Illinois football entered a game ranked for the first time since 2011 and didn’t disappoint.
The Illini came out of the gates strong and played one of the best games of the season. Illinois’ offense was balanced, we ate up a ton of clock, and the defense shut down Minnesota’s passing attack.
It was an all-around brilliant game on the field, and the Illini coaching staff called a great game off the field. I was impressed with what I saw against Minnesota.
Here are five observations from the Illinois football win over Minnesota.
1. Illinois dominated the turnover battle
Coming into the game against Minnesota, one of my key numbers to beat the Golden Gophers was 2.2 takeaways per game.
I wanted the Illini to match that number. If we could get to two takeaways against Minnesota, then I thought we had a pretty good shot at beating them. Well, on Saturday, Illinois went above and beyond my expectations.
The Illini came out and dominated the turnover battle. Minnesota quarterback, Tanner Morgan, didn’t know what to do with the ball. He couldn’t complete passes, and he managed to throw an interception. After he went out with a head injury due to Gabe Jacas punching him on a play, a la Mongo punching the horse in Blazing Saddles, his backup Athan Kaliakmanis would step in and throw two more interceptions.
When Minnesota has six completions on the day to three interceptions, you know Illinois has a pretty good shot at winning the game. This Illini defense was consistently bringing pressure on the quarterback, and this enabled the defensive backs to pick off errant throws.
We needed to win the turnover battle, and we did 3-0. This was an all-around great performance by the Orange and Blue.
2. Most efficient Illini game I have seen
Earlier this season, the Illinois football team had some issues with being efficient. The team had just come together with a new quarterback and some new offensive linemen, so it took some time to gel.
But at this point in the season, the Illini are playing some of the most efficient football I have seen in a very long time. Nearly every facet of the game is on point.
At the quarterback position, Tommy DeVito had seven incompletions on 32 passes. He had a 78% completion rate and didn’t throw an interception. That is one of his most efficient games of the season.
As a team, the Illini had 472 yards of total offense. That is a lot of yardage, and we managed to do that while coughing the ball up zero times. No turnovers the entire time Illinois had the ball is an impressive feat.
Illinois kicker, Fabrizio Pinton, was sensational on Saturday. He would go 4-of-4 from field goal range and made both of his extra points. Our kicking was the difference-maker against Minnesota, and having a great kicker like Pinton was amazing.
And, lastly, Illinois was able to dominate the time of possession. We had the ball for 40:04 in the game compared to Minnesota who had it for just 19:56. That is how you win a game.
Illinois was extremely efficient against the Golden Gophers. This is a major reason we won the game. If we can continue this efficiency for the rest of the season, there is no telling how high this team can go.
3. Chase Brown will be great at the next level
It is extremely fun to watch Chase Brown perform on the field. He is one of the greatest Illinois running backs I have ever seen. When his time is done in Champaign, he will be looked at as one of the greatest to ever suit up for the Orange and Blue.
Against Minnesota, Brown had another spectacular game. He would finish the day with 41 carries for 180 yards. This performance put Brown over 1,000 yards rushing for the second season in a row. The last Illinois football player to do that was Robert Holcombe back in 1996 and 1997.
Brown continues to rack up accolades and records, and while he is a legendary Illinois running back, I think there is a nice soft landing spot coming with an NFL franchise in the future.
I believe Brown has the skills and ability to be a sensational running back in the NFL. Let me first start with his running.
When Brown runs the ball, he isn’t just going full force into the back of some offensive lineman. He is smart with the ball. Brown has the patience to see when a hole is opening and where it will open. I also love his ability to shift his hips to get through holes. It is incredible to watch.
But Brown is more than just a great runner of the football. He has developed into a solid pass catcher as well.
On Saturday, Brown would be fourth on the team in receiving with three receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown. That was really the only thing missing from making Brown the most dynamic running back I have ever seen for the Illini, and he can now check that off the list.
Brown is going to finish his time with the Illini as one of the greatest to ever play in Champaign. After his time at Illinois, the NFL will be calling. This kid is special.
4. How in the world was Gabe Jacas not a 4-star
The first recruiting class in the Bret Bielema era was solid. The 2022 class came in as the No. 47 group in the nation, which was a massive upgrade from years prior.
Among this group, there were seven freshmen ranked inside the top 1000. I usually look at the top 1000 as the players who could make the quickest impact on the team. The players sub-1000 are usually more developmental players who take a year or two to make the same impact.
Illinois outside linebacker Gabe Jacas was a part of that class of 2022, but he wasn’t one of those top 1000 players. In fact, he was just a three-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 1254 player in the nation.
With what I have watched this season, I am blown away by the fact that Jacas wasn’t a top 1000 recruit. This kid isn’t just the best freshman Illinois snagged from the class of 2022, he is one of the best defensive players on one of the best defenses in the country.
Jacas had another tremendous game against Minnesota on Saturday. He would finish the game with six tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss. His six tackles led the entire team, as a freshman.
Through seven games this season, Jacas has 22 tackles, four tackles for loss, and four sacks. His four sacks lead the entire team, as a freshman.
Coming into the game against Minnesota, Pro Football Focus College gave Jacas the highest grade for a true freshman on defense in the entire nation at 80.5.
I love everything Jacas brings to the Illinois defense. His speed is incredible. He has the strength of an NFL defensive end. No offensive lineman can stop him. Jacas will be a first-round NFL Draft pick in the near future. But, for now, let’s enjoy what we are watching.
5. Tommy DeVito spreading the wealth
I don’t care what anyone says, Tommy DeVito is the best quarterback Illinois has had since Kurt Kittner. I have watched them all, and DeVito stands out to me.
On Saturday, DeVito continued to be exactly what Illinois needed him to be. He threw for 252 yards and one touchdown. DeVito didn’t turn the ball over and was 25-of-32 in the air, which is 78.1%. As mentioned in one of the previous slides, his efficiency is off the charts.
Illinois wide receivers are feeling the dramatic change at quarterback as well. In the past, it was a struggle to get an Illini pass catcher the ball.
Seven games into the season, Illinois has three wide receivers with at least 300 yards receiving. Just compare that to the 2021 campaign where the Illini had one wide receiver with over 300 yards, for the entire year.
Tommy DeVito has spread the wealth when it comes to getting his wide receivers the ball. The three wide receivers this season with at least 300 yards are Pat Bryant, Isaiah Williams, and Brian Hightower. All three continued to lead the way against Minnesota as well.
There were six pass catchers who had a reception against the Golden Gophers. Williams led the Illini with nine catches for 62 yards. Bryant had seven receptions for 58 yards. Hightower would finish with three receptions for 55 yards. The big three had big days. The other three pass catchers were Chase Brown with 53 yards, Casey Washington with 16 yards, and Tip Reiman with eight yards.
With a quarterback like DeVito, Illinois can finally have a passing game. He does a great job spreading the wealth with his throws. Dare I say this Illini offense is dynamic?