Rushing the field was a bit too much, and kind of amateurish, but wow, what a nice win for the Illini football program on Saturday night! In knocking off #19 Kansas, it was their first home win over a ranked team since 2011. Although Illinois did get a top 10 road win, at Penn State, in 2021.
Now comes a visit from MAC foe Central Michigan, and it appears that a 3-0 start this season could be imminent.
It gets better with every watch.#Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy // @ZakhariFranklin pic.twitter.com/8aq5JsVGdV
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 8, 2024
The Illini are getting it done, first and foremost with offense, as the passing game is developing nicely. Luke Altmyer and Zakhari Franklin have a chemistry like the New York Jets’ pitch-and-catch combination of Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson.
“We feel like our chemistry is where it needs to be at,” Wilson said in an exclusive with RG. You saw that chemistry on display Monday night. And did you see that one-handed catch from Franklin on Saturday night?
If not, it’s embedded above, as it made every national network’s top ten plays list.
Homecoming FYIs
Illini Football vs Central Michigan
Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 14, 11 a.m. CT, Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL
Lines: O/U 51.5, Spread Illini football -20
Stream/TV: Peacock/none
Illini Football Preview
Franklin entered the season as the nation’s leading returning receiver, and he finished the night just shy of a C-note in receiving. However, the true hero of heroes was Illinois cornerback Xavier Scott who was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
He forced three turnovers in Illinois’ 23-17 win over #19 Kansas, helping the Illini to their highest ranked nonconference win since 1995.
He had two interceptions, one which was a house call, a forced fumble, a sack and eight solo tackles against Kansas.
His performance also earned him a “helmet sticker” award on ESPN College Game night Final.
Scott’s pick-six with 36 seconds left in the first half gave Illinois a 13-10 lead entering the break. He later ended the game with a strip-sack forced fumble on the game’s final play.
The victory very much had a 2022 week two feel, as it was a home win against a power four conference opponent who had utterly thrashed them the previous season.
Are we looking at another 2022 kind of season? We won’t learn too much in this game, but the challenge will come soon after. The Illini need to get to 3-0 because the next five games after this one will feature their four toughest games of the season.
Central Michigan Preview
The Chippewas got completely annihilated, at the hands of Florida International last weekend, which makes their rout over lower tier program Central Connecticut State in the opener seem…rather meaningless. Coached by Jim McElwain, CMU has a very familiar and well known leader.
However, they’re not expected to do much in the MAC this season. Central Michigan is located in Mt. Pleasant, a town that, as you might have guessed from the name, is most known for a resort.
In fact, McElwain literally does his weekly coach’s radio show from the sports bar at the casino resort. Fun fact: the only MAC player to go first overall in the NFL Draft was a Chippewa, Eric Fisher in 2013.
The program has produced a couple more perennial Pro-Bowlers in Joe Staley and Antonio Brown.
So that’s really nice, but it’s also where Brian Kelly got his first D-1 job, so….well, that’s a strike against them.
Prediction: Illini football 37, Central Michigan 31
Illinois could be nationally ranked after this game.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.