CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium for its fourth game of the 2021 season, an 8 p.m. CT Friday night matchup against Maryland. It will be the Terrapins first ever trip to Champaign.
Illinois has started 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten with a win over Nebraska in Week 0. The Illini open Big Ten play with two conference home games for the first time since 1991.
Illinois starting quarterback Brandon Peters will return this week, head coach Bret Bielema announced at his Monday press conference. "Brandon Peters is a lot better and I think we are going to go with him on Friday," said Bielema. "Art [Sitkowski] was awesome with his opportunity, but we're excited to have BP back."
Friday's game will kick off at 8:05 p.m. CT on FS1. Tickets can be purchased at FightingIllini.com/tickets and free tickets are available for all students via KEDPLASMA.
COACH BIELEMA MONDAY PRESS CONFERENCE
ILLINOIS STATS AND NOTES
FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
- Illinois and Maryland meet for only the second time in history. Friday will be Maryland's first ever trip to Champaign.
- This will be Illinois' fourth Friday night game in the last five years (2017 at #22 USF, 2018 vs. #10 Penn State, 2020 at Wisconsin).
ILLINOIS AIMS FOR 2-0 START IN THE BIG TEN
- Illinois was the first team to start 1-0 after beating Big Ten West foe Nebraska in the first college football game of the season and the only Power-5 vs. Power-5 game of Week 0.
- Illinois is looking for its first 2-0 start in the Big Ten since 2011, when the Illini started with back-to-back wins against Northwestern, 38-35, and at Indiana, 41-20, to jump to No. 16 in the AP top 25 poll on Oct. 9, 2011.
HANSEN APPROACHES ILLINOIS RECORD
- With two forced fumbles at Virginia, LB Jake Hansen moved within one forced fumble of tying the Illinois career record. Hansen has 12 career forced fumbles, one behind Illinois legend Simeon Rice's 13 forced fumbles.
- Hansen passed Whitney Mercilus (11 career forced fumbles) last week for second place on Illinois' all-time career list.
- Hansen has more career forced fumbles than any other active player in the nation.
- Hansen's 12 forced fumbles are tied for the sixth-most in Big Ten history. The conference record is 15, set by Wisconsin's Chris Borland from 2009-13.
KRAMER AMONG NATION'S BEST
- Allowed just one sack over his last 28 games played (1,868 total snaps & 925 pass block snaps)
- Fourth-highest rated center in the country by PFF (80.4) this season
- Second-highest rated run blocking grade among centers in the nation by PFF (84.2) this season
ALL-TIME SERIES
ILLINOIS vs. MARYLAND
- This is the second meeting between Illinois and Maryland.
- It is the first time the two teams will play each other in Champaign.
