Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Ohio State and Iowa look dominant
By Dante Pryor
11. Illinois, 1-1: The Illinois Fighting Illini had an interesting two-game swing. The Illini outclassed and outplayed the Nebraska Cornhuskers to open the college football season. This week, Illinois lost at home to UTSA.
Illinois’ game plan against Nebraska was simple; shorten the game and limit the Cornhuskers’ possessions. The Illini executed their game plan well even without starting quarterback Brandon Peters.
Illinois cannot blame their loss against UTSA on the offense. Quarterback Artur Sitkowski did not turn the ball over and threw for 266 yards, and the offense scored 30 points. It was the defense that played poorly.
The Roadrunners’ two biggest stars, quarterback Frank Harris and running back Sincere McCormick, both had big games as the offense piled up nearly 500 yards of offense.
10. Purdue, 1-0: The Boilermakers win against Pac-12 opponent Oregon State was pivotal for their season. Purdue needs success in their non-conference to have an opportunity to play in the postseason.
Quarterback Jack Plummer looked healthy and sharp, throwing for 313 yards and two touchdowns. The running game was not great, but the Boilermakers did try to run the ball, with Alexander Horvath leading the team in rushing with 81 yards.
The defense looked good, limiting the Beavers to just 363 total yards and just 78 yards rushing. If Purdue can stay healthy and the defense plays well, they could go bowling this season.