The Illinois Fighting Illini welcome in the Purdue Boilermakers this Saturday for a Big Ten clash. The teams come in from different paths so far in 2024 but enter with the same mission: To win the Cannon Trophy. Illinois had an off week following their 21-7 loss to Penn State, and are looking to stay in the top 25. Purdue suits up on Saturday looking to break a four-game skid that dates back to the second week of the season.
Both teams have areas they need to improve upon if they want to win the Cannon Trophy, though the Boilermakers are in more dire need. Illinois has concerns about their run defense, offensive playmaking depth, and third-down defense, but Purdue is still reeling from a 66-7 thrashing in South Bend against Notre Dame that started their losing streak. They were the subject of a 52-6 beatdown they took last week against Wisconsin. Purdue will look to stabilize their team and season in their second game against a ranked opponent this season.
Battle For the Cannon Trophy In Champaign
The Illinois Fighting Illini are set to suit up versus the Purdue Boilermakers this Saturday in a battle for the Cannon Trophy. Purdue leads the all-time series for the Cannon Trophy 40-30-2 but they do not have tremendous expectations for Saturday afternoon if their performance this season is any indication. Since winning their first game of the season, the Boilermakers have dropped their last four, including a 66-7 loss to Notre Dame and a 52-6 loss to Wisconsin. A Purdue loss would break a streak of four consecutive wins over the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Illinois lost their first game of 2024 two weeks ago in “Happy Valley” against the Penn State Nittany Lions 21-7. The loss dropped the Fighting Illini four spots in the AP Top 25, threatening to leave them unranked after an off week last week. After a slew of upsets across the nation in last week’s action they jumped up one spot to 23 heading into battle this week at home. Bret Bielema’s squad will try to leave the Penn State loss in the rearview mirror and continue what has been a successful start to the season for the Fighting Illini.
The Illinois Fighting Illini will start the game as the clear favorite against their former Defensive Coordinator Ryan Walters and his Boilermakers. Illinois was rattled by the loss to Penn State and will be looking to get back some of the momentum they had been building in areas they emphasize as part of their team philosophy. Purdue is going to be trying to get some sparks going on both sides of the ball to help them climb out from under what has been one of the worst starts to the season among “Power Four” programs.
Illinois Fighting Illini Offense vs. Purdue Defense
The Illinois Fighting Illini offense was stifled against Penn State two weeks ago and exposed some preexisting flaws as well as create some new ones. They could only muster a yard per carry against the Nittany Lions front and protection for QB Luke Altmyer was a myth. Against Purdue, look for Offensive Coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. to try and correct some of these problems while reifying the team’s offensive identity.
Lunney Jr. will most likely try to establish various types of the run game early with four available and eager running backs healthy and active for the Illinois Fighting Illini. If they find success on first and second down, don’t be surprised if the offense engages heavily in the play-action passing game to test the offensive line, a unit that has been atrocious in protecting their quarterback. The Illinois Fighting Illini offensive line ranks 117th in pressure rate and 119th in sack rate in the country. The most viable unit for the Purdue defense, their front, will try to exploit that if Altmyer drops back to pass frequently.
The Purdue defense can push their cards to the middle of the table while keeping their defenders up closer to the line of scrimmage. While the Illinois Fighting Illini offense has been good enough to net them four wins, it is not the most explosive bunch. If the defensive backfield can corral and limit Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin on the outside to focus more on stopping the run, the Boilermaker’s defense can get off the field. Getting to the quarterback on third down situations is something the Purdue edge rushers are going to have to do, and have a good opportunity to do, against this Illini Fighting Illini offensive line.
Purdue Offense vs. Illinois Defense
The Purdue Boilermakers defense is led by Texas transfer Hudson Card. Card has been betrayed by his supporting cast so far in West Lafayette. He has had to hurry to get the ball out of his hands quickly and when he completes passes to his receivers, there isn’t much playmaking or YAC to speak of. The biggest playmaking threats come from the running back and tight end rooms for the Boilermakers, setting up a situation where to find success and put points on the board, they are going to have to sustain long drives. The Illinois Fighting Illini defense has been great this season at limiting big plays.
Because of the lack of threats out on the perimeter, Purdue is going to have to get the run game working early and work off that to set up play-action plays to get their top Running Backs Devin Mockobee and former-Illini Reggie Love III outside to make some plays through the air. If Purdue wants to run straight dropbacks, the tight ends are going to have a hefty load to carry in this one. The Illinois Fighting Illini linebacking core is reeling off the Penn State loss and could be susceptible to drag routes and option concepts run by Boilermaker ends.
Card has had to make up for one of the worst rushing attacks in college football so far this season and if the Boilermakers want any chance at a victory, he is going to have to have his best game of the season. The running game has had to be abandoned early in Purdue’s four losses. If they stray from it against the Illinois Fighting Illini he is going to have to use whatever mobility he has at his disposal to extend plays and be on point with his throws. This Illinois Fighting Illini secondary feasts on turnovers, leading the nation with three players to have at least a pair of interceptions, Xavier Scott, Miles Scott, and Torrie Cox Jr.
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