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Illinois Football: 5 stats that show why the Illini are ranked in the AP Top 25

By Rees Woodcock

Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz (5) is sacked by Illinois linebacker Ezekiel Holmes (33) on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-WisconsinUsat Wisconsin Vs Illinois Football 100122 660 Ttm
Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz (5) is sacked by Illinois linebacker Ezekiel Holmes (33) on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-WisconsinUsat Wisconsin Vs Illinois Football 100122 660 Ttm /
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Illinois football
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 08: Tommy DeVito #3 of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks to pass during the first quarter in the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium on October 08, 2022 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

Illinois football is coming off one of the biggest wins for the program in the last 10 years.

The Illini were able to hold on and beat Iowa, 9-6. This was a gritty victory, and it was one that put us in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011.

With Bret Bielema leading the way, Illinois is once again back on track and looking to make waves in the college football world. Through six games this season, there are a few numbers that really stick out to me.

Here are five stats that show why the Illinois football team is ranked in the AP Top 25.

1. 4.5 TD-INT

I completely forgot what it was like to have a solid quarterback behind center who could help lead Illinois football to victory. Tommy DeVito stepped into the starting job and reminded me of that feeling again.

DeVito’s presence at quarterback has been incredible for the Illini. He hasn’t just thrown the ball well but has also managed the game to near perfection. Everything about DeVito is exactly what Illinois needed at quarterback.

Through roughly six games this season, DeVito has thrown for 1,163 yards, nine touchdowns, and two interceptions. Those are solid numbers, and if you compare them to past Illinois quarterbacks, they are numbers we haven’t seen in over a half-decade.

For the entire 2021 campaign, Illinois quarterbacks threw for 1,874 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. If DeVito didn’t get hurt against Iowa, his numbers would be better. But he is projected to finish with 2,326 yards, 18 touchdowns, and four interceptions.

As of right now, though, DeVito has a 4.5-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. That is exactly what I want for an Illini quarterback. In 2021, Brandon Peters finished the season with a 1.75-1 TD-INT ratio, and his backup, Art Sitkowski, finished with a 3-1 TD-INT ratio.

The last time an Illinois quarterback had at least 100 attempts in a season and had a better TD-INT ratio was Wes Lunt back in 2014. He had a 4.67-1 TD-INT ratio for the Orange and Blue.

DeVito has been great for the Illinois football program. This TD-INT ratio is exactly where it should be this season. Hopefully, we get to see more of DeVito in the coming weeks.

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