3 key numbers for the Illinois football game against Rutgers

2. 159.3 yards per game

I believe Illinois football is winning games because of the nice balance we have offensively and defensively. Both units have played well at times this season.

Each unit has its own issues too. On the defensive side of the ball, one of the biggest issues is stopping the run. Illinois doesn’t have the defensive line we had in 2023, so it has been a bit more difficult to prevent teams from running all over us.

One of the numbers to keep an eye on against Rutgers is 159.3 yards per game. That is how many yards Illinois is giving up on the ground in each contest this season.

There is a chance that the Illinois defense could have a long day ahead of them if the front seven struggle to stop the run. We aren’t going up against a mid-level running back either.

Rutgers trots out one of the best running backs in the country in Kyle Monangai. He already has 1,028 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2024. He also averages a whopping 5.2 yards per carry. That is a terrifying number.

Illinois can’t let Rutgers run all over us on Saturday. Giving up points on long drives is a bad combination. The Illini need to load the box and let our secondary go man-to-man. Make Athan Kaliakmanis beat us and not Monangai. If we can hold Rutgers to under 160 yards rushing, I would be happy and it would likely be a win for the Orange and Blue.