Thunder on the Turf: Week 8's Most Anticipated College Football Battles
By Justin Perez
CBS. michigan vs illinois. Michigan -3.5. 3:30 PM ET. 481. 4-2. 485. Saturday, October 19th. 5-1
All-Time Series: Michigan leads 72-23-2 Last Matchup: Michigan won 19-17(2022) Location: Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois
Who would've thought we would see a scenario like this? A ranked matchup between Michigan and Illinois is a surprising game to see on the slate but here we are. The No.24 Wolverines travel to Champaign for the first time since 2019, where the No.24 Fighting Illini will be waiting for them. Illinois is looking for their first win over Michigan since 2009. Both teams come into this game with 2-1 records in Big Ten play. The winner will get closer to a race for the top spot in the conference.
Players To Watch
. 1. 485. . . Kalel Mullings. Kalel Mullings. michigan's kalel mullings. Running Back. player
Even with Donovan Edwards being Michigan's most established running back, the leading reigns have been handed over to Kalel Mullings. The senior from Massachusetts had provided the Wolverines with a large portion of their only strong offensive aspect. Michigan just can't throw the ball. As a result, Mullings has been given the load and he's delivered. On 91 carries, he's rushed for 589 yards and six touchdowns. He's averaged 6.5 yards per carry.
player. . Quarterback. Luke Altmyer. Luke Altmyer. illinois' luke altmyer. 2. . . 481
Illinois ranks 58th in the nation in passing offense, as the aerial attack averages 242.5 yards per game. The leader of that show is quarterback Luke Altmyer. The Starkville, Mississippi native leads the conference with 14 touchdown passes. Altmyer has only thrown one interception. He's tossed for 1,426 yards and has completed 67.7% of his passes.
. Defensive Back. Will Johnson. Will Johnson. player. 485. michigan's will johnson. . 3.
Michigan doesn't have the best pass defense in the world. They rank 111th in the nation, allowing 260 yards per game through the air. However, they do have a gem in cornerback Will Johnson. The Detroit native is one of the better defensive backs in the Big Ten. It'll be interesting to see how he'll perform against a good Illinois aerial attack. Johnson has two interceptions and both have been returned for touchdowns. He also has defended three passes.
Illinois' Gabe Jacas. . Gabe Jacas. . Gabe Jacas. Linebacker. . 4. 481. player
Gabe Jacas is one of the more underappreciated linebackers in the Big Ten. The junior from Port St. Lucie, Florida is on track to have his best college season. He ranks fourth on the team with 29 tackles. He leads all defensive in TFLs with five and sacks with three. Jacas also leads the Big Ten with two forced fumbles. He will be seen making tons of plays, especially when Illinois attempts to stop the run,