CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – #11 Illinois makes its first road trip of the year on Saturday with a visit to Duke. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
Following a 52-3 win in the season opener, Illinois (1-0) is looking to extend its winning streak to six games dating back to last season. The Illini excelled on road trips down the stretch of 2024, winning the final three road/neutral games of the year (Rutgers, Northwestern, South Carolina).
Illinois QB Luke Altmyer ranks fifth in the nation in passing efficiency (214.9) and 10th in completion percentage (81.0%) after throwing for 217 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1. Altmyer connected five times for 108 yards with WR Hank Beatty, who also set Illinois' single-game record for punt return yardage (133) in the win. Beatty leads the nation in all-purpose yards per game (241.0).
Duke (1-0) is led by QB Darian Mensah, who threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Elon in his debut for the Blue Devils. The Tulane transfer was one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in last year's transfer class after throwing for 2,723 yards with 22 touchdowns last season.
Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), and Taylor McGregor (reporter) have the television broadcast on ESPN. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Michael Martin (reporter).
Press Conference
.
Notes
Illinois Travels to Duke
• Illinois brings a five-game winning streak to Durham, tied for the longest active streak in the Big Ten with reigning national champion Ohio State.
• Illinois finished the 2024 season with thee straight road/neutral victories: at Rutgers, at Northwestern (Wrigley Field), and vs. #14 South Carolina (Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Orlando).
• Illinois and Duke are tied 1-1 in the all-time series.
• Duke won the teams' first matchup, 15-13, in Durham in 1958.
• Illinois beat Duke, 28-14, in Champaign in 1965.
• Illinois is scheduled to host Duke during the 2026 season as part of a home-and-home contract.
• Former Illinois cornerback V'Angelo Bentley is the cornerbacks coach for Duke. Bentley was a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention selection and totaled 133 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions in 47 career games (32 starts) from 2012-15. He is the only player in Illinois history to score touchdowns on a kick return, punt return, interception return, and fumble return in a career. Bentley is Illinois' career kick return yardage record holder (1,860).
Illinois in the Rankings
• Illinois moved up one spot to #11 in this week's AP Top 25 after coming in at #12 in the preseason AP Top 25.
• Illinois remained at #12 in this week's US LBM Coaches Poll.
• Illinois had its highest preseason ranking (#12) since 1990, when the Illini started #11 in the Preseason AP Top 25.
• Illinois' #12 preseason ranking is the ninth-highest in program history since the AP Preseason Poll began in 1950.
• Illinois was ranked in the Preseason AP Top 25 and the Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time since 2008.
Familiar Faces
• Illinois returns 18 starters from its Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over #14 South Carolina, tied with Michigan for the most returning starters of any bowl team in the nation.
• Illinois returns 16 season starters from last year's 10-win campaign, which is tied with Arizona State, Clemson, and Penn State for the most returning starters in the nation. Alabama, Boise State, Duke, San Diego State, and Texas A&M are next with 14 returning season starters.
• Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who returns for his fourth season, is the longest-tenured offensive coordinator in the Big Ten.
• Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, who returns for his third season, is the third-longest-tenured defensive coordinator in the Big Ten behind only Iowa's Phil Parker (14th season) and Oregon's Tosh Lupoi (fourth season).
• Illinois is the only Power-4 team to return its offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, and starting quarterback for a third straight season in 2025.
• Illinois was the only Big Ten team to have the same head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, strength coach, and starting quarterback in 2023 and 2024. All five are back again for 2025.
• Illinois is one of six Big Ten teams to return both its offensive and defensive coordinators in 2025, along with Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, and Oregon.
• Illinois and Oregon are the only Big Ten teams to return both their offensive and defensive coordinator for at least the third straight season.
• Illinois returns nine of its 10 primary position coaches.
Beatty Breaks Red's Record
• Hank Beatty broke Illinois' 102-year-old single-game punt return record in the season opener against Western Illinois when he totaled 133 yards on four returns. The previous record of 125 yards was set by Red Grange vs. Nebraska (10/6/1923).
Single-Game Punt Return Yardage Record
1. Hank Beatty (133) vs. Western Illinois, 8/29/2025
2. Red Grange (125) vs. Nebraska, 10/6/1923
3. Eugene Wilson (109) vs. San Diego State, 9/11/1999
4. Dike Eddleman (102) vs. Minnesota, 10/18/1947
• Highlighting Beatty's returns was a 69-yard TD in the third quarter, Illinois' first punt returned for a touchdown since V'Angelo Bentley vs. Ohio State (11/16/2013).
• Beatty's 69-yard touchdown was Illinois' longest punt return touchdown since Christian Morton (80 yards) vs. Indiana (11/4/2000), 25 years ago.
• Beatty added five receptions for 108 yards to total 241 all-purpose yards in the game.
• Beatty leads the nation in all-purpose yards per game (241.0) and punt return yardage (133).
• Beatty ranks third in the nation in yards per punt return (33.25).
