5 huge observations from the Illinois football win over Michigan State

2. Seth Coleman and Gabe Jacas were nightmares on the edge

The Illinois defense played well in all but two drives on Saturday. They had Michigan State looking for answers nearly the entire game.

Giving up fewer than 20 points in a game is an impressive feat. A big reason for the great defensive outing was due to the dominance of our edge rushers, Seth Coleman and Gabe Jacas.

Coming into the game, I figured Jacas was in for a big day. He has led Illinois in sacks the entire season, and Michigan State’s offensive line isn’t great. Not only did he have a big day, but Coleman was also incredible for the Illini defense.

Both players were extremely disciplined. Aidan Chiles likes the run-pass option plays. When he would pull the ball instead of handing it off, Coleman or Jacas weren’t biting on the play and would be there with great contain. This stopped Chiles from having big games, as he had 12 carries for 40 yards on the day.

The pressure Coleman and Jacas brought in the passing game was impressive too. Chiles didn’t have much time to pass the ball. Coleman led Illinois with two sacks, and Jacas wasn’t far behind with 1.5 sacks on the day. They both combined for 10 tackles as well.

The type of plays that Coleman and Jacas were making on Saturday were game-changing. They helped sway momentum in Illinois’ favor and stopped any potential momentum the Spartans had going. These two are nightmares on the edge.