Heading into week two, Illinois football looks to notch another win over a power four conference.
Last year, we also faced Duke, and the matchup went in favor of the Illini. The year before, we took down Kansas in the non-conference. This would mark three straight power four non-conference wins for the Orange and Blue.
Illinois isn’t going to get off easily on Saturday, though. Duke has a tough defense that will want to knock Katin Houser off his throne. It will be a good game, nonetheless.
Here is the Illinois football vs Duke how to watch, series history, and players to watch
Illinois football vs Duke – How to watch
This is the final edition of the Illinois vs Duke football matchup. It is taking place on Saturday, September 12, at 2:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. ET. This game will be aired on FS1, as the Illini look to sweep the Blue Devils.
Illinois football vs Duke – Series history
Speaking of sweep, the Illinois vs Duke history isn’t very long, but it does favor the Illini. Leading up to last season, the series was split evenly, 1-1.
The first two matchups were in 1958, when Duke took the opener, and in 1965, when the Illini bested the Blue Devils in Champaign. I think we all remember those two matchups.
Illinois won the rubber match last season, pounding Duke 45-19. The same result will hopefully happen in 2026, as Illinois looks to put away the all-time series with a 3-1 lead.
Illinois football vs Duke – Players to watch
There are some key players who could swing the game completely on Saturday. Let’s start off with Duke.
Walker Eget is their quarterback, and he transferred into the program with hopes of following in the footsteps of Dariah Mensah, the new Miami quarterback. His 131 yards, zero scores, and 50% completion against Tulane weren’t confidence-building, though.
Illinois has a defense that can make the worst quarterbacks look good, though. The middle of the defense is soft, so if Eget needs confidence, look about five yards down the field and between the hash marks.
If Eget gets his stuff together, Duke can pull off this upset. On the other hand, none of it might matter if Houser continues his great efficiency.
Unlike Eget, Houser had a great week one. He was hitting his wide receivers against UAB, and that efficiency is going to win Illinois a lot of games this season. If Houser is clicking, I think Illinois can score enough points to bury the Blue Devils.
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