TV/radio: 11 a.m. Saturday; WBBM-Ch.2, WIND-AM 560.
Line: Iowa by 18.
Records: Illinois 2-2, 0-1; Iowa 2-2, 0-1.
Series: Illinois leads 37-26-2.
Last meeting: Iowa won 23-13 on Oct. 30, 2004, in Champaign.
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Team comparison: (averages, rank)
%%
CATEGORY ILLINOIS IOWA
Rushing offense 169.8 (43) 159.0 (49)
Passing offense 214.5 (64) 196.3 (83)
Total offense 384.3 (59) 355.3 (75)
Scoring offense 26.8 (61) 27.5 (59)
Rushing defense 215.0 (103) 159.8 (75)
Passing defense 252.0 (86) 181.5 (29)
Total defense 467.0 (106) 341.3 (41)
Scoring defense 36.3 (105) 18.8 (38)
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Illinois outlook: According to quarterback Tim Brasic, the rushing leader last Saturday against Michigan State and in the season opener against Rutgers, one of the Illini’s biggest problems on offense has been a shortage of big plays. “We need explosive plays to get a big chunk of yardage,” Brasic said. “It’s tough to go 14 plays [for a touchdown] all the time.”
Iowa outlook: Drew Tate, the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, is the focal point of the offense, while incumbent all-conference linebackers Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge lead the defense.