Illinois football is finally back in action, and there is a chance to put up another win on Saturday.
It has been a minute since the Illini have won a game. Saturday marks nearly a month since the victory over Michigan, but it is time to get back on track.
A two-game skid is not huge, but making that a three-game losing streak would send up some red flags. Beating Michigan State on Saturday is extremely important for the current state of the program and for the future. Let’s get to seven wins and beyond this season. Taking down the Spartans is step one.
Here are three key ways the Illinois football team can beat Michigan State
1. Expose the quarterback situation
While the Illinois football team has dropped two in a row, there is an opportunity to get the best of the Michigan State offense on Saturday.
The Illini defense hasn’t played well up front lately, but the secondary seems to be still chugging along. So, against the Spartans, I think this is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of a team that has a quarterback room that struggles.
Aidan Chiles had some injury issues against Indiana, but reports are he will be back for the Illinois game. He has thrown for 1,850 yards and eight touchdowns this season. The bad thing for the Spartans is the fact Chiles has also thrown 11 interceptions.
With Chiles being a turnover machine, Illinois’ defensive backs should be able to feast on Saturday. The Illini have an interception in two out of the last three games and in six out of nine contests this season.
Illinois’ secondary is going to have the most weight put on them too. Chiles is at his best when throwing downfield 20 or more yards. He has four touchdowns and three interceptions this season. What I am going to be curious about is how Aaron Henry disguises the blitz and when he drops players back in coverage.
Chiles struggles greatly with passes shorter than 20 yards. For the season, he has three touchdowns and eight interceptions in this area. If I had to guess, there will be some game-changing plays made through the air by the Illinois defense on Saturday.