IlliniGuys Staff

November 18, 2023

The Illini (5-5, 3-4 in the Big Ten) head to Iowa City as winners of 3 of their last 4 games needing one more win to become bowl eligible. If the Illini can win out versus Iowa and Northwestern, they would need some help from other B1G teams and a second Iowa loss next week versus Nebraska to have a small chance at representing the Big Ten West in the conference championship game.

The Illini have been propelled to victory the last two weeks with game winning passes from John Paddock to Isaiah Williams to close out Illini victories in both games. Paddock replaced Luke Altmyer for the final drive of the Minnesota game and started the game against Indiana. Altmyer has been cleared for play against Iowa and Illini head coach Bret Bielema has not formally declared a starter for today's game. The debate rages amongst Illini fans whether he should go with the hot hand, John Paddock or if Luke Altmyer will take back the reins of the Illini offense.

The choice is not as easy as one might think with Paddock going for 27 of 39 with 592 yards with 5 touchdowns and 1 interception since Altmyer's injury. At the same time, Luke Altmyer is fourth in the Big Ten in total offense (240.6 yards per game) behind Maryland's Tagovailoa, Ohio State's McCord and Michigan's McCarthy. In Altmyer's last six games, he has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 1312 yards, 10 touchdowns through the air and only 3 interceptions. With more mobility, Iowa has to be prepared to contain Altmyer on the ground and practicing to play against both quarterbacks will be incumbent upon the Hawkeyes entering this game.

Iowa (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten), also winners of back-to-back games, has clinched at least a share of the Big Ten West title and can clinch a trip to Indianapolis by winning one of its remaining two games against Illinois (Nov. 18) or Nebraska (Nov. 24). The Hawkeyes defense has been one of the best in the nation, ranking third in the nation in scoring defense and in the top 10 in nearly every significant defensive category.

Turnovers will be a key to the game as Iowa's offense is one of the worst in the country. Iowa averages 122 yards per game passing (ranked 127 out of 130 nationally), 121 yards per game rushing (ranked 102 out of 130 nationally) and 243 yards per game in total (ranked 130 out of 130 nationally). As one might think, Iowa struggles to score as well averaging 18.8 points per game (ranked 120 out of 130 nationally). If the Illini can avoid giving the Iowa offense additional chances to score - and most particularly avoiding turnovers in Illini territory, the Illini should be able to keep the game close.

Game Notes

• Illinois head coach Bret Bielema will make his first trip to his alma mater, Iowa, as Illinois’ head coach. Bielema missed the 2021 game due to COVID protocols. Assistant head coach/wide receivers coach George McDonald filled in for Bielema in Iowa City.
• Bielema secured his seventh Big Ten road win in his first three seasons as Illinois’ head coach with the victory at Minnesota. His seven Big Ten road wins are tied for the third-most by a head coach in Illinois history through their first three seasons. Only John Mackovic (9, 1988-90) and Lou Tepper (8, 1992-94) won more Big Ten road games in their first three seasons at Illinois than Bielema.
• Bielema’s 12 Big Ten wins through his first three seasons at Illinois are the most since Lou Tepper won 13 in his first three seasons from 1992-94. Bielema has the fourth-most Big Ten wins through three seasons among the Illini’s 13 head coaches in modern history (post-1940).
• Illinois has won 3+ Big Ten games in each of Bret Bielema’s first three seasons as head coach. It is the first time Illinois has won 3+ Big Ten games in three straight seasons since 1992-94.
• Four of Illinois’ five wins this season have come in the final minute or overtime. Caleb Griffin has game-winning field goals to beat Toledo (0:05) and Maryland (0:00), and Isaiah Williams has game-winning touchdown receptions from John Paddock at Minnesota (0:50) and against Indiana (OT) in each of the last two weeks.
• Illinois’ 662 yards of offense against Indiana are the most by any Big Ten team this season. Illinois is the only Big Ten team to eclipse the 600-yard mark on offense this season.
• Illinois’ 507 passing yards against Indiana are the most by a Big Ten team this season.
• Isaiah Williams leads the Big Ten in receptions with 68, nine ahead of Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., who ranks second with 59. Williams’ 68 catches ranks 13th in the nation.
• Williams ranks second in the Big Ten in receiving yards with 893, trailing only Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 1,063 receiving yards. Williams’ 893 yards ranks 16th in the nation.
• Williams ranks second in the Big Ten in first-down receptions with 39, trailing only Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 44 first-down receptions. Williams’ 39 first-down receptions ranks 14th in the nation.
• Williams leads the Big Ten and ranks ninth in the nation in yards after catch with 474, according to PFF.
• Williams is the only player in the nation with two game-winning touchdowns in the final minute or overtime and he did it in back-to-back games.
• Jer'Zhan "Johnny" Newton is the national leader in QB pressures among interior defenders with 39, according to PFF. Newton leads Big Ten defensive tackles by 16 pressures with the next closest being Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. (23).
• Newton has been one of the most durable interior defenders in the nation, as he leads all Power-5 defensive tackles in snaps played with 611 (61.1 per game). Newton has played 58 more snaps than any other Power-5 interior defensive lineman and 94 more than any Big Ten defensive tackle.
• Newton’s two biggest games have come against two of Illinois’ best opponents. He had seven pressures against Wisconsin, the fourth-most by any defensive tackle in the nation this season, and six pressures against #7 Penn State in Illinois’ Big Ten opener. Newton was the highest rated Power-5 defensive tackle in the nation during Week 3 vs. Penn State and Week 8 vs. Wisconsin (minimum 30 snaps), according to PFF. His 94.3 grade against Wisconsin was the highest by a Big Ten defender since 2019.
• Newton is tied for the national lead with three blocked kicks, along with Pitt LB Rasheem Biles. All three of Newton’s blocks have come in Big Ten games, a field-goal attempt vs. Penn State (9/16/23), an extra point at Purdue (9/30/23), and another extra point vs. Indiana (11/11/23).
• Randolph is third in the nation in tackles per game among Power-5 defensive tackles with 5.1, behind only UCF’s Lee Hunter (5.7) and Notre Dame’s Howard Cross III (5.4).
• Illinois leads the nation in blocked kicks (5) under first-year coordinator Robby Discher.
• PFF ranks Illinois’ overall special teams unit at #8 in the nation. Iowa’s unit is rated #3.
• Iowa (3) is the only other Big Ten team with more than two blocked kicks/punts.
• Illinois and Iowa are two of only 14 teams in the nation with 2+ blocked punts.
• K Caleb Griffin is the first Illini kicker to have two game-winning field goals in a single season. His 43-yard winner at Maryland was the second walk-off field goal on the road in Illinois history, along with Mike Bass’ 46-yard winner as time expired at Wisconsin in 1982.