PISCATAWAY, N.J. — After years of being at the bottom of the Big Ten, No. 25 Illinois and Rutgers are going in the right direction under coaches Bret Bielema and Greg Schiano with the season entering its final two weeks.
The Illini (7-3, 4-3) and Scarlet Knights (6-4, 3-4) are both bowl-eligible heading into Saturday’s game at SHI Stadium, and both have a lot at stake.
Illinois has had an exceptional season, especially considering two of its losses were to No. 1 Oregon and No. 4 Penn State. If the Illini can beat the Scarlet Knights and Northwestern in the final two games, they would post their first nine-win season since 2007 and likely get a bid to a prestigious bowl game.
Bielema’s team is ranked in the College Football Playoff poll for only the second time. The other time was in 2022 for two weeks.
“The fact of the matter is we have an unbelievable opportunity in front of us with Rutgers to put ourselves in a position with two games remaining to have a lot to play for,” Bielema said. “It’s pretty awesome.”
Rutgers is in the same position in what has been a roller-coaster season. It opened with four straight wins, followed by four losses and now two wins. The Scarlet Knights never have had a three-game winning streak in conference play since joining the Big Ten in 2014. They never have won four conference games in a season.
The fact this game is on senior day is not lost on Schiano, who started his second tour at Rutgers in 2020, taking over a program that totaled nine wins over the previous four years.
“This group is a special group,” Schiano said. “If you think back to when they decided to come to Rutgers, they had a huge leap of faith. Let’s call it what it was: We were probably the worst Power Five football program in America at the time.”
Rutgers is in line to make its third bowl appearance in the last five years, including one as a COVID-19 replacement team in the 2020 season.
It’s progress for both schools.
NFL receiver room
Schiano said Illinois has an NFL group of wideouts, led by Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin. Bryant has 43 catches for 717 yards (14.5 average) and eight touchdowns. Franklin has 48 catches for 559 yards (11.7 average) and three TDs.
Rutgers has one of the top secondaries in the conference with cornerback Robert Longerbeam and Erik Rogers and safeties Shaquan Loyal, Flip Dixon and Kaj Sanders.
Rushing champion
Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai ranks 11th nationally and second in the Big Ten, averaging 114.2 rushing yards. He ranks 15th nationally and second in the conference with 12 rushing touchdowns.
The former New Jersey high school star, who led the Big Ten in rushing last year, has no career fumbles in 610 carries and 35 receptions. He’s the first Rutgers player since Ray Rice (2005-07) with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
Special teams
Bielema said he started preparing to face the Rutgers punt-block team three weeks ago. That’s not ordinary.
Rutgers has blocked 73 kicks (43 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) during Schiano’s two tenures, including 15 games with multiple blocks. The Scarlet Knights lead the nation with 10 blocked punts over the previous three seasons.
Sack City
Illinois had five sacks in its win over Michigan State last weekend. It leads the Big Ten, averaging 3.14. Outside linebacker Gabe Jacas is tied for the conference lead with seven sacks.
Rutgers’ line needs to protect quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to win.
No. 25 Illinois (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) at Rutgers (6-4, 3-4)
- Time/TV: 11 a.m. Saturday, Peacock.
- Line: Rutgers by 1½.
- Series: Illinois leads 5-3.
Facts & figures
Illini QB Luke Altmyer has the conference’s best touchdown-to-interception ratio with 18 TDs and three picks. … Illinois has three defensive backs with multiple interceptions: Xavier Scott (three), Miles Scott (two) and Torrie Cox Jr. (two). …. Illinois ranks eighth nationally in fewest penalty yards per game (36.4), one spot behind Rutgers (34.6). … Rutgers is bowl-eligible for the eighth time under coach Greg Schiano and is poised to earn the 13th bowl invitation in program history. The Scarlet Knights last earned bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons from 2011-14. … Kyle Monangai ranks third in Rutgers history with 2,970 rushing yards and is tied for seventh with 26 rushing touchdowns. … Rutgers has allowed fewer than 20 points in back-to-back Big Ten games for the second time since joining the conference (2022, Nebraska and Indiana).