CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois will play for one of its three rivalry trophies on Saturday when it travels to Purdue for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on Big Ten Network. The Illini and Boilermakers, which are tied 45-45-2 in their 97 all-time matchups, play for the coveted Cannon trophy.

Lisa Byington (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst), and Coley Harvey (sideline) have the call on Big Ten Network from West Lafayette. 

PRESS CONFERENCE

ILLINOIS STATS AND NOTES

THE CANNON

• Purdue leads the traditional trophy series by a 39-30-2 mark dating back to 1943, while the overall series is tied 45-45-6.
• The Boilermakers currently hold the Cannon after a 31-24 win in Champaign last season.
• Illinois last took The Cannon in 2019 with a 24-6 rain-soaked win in West Lafeyette.
• The away team has won seven of the last nine meetings between the two teams.
• The Cannon is one of three rivalry trophies the Illini play for along with the Illibuck (Ohio State) and the Land of Lincoln Trophy (Northwestern).
• The Cannon, more accurately known as the Purdue Cannon, made its first trip to Champaign-Urbana in 1905 when a group of Purdue students brought it to fire after a Boilermaker victory. Purdue won the game, 29-0, but the Cannon was never fired. Illinois student Quincy Hall found the Cannon hidden near the old Illinois Field. Hall and a group of Delta Upsilon brothers confiscated the Cannon and held it until 1943, when they donated it as a symbol of the UI-Purdue rivalry. Tomahawk Service and Leadership honorary at Purdue and Illini Pride of Illinois maintain the trophy when the respective school has won it. The Cannon was last fired Nov. 4, 2001, at the Illinois football complex following the victory, but is no longer functional.

QUARTERBACKS TURNED WIDE RECEIVERS

• Isaiah Williams and Deuce Spann have both transitioned from quarterback to wide receiver in 2021 and have become Illinois' top two leading receivers.
• Isaiah Williams leads the team in receptions (21) and receiving yards (230).
• Deuce Spann is second on the team in receiving yards (117), tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (2), and leads the team in yards per catch (29.25).
• Isaiah Williams is 12th in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game (57.5) and 13th in receptions per game (5.2).
• Deuce Spann is the No. 1 graded receiver in the nation according to PFF (92.6) with a minimum of one target per game. He has four targets and four receptions for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINE NOTES

• Julian Pearl is the No. 2 graded guard in the nation according to PFF (84.7) (min. 100 snaps). Pearl has the top run blocking grade in the nation (94.6).
• Doug Kramer is the No. 6 graded center in the nation according to PFF (80.4) (min. 155 snaps).
• Alex Palczewski is the No. 17 graded tackle in the nation according to PFF (80.5) (min. 155 snaps).
• Vederian Lowe is the No. 40 graded tackle in the nation according to PFF (74.1) (min. 155 snaps).
• Illinois is one of eight teams in the nation with two tackles graded in the top 40 (Illinois, Clemson, Central Michigan, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Wake Forest) (min. 155 snaps).
• Illinois has the No. 5 team run-blocking grade in the nation according to PFF (86.0).

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.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

• Illinois is 14th in the nation and tied for the Big Ten lead in fumbles recovered (5).
• Illinois is third in the Big Ten and 22nd in the nation in takeaways (6).
• Devon Witherspoon is 13th in the nation in passes defended per game (1.8).

ALL-TIME SERIES

ILLINOIS vs. PURDUE

• Purdue leads the traditional trophy series by a 39-30-2 mark dating back to 1943, while the overall series is tied 45-45-6.
• Saturday marks the 97th meeting between the Fighting Illini and the Boilermakers.
• Illinois last took The Cannon in 2019 with a 24-6 rain-soaked win in West Lafayette.
• In 2020, Purdue Illinois, 31-24 after a comeback effort fell short. Fourth-string QB Coran Taylor (now a DB) threw for 273 yards after entering the game for an injured Matt Robinson.
• The away team has won seven of the last nine meetings between the two teams.
• The all-time series is tied, 45-45-6, after a Purdue victory in 2020
• Illinois rushed for a season-high 242 yards in 2019 when they won 24-6 on a rain-soaked field at Ross-Ade Stadium in the second game of what ended up being a four-game winning streak.
• Mike Dudek set Illinois' freshman single-game receiving yards of 200 against Purdue 10/4/2014.
• David Williams set Illinois' single-game receptions record of 16 against Purdue 10/12/1985.
• Dan Beaver made the longest field goal in Illinois history (57 yards) against Purdue 10/18/1975.