The Illini have 3+ interceptions in back-to-back games for the first time in at least 20 years. 
       » P Blake Hayes highlighted the special teams with a 14-yard run on an improvised fake punt to pick up a first down on the first possession of the second half.
• Illinois was led by QB Isaiah Williams' 192 rushing yards at Rutgers 11/14/20 in his first career start. It was the most rushing yards by a quarterback in program history.
• Illinois led for only the last 0:03 of the game at Rutgers. The Illini were down 10-0 after the first quarter and 20-10 in the second half. James McCourt's 47-yard field goal with 0:03 left led to the 23-20 win. 
• Williams was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week and McCourt was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after the Rutgers game. 

HANSEN AMONG NATION'S BEST LINEBACKERS

• Senior LB Jake Hansen is the only 2019 Butkus Award semifinalist that returned to college football in 2020.
• Hansen has been involved in 14 takeaways in the last two seasons, five more than any other player in the nation. He has eight forced fumbles recovered by Illinois, three fumble recoveries (on fumbles he did not force), and three interceptions.
        » Hansen also has one forced fumble that Illinois did not recover and one fumble recovery on a fumble he forced. In total, Hansen has nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and three interceptions in the last two seasons (14 games played). 
• Hansen has the #10 tackling grade in the nation according to PFF (min. 350 snaps). He has two missed tackles. 
• Hansen and Syracuse LB Mikel Jones are the only two linebackers in the nation with multiple interceptions, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries in 2020.
• Current Big Ten ranks: #2 in forced fumbles, #2 in fumble recoveries, #7 in interceptions, #11 in TFLs, #13 in tackles
• Hansen is the #2 active player in the nation in career forced fumbles per game (0.26), behind only Fresno State's David Perales (0.33) and #2 in career forced fumbles (10), behind only Northwestern's Paddy Fisher (11).
• Seven tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one interception, and one fumble recovery at Nebraska 11/21/20
• Team-high 15 tackles at Rutgers 11/14/20, along with 1.0 sack, one interception and one pass breakup
        » Top-graded linebacker in Power-5 the week of Nov. 14 by PFF (81.3)
• Hansen is tied for third in Illinois history in forced fumbles (10), behind only Illinois legends Simeon Rice (13) and Whitney Mercilus (11).
• Led the nation in forced fumbles (7) and ranked fifth in fumbles recovered (3) in 2019

CARNEY'S BREAKOUT YEAR

• Senior DE Owen Carney Jr. is tied for the Big Ten lead in sacks (5.0) and ranks 10th in TFLs (7.0).

GROUND GAME

• Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,261), behind only Penn State (1,445).
• Illinois ranks second in rushing yards per game (210.2), behind only Ohio State (251.0).
• Illinois had multiple 100-yard rushers in back-to-back Big Ten games against Rutgers and Nebraska. It was the first time Illinois accomplished the feat since at least 1945 when complete records began. 
• Illinois had five 100-yard rushing performances in the three-game stretch of Minnesota, Rutgers, Nebraska.
• RB Mike Epstein (113) and RB Chase Brown (110) both went over 100 yards at Nebraska. 
• QB Isaiah Williams (192) and RB Chase Brown (131) both went over 100 yards at Rutgers. 
        » Williams and Brown combined to become the second QB/RB duo to both rush for 130+ yards in a game in Illinois history. RB Rashard Mendenhall (201) and QB Isiah "Juice" Williams (133) both ran for 130+ at Minnesota 11/3/2007.
• Epstein ran for 108 yards against Minnesota.
• Illinois has three players in the Big Ten's top 10 in yards per carry.
       » Epstein is tied for third in the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.1)
       » Williams is tied for third in the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.1)
       » Brown is tied for eighth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (5.6)

FOUR QBS

• Illinois started four quarterbacks in the first four games. 

        » Brandon Peters, the season-opening starting QB, tested positive for COVID after one game played. He missed the next three games before returning to lead Illinois to the road win at Nebraska. 
        » Matt Robinson started against Purdue in place for Peters, but was hurt on the second drive.
        » Coran Taylor started against Minnesota, the first start of his career.
        » Isaiah Williams had 296 yards of total offense (192 rushing, 104 passing) at Rutgers, 67% of the team's total offense, in his first career start and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

• This is the first time Illinois has started four quarterbacks in a single season since the program's starters records began being kept in 1975.
• In Peters' two seasons at Illinois, the Illini are 7-6 when Peters starts and plays into the fourth quarter and 1-5 when he does not. 

IN THE NATIONAL RANKS

• Illinois is 9th in the nation in turnover margin (+1.0). Northwestern is 16th (+0.83).
• Illinois is 14th in the nation in takeaways per game (2.17). Northwestern is 3rd (2.7).
• Illinois is 16th in the nation in fumble recoveries per game (1.0).
• Illinois is 21st in the nation in forced fumbles per game (1.17).
• Illinois is 24th in the nation in rushing offense (210.2).

ALL-TIME SERIES

ILLINOIS vs. NORTHWESTERN

• Series: Illinois leads, 55-53-5
• Last: Northwestern 29, Illinois 10 (11/30/2019 at Illinois)
• Streak: Northwestern W5
• at Evanston: Illinois leads, 30-29-3
• Saturday's game will be the 114th meeting between Illinois and Northwestern.
• Last season, Illinois was limited to 160 yards in a 29-10 loss to Northwestern in Champaign. The bright spot of the day was the return to campus for former Illinois DE Bobby Roundtree. It was Bobby's first game back on campus after a severe spinal cord injury in May 2019.
• In Illinois' last visit to Evanston in 2018, the Illini scored 10 fourth-quarter points but could not complete a comeback in a 24-16 loss at Northwestern. AJ Bush Jr. threw for 281 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 56 yards.
• Illinois' last win in the series was a 47-33 victory in Evanston 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 linebackers coach Tim McGarigle coached at Illinois under head coach Lovie Smith during the 2016 season.
• Illinois' most receiving yards vs. Northwestern (since 1945): 268 A.J. Jenkins 10/1/2011
• Illinois' most rushing yards vs. Northwestern (since 1945): 330 Mikel Leshoure 11/20/2010
• Illinois' most passing yards vs. Northwestern (since 1945): 409 Tony Eason 11/21/1981
• Illinois' longest rush vs. Northwestern (since 1945): 86 Rashard Mendenahll 11/18/2006
• Illinois' longest pass vs. Northwestern (since 1945): 68 Eason to Lopez 11/21/1981
• Last 100-yard receiving game vs. Northwestern: 164 Malik Turner 11/26/2016
• Last 100-yard rushing game vs. Northwestern: 106 Daniel Dufrene 11/10/2007
• Last 300-yard passing game vs. Northwestern: 337 Wes Lunt 11/26/2016