No. 23 Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium following a two-game road trip, hosting Purdue on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. Playing at home as a ranked team for the first time since 2022, the Fighting Illini will battle the Boilermakers for The Cannon in Champaign.
The Orange and Blue aim to claim the rivalry trophy for the first time since 2019, while Illinois will look to derail Purdue at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2010.
After taking their first of two off weeks of the 2024 season in Week 6, the Illini sit at 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play after winning their first four games of the campaign before suffering a setback at No. 9 Penn State on Sept. 28.
The Boilermakers (1-4, 0-2 Big Ten) make the short trip west while on a four-game skid, most recently dropping a road contest to Wisconsin last week. Purdue has won each of the last four meetings between the sides, including a victory over Illinois in West Lafayette, Indiana, last year.
Illini head coach Bret Bielema aims to defeat the Boilermakers for the first time since taking over at the helm of the Illinois football program, and he knows nothing will be easy as two rivals square off with a trophy on the line.
"When you go into Big Ten play, not just because we're playing for a trophy or a rivalry," Bielema said, "you have to come to play every weekend and prepare that way."
Here are a few storylines to watch as Illinois and Purdue clash for The Cannon.
A Productive Off Week
After a stretch of five games to open the 2024 season, the Orange and Blue took a well-deserved off week last week, which gave the team the opportunity to reflect on the season thus far and get some much-needed rest and recovery ahead of another tough stretch of Big Ten games.
Using the time to self-evaluate and do some recruiting, Illinois enters its sixth game week of the year with increased energy and focus following a productive off week for head coach Bret Bielema and the Illini.
"There's a lot that goes on during a bye week," said Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. "We got our players fresh. We got some younger players developed. We got some good practice in with them. All in all, it was a good period for us."
The Illini now will go on a run of four consecutive games, three of which will be played at Memorial Stadium and two of which will come against ranked opposition. After taking on Purdue on Saturday, Illinois will host No. 24 Michigan for the Memorial Stadium Rededication Game on Oct. 19 before traveling to take on Big Ten newcomer No. 3 Oregon (Oct. 26) and hosting Minnesota (Nov. 2).
The Illini Offense's Fast Starts
After being forced to punt on their first possession against Eastern Illinois, the Fighting Illini have found early success in each of their last four games. The Orange and Blue have scored on their last four opening drives, including first-possession touchdowns in each of their last three contests.
The Illini have opened the scoring in all five games thus far, while they have held a lead after the first quarter during each of their three home contests.Â
The Boilermakers, on the other hand, have struggled to contain opposing offenses in the opening quarter and have been outscored, 35-7, through the opening period of play across their five games. Purdue has yet to score in the first quarter during its four-game losing streak, though it has allowed only one opening-drive score – a 5-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown against Notre Dame – thus far this season.
Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. has attributed his unit's early success to finding an early rhythm and building confidence quickly. The Illini will aim to continue that trend against the Boilermakers on Saturday.
"One of the things that sticks out is that when our guys are in a rhythm, we execute pretty well. One of the best things you can do to get into a rhythm is to get early first downs, and that's what we've been able to do on those drives," Lunney said. "We have to do a better job of creating that rhythm on other drives and play with that same rhythm beyond the opening drive.Â
"I'm confident that our players can do that when we put them in good situations."
The Cannon
Saturday's contest marks the 100th meeting between Illinois and Purdue, though it will be the 75th time that the two sides battle for The Cannon. The Boilermakers have the edge in both the overall series, 48-45-6, and the traditional trophy series, 42-30-2, but the Illini coaches know anything can happen when two rivals are pitted against each other.
"Let's not forget that this is a rivalry game. Despite what they're dealing with and what they're going through, they have good players and really good coaches. At the end of the day, this is a rivalry game," said Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry. "I fully expect that when they walk into this stadium, it is the first game of the year and it's a brand-new season because it is a rivalry game. You have to throw everything else that they're going through out the window.Â
"It's about us playing good football. It's about us doing what we're supposed to do in regard to our job every single play. I know it's going to be a live atmosphere, so we're really looking forward to that."
Henry, who has fought for rivalry trophies as both a player and as a coach, knows how much it would mean to bring The Cannon back into the Illini's possession for the first time in his fourth season with the program.
"It's really cool. We haven't had it yet, so I can't speak too much about it," Henry said. "We have some guys in the building who have had The Cannon, but the reality is when you're playing in these trophy games and these rivalry games, they're so sacred to college football and the sanctity and the brotherhood because it's a tradition that has been established for years on end. To have this game as an opportunity to play for something, I think it's truly incredible, not just for us as coaches but for our players as well.
"At the end of the day, the goal is to win every game, but there becomes a little bit more added sauce and juice to it when it comes to a trophy."
Opponent Scout
The Boilermaker offense is led by senior quarterback Hudson Card, who is in his second season with the program after starting his college career at Texas. Through Purdue's first five games of 2024, Card has recorded 738 passing yards, seven passing scores, and four interceptions while completing 63.4% (71-for-112) of his attempts. QB Ryan Browne has also gotten snaps under center, playing in two games while going 7-for-11 for 68 yards.
The rushing attack features RB Devin Mockobee and former Illinois running back Reggie Love III. Mockobee leads the Boilermakers with 362 yards on the ground on 60 carries, though Love is not far behind with 210 rushing yards and a team-leading two rushing scores.
Two different Boilermakers have tallied double-digit catches – tight end Max Klare and wide receiver Jaron Tibbs – through the Boilermakers' first five games. Klare leads Purdue with 15 receptions for 219 yards while tied for team lead with two receiving touchdowns (with sophomore wide receivers De'Nylon Morrissette and Leland Smith). Klare and WR Jahmal Edrine have each eclipsed 100 receiving yards this season.
On defense, Kyndrich Breedlove is the lone Boilermaker to record an interception this season, and he made two picks against Wisconsin last week. Defensive back Dillon Thieneman has made a team-high 42 tackles, a mark that tied for fifth in the conference, while linebacker Kydran Jenkins has registered a team-best 3.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss.
Purdue has attempted the joint-second fewest field goals in the Big Ten, with kicker Spencer Porath going 3-for-4 with a season-long 45-yard kick.
Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1.
