Illinois
Three keys for Illinois’ offense against Purdue
Barry Lunney Jr.’s offense has gotten off to a strong start in 2024 but will need to regroup a bit following the Illini’s loss to Penn State in which it was held to just seven points.
They’ll have a great opportunity to get things rolling again on Saturday against a Purdue, a defense that has mightily struggled and has been on the field just about as much as anybody in America through five games.
As detailed yesterday, it’s been a brutal go of things for Ryan Walters and the Boilers this year. Walters remains the defensive play caller, so it will be interesting to monitor how much his familiarity with Illinois plays a factor but on paper, this is a unit Illinois should be able to attack.
Let’s take a look at what’s in store on defense for the Boilermakers:
Purdue defense
As a whole, the Purdue defense has been downright dreadful. The Boilers are allowing 436.8 yards per game and 36.8 points per game, both last in the Big Ten by a wide margin and near the bottom of the entire FBS.
A big reason for that — the run defense. Purdue’s 239.2 yards per game allowed on the ground are third worst nationally, only ahead of New Mexico and Kent State. Context is important in that the Boilers have fallen significantly behind in every FBS game and opened itself up to clock management, but there’s been very little resistance to opposing runners so far.
Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Boilers’ defensive line is relatively light and has been prone to being overpowered at the line of scrimmage, leading to a ton of explosive running plays. Notre Dame and Oregon State in particular were able to grind Purdue away with chunk run after chunk run to the tune of 340+ rushing yards a piece.
Against the pass, the Boilers haven’t been quite as pitiful, but they sure haven’t been good despite minimal volume given their run defense struggles. The secondary is led by safety Dillon Thieneman, a freshman All-American in 2023 who will move around quite a bit.
The back end of the Boiler defense did take a huge hit a week ago, however, when top cornerback Markevious Brown stepped away from the program. His loss showed up in a big way last week against Wisconsin, as Badgers backup quarterback Braedyn Locke threw for 361 yards, including two touchdowns of 52 and 69 yards.
Purdue has also been called for the most pass interference penalties among power four teams in 2024, bolstered by six in one game against Nebraska. And the two interceptions that nickelback Kyndrich Breedlove hauled in against Wisconsin were the first and only two takeaways the Boilers have all season.
The one trick that Ryan Walters does have up his sleeve is his complex blitzing schemes, which Illini fans are more than familiar with. The Boilermakers have been poor at generating pressure with traditional three and four-man rushes, but Walters still isn’t afraid to dial up his fair share of blitzes. Linebacker Kydran Jenkins has been a real weapon in those — compiling 11 pressures and four sacks in just 56 pass rush snaps.
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Ali Gradischer/Getty Images
Illinois will certainly have to be prepared for some special wrinkles in this matchup, but they’ll have plenty of avenues to light up the scoreboard if they execute.
Three keys for the Illini offense against Purdue:
- Sustain drives — Purdue’s defense has been on the field longer than any power four unit in the country. Illinois can’t let them get a breather on Saturday. If the Illini can get their run game going against a Purdue defense that hasn’t stopped anybody on the ground and Luke Altmyer can attack the Boiler secondary with his go-to weapons, Illinois has a chance to cruise. The Boilermaker defense has especially been putrid in second halves, not surprising given their time on the field, and the Illini can really wear them out early with a couple long, punishing drives.
- Find a new gear in the run game — The Illini rushing offense has struggled for much of the year, but this is the ultimate opportunity for that to change. And not just slightly, but preferably in a major way against the country’s second worst run defense. We haven’t yet seen a ton of explosiveness out of any of the Illini’s four running backs, but this matchup is that could easily see a guy break through with a long touchdown run. How about getting Kaden Feagin a 100+ yard game to boost his confidence ahead of huge matchups with Michigan and Oregon?
- Be prepared for pressure — There isn’t necessarily any statistical evidence to back this up, but I have a feeling Ryan Walters is going to pull out all of the stops in this matchup against his former team. He’s been effective his entire career as a coordinator with his blitz packages — he just hasn’t had the personnel for many of them at Purdue. Illinois needs to be prepared, especially if they put themselves in some longer yardage situations, for some pressure wrinkles from Walters and Co. The offensive line will have to communicate well, and Luke Altmyer could need to make a few quick decisions. The good news is, that should leave some favorable matchups for Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin on the perimeter, and they’ll have the chance to eat.
