The Michigan Wolverines (4-2, 2-1) head to Champaign to face Illinois (5-1, 1-1) on October 19 in a Big Ten football matchup. Michigan opens as 3.5-point favorites on the road.
Coming off of the bye week, Michigan heads into a grueling schedule, while Illinois will look to use this win as another step to their best season in 2001.
Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini College Football History & Excerpts
The Wolverines hold a 72-32-2 record over Illinois, winning 11 of the last 13. Michigan needs to win this game to keep their season alive.
Michigan Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore knows that this Illinois football team has a lot of playmakers, especially on the outside. From an offensive perspective, he said, “They do a great job with the run pass, the play actions. But they got some really good skill on the outside. 13, Bryant. And then number four, I mean, both those guys are as good as anybody we’ll see. So those guys are really good. And they got really big backs. So we got to do a good job of bringing the backs down and trying to keep them one dimensional.”
Defensively, Illinois does a lot of things well and Sherrone Moore touched upon that, too.
“[The Illinosi] defense is a big, strong front. They’re bare defense. They play three down or they can play four down. The back end, they play cover one, sometimes cover two. Last game, they played a little bit more quarters based on who they were playing. But they’re a good football team. Physical, they run the ball. They’re always going to be disciplined. Bret Bielema has done an outstanding job building the program forever.”
Illinois is a ranked team for a reason, and they have an explosive offense and a disciplined defense.
On the other side, Bret Bielema is entering his fourth season as the Illinois head coach. Heading into this matchup with Michigan, Bielema gave the Wolverines plenty of praise.
“Michigan is a very scripted football team. They play very, very good football. They’re sound fundamentally offense, defense, special teams. Their offense has been on the field, 74 percent of their snaps have been on early downs. Their defense, 77 percent of their downs.”
Bielema also said this is a significant moment for the Illinois football program, and a win this weekend could be a massive boost. They came close to beating Michigan in the big house last time, but a win at home would be huge.
Key Players for Michigan
Quarterback Jack Tuttle will more than likely be the starting quarterback this week. In the loss against Washington, he looked like the most accurate passer of the three Michigan quarterbacks.
However, at this point in the season, the Michigan football teams needs more continuity at the position, and it is hurting the Wolverines. A strong Tuttle performance would be vital to a win and a step in the right direction for the season.
Running back Kalel Mullings is still the only piece of the offense that can move Michigan down the field reliably, so his performance is key. Meanwhile, tight end Colston Loveland is the only player on the offense who gets open consistently, so he will need to find holes in the defense to exploit for big explosive gains.
Defensively, the line will be essential. The Illinois offensive line has struggled, so getting pressure and generating a pass rush will take the pressure off the secondary. Defensive backs Jyaire Hill and Will Johnson will be essential as well. Illinois has an explosive passive attack led by two talented wide receivers. Shutting down the passing attack will set the defense up for immense success.
Key Players for Illinois
Quarterback Luke Altymer has been incredibly efficient and one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten. He has thrown 14 touchdowns and only one interception while averaging 8.7 yards per attempt. He has been a critical force in this offense and one of the main reasons it has been so efficient.
Wide receivers Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin are two NFL draft prospects, and both are immensely talented. They have combined for 55 catches, 798 yards, and 8 touchdowns.
Defensively, cornerback Xavier Scott and safety Miles Scott are the best players for Illinois. Defensive linemen Gabe Jacas and Dennis Briggs Jr. have been strong presences on the defensive line, generating pressure at a high rate. This unit has strong high-level talent but needs help with depth throughout the unit.
Keys for Michigan to Win
Jack Tuttle Needs to Play Well
While Tuttle was one of the main reasons the Wolverines could stay in the football game and make it competitive, he made costly mistakes that potentially cost Michigan the game. He was able to hit throws that no other Michigan quarterback has shown the ability to hit, but he had a costly interception and fumble, giving Washington good field position. He will have to cut down on the turnovers if Michigan hopes to stay in this game in what will be another tough road environment.
Generate Pass Rush
Michigan has one of the best defensive lines in the country, if not the best. It has kept the defense afloat in many games. With Illinois’ talent at wide receiver and quarterback, the secondary will be tested throughout the game. Illinois also had a mediocre offensive line. Michigan’s defensive line should be able to win their matchups.
Win the Turnover Battle
Michigan forced one critical turnover last week versus Washington, keeping the Huskies from scoring deep into Michigan territory. However, Michigan then handed the ball right back to Washington.
Michigan needs to steal as many possessions as possible and get a good field position to put this offense in better positions to succeed. The offense is still not good enough to be placed in a shootout.
Winning the turnover battle to create extra possessions and control time of possession is key for Michigan.
