Illinois Fighting Illini vs Indiana Hoosiers Football Preview

This isn’t a battle for elite status in the Big Ten, but it’s loaded with meaning and magnitude just the same. Two programs scuffling in the lower-middle tier of the conference are both clawing desperately of a postseason ticket and a bread crumb of recognition in a league still dominated by the Ohio States, Iowa’s and Wisconsin’s of the world. When the Indiana Hoosiers and Illinois Fighting Illini lock horns at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, they’ll be fighting for added leverage en route to a possible bowl bid.

Indiana sits at 4-2 but has the teeth of its Big Ten schedule coming up. Coach Bill Lynch’s best opportunity to grab a road win the conference is right here, right now, against Coach Ron Zook’s Illini. Indiana struggled to put away Arkansas State last week, winning 36-34 after sweating out a fourth quarter that saw the two teams combine for 37 points.  Quarterback Ben Chappell’s three second-half touchdown passes sparked the Hoosiers to victory.  Chappell racked up 297 yards in the second half on his way to 382 for the game.

Illinois is positioned at 3-3, though 1-2 in the Big Ten compared to Indiana’s 0-2 mark. With half the season already done, it’s not realistic to expect Illinois to make a bowl game if it can’t down a basketball school at home.

Last week at Michigan State, the Illini faded in the second half, losing 26-6 after leading 6-3 at halftime.  The Spartans were the second team this season to hold Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure under 100 yards. 

The Hoosiers seem unlikely to contain Leshoure like Michigan State did, however.  The Indiana defense has been suspect at best, giving up 42 points to Michigan and 38 to Ohio State before allowing the boys from Arkansas State to put up 34.  Arkansas State rolled up 337 yards of offense last week in Bloomington.  Indiana has allowed 401 yards per game this season, 89th in the nation, and has shown a tendency to give up too many big plays. Lynch’s lads on the defensive side of the ball are going to have to grow a spine that hasn’t been seen very often in 2010. Illinois is hardly an elite offense, but against the Hoosiers, the Illini have athletic performers who cough gash Indiana on a consistent basis.

Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, a redshirt freshman, struggled last week against the Spartans of Michigan State, throwing three interceptions.  Back at home against the porous Indiana defense, Scheelhaase might be a little bit more comfortable. Scheelhaase did at times outmaneuver Michigan State with his scrambling and his evasiveness in the pocket. If he can prove to be an elusive runner with good touch on short-intermediate passes, this could be a long day for Indiana, and Illinois could find itself one big step closer to bowl eligibility.

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