GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Illinois, during a three-game losing streak, has given up 46, 49 and 63 points in successive weeks. This week’s opponent, Minnesota, is coming off a 38-31 win over Indiana behind new starting quarterback Tanner Morgan, who connected with Rashon Bateman on a 67-yard touchdown pass with 1:34 to go for the winning points. Morgan is a redshirt freshman who replaced true freshman Zack Annexstad in coach P.J. Fleck’s spread offense.
Illinois’ task, with coach Lovie Smith calling the defense for the resigned Hardy Nickerson, will be to come up with takeaways against the young quarterback. The Illini’s 13 interceptions are tied for fourth in the nation.
DRAFT SLANT
–LB Del’Shawn Phillips, a senior who arrived at Illinois last season from junior college, is the team’s only senior on defense. He has a team-high 66 tackles and is tied for the team lead with three interceptions.
ROSTER REPORT:
–RB Mike Epstein (60 carries, 411 yards this season), did not play last week because of right foot injury. “Mike is getting better; I don’t know exactly how much better with Mike, but when you miss another game, you know something is going on,” coach Lovie Smith said Monday. “Something is going on with Mike, and we’ll see how the week plays out.”
–P Blake Hayes, a sophomore, leads the Big Ten and ranks 29th in the nation in punting average (43.7 yards per attempt).
–OL Nick Allegretti has started 32 straight games.
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