The most heated trade war in decades has cooled off for now, and Wall Street loves it — posting big gains on Monday.
The U.S. had been slapping fresh 145% tariffs on products coming into the country from China. Meanwhile, China responded with 125% tariffs on incoming American items.
In a joint statement released by The White House on Monday, the U.S. and China on Monday announced that they would substantially lower tariffs for 90 days. The agreement was struck over the weekend in Switzerland, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Administrator Jamieson Greer met with a Chinese trade delegation.
Starting Wednesday, May 14, both countries will lower tariffs by 115%, according to the White House. That will bring the U.S. tariff on Chinese imports down to 30% from as high as 145%, and China’s rate on American goods down to 10% from 125%. The 10% baseline tariff and other U.S. measures will remain in place.
UBS Global Wealth Management projects the U.S. tariff on Chinese imports will ultimately settle around 30% to 40%.
However, the tariff trim announced Monday is not doing much to calm the concerns of Illinois farmers — and no Illinois industry does more business with China than the agricultural sector. Out in soybean country in Marengo, Illinois, the end of planting season is near.
“We have to deal with Mother Nature. We have to deal with markets,” said John Bartman of Bartman Farms. “We have plenty of things that are out of our control.”
For over 180 years, the Bartman family has navigated that uncertainty — delivering corn, wheat, and soybeans to the world. But this latest round of uncertainty strikes differently.
“This is a manmade problem, and this is something that can be fixed,” Bartman said. “This is bad governmental policy that’s affecting farmers
The effect on Bartman is a fresh mentality focused on simply getting through the seasom.
“A hundred percent of the soybeans that I grow are exported [to] Asia, and a lot of it goes to China,” Bartman said, “and so that’s a major hurdle for us. If we lose that market, we’re really going to be hurting.”
Bartman added that he believes his farm is indeed on the cusp of losing the Chinese market.
Illinois farmers sell nearly $1.5 billion worth of product to China every year. No other industry comes close, and that figure has also soared in the last decade.
But farmers are entering a challenging period, as competition from Brazil and Russia intensifies. So do the tariffs coming down make it more likely that Illinois farms like Bartman’s can remain a player in the game with China?
Bartman could only say, “You’d like to think so.”
Todd Main represents the Illinois Soybean Association, whose members are watching these talks with their largest trading partner closely.
“We hope that the talks continue and that they become fruitful, and that, you know, we can continue to sell our products around the world, and help feed the world,” Main said, “and so I think we’re going to have to take a wait-and-see. Yes, we want to be optimistic. Yes, we want to have it be successful. But at the same time, you know, we have to sort of trust, but verify.”
For those that know land, trust on this matter is a slow grow.
“I’m not really optimistic right now at all, honestly,” said Bartman said.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Illinois Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 11, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 11 drawing
Midday: 7-5-1, Fireball: 6
Evening: 4-9-2, Fireball: 2
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 11 drawing
Midday: 1-6-0-1, Fireball: 4
Evening: 0-9-7-0, Fireball: 8
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning LuckyDay Lotto numbers from May 11 drawing
Midday: 02-21-24-34-36
Evening: 02-11-24-25-35
Check LuckyDay Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes up to $600: Claim at an Illinois Lottery retailer, a Claim Center, by mail, or via an e-Claim. By mail, send the required documentation to: Illinois Lottery Claims Department, P.O. Box 19080, Springfield, IL.
- Prizes from $601 to $10,000: Claim at a Claim Center, by mail, or via an e-Claim.
- Prizes over $10,000: Claim at a Claim Center or by mail.
- Appointments Required: Schedule an appointment for in-person claims.
- Documentation: Bring a photo ID and Social Security number proof.
When are the Illinois Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky Day Lotto (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky Day Lotto (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto: 9:22 p.m. CT on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Illinois editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Illinois Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 10, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 10 drawing
05-20-28-39-42, Powerball: 13, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 7-9-4, Fireball: 5
Evening: 7-9-0, Fireball: 0
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 8-3-1-2, Fireball: 4
Evening: 0-4-4-5, Fireball: 7
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning LuckyDay Lotto numbers from May 10 drawing
Midday: 09-21-34-35-39
Evening: 01-06-17-22-32
Check LuckyDay Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto numbers from May 10 drawing
03-13-28-37-42-47, Extra Shot: 06
Check Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes up to $600: Claim at an Illinois Lottery retailer, a Claim Center, by mail, or via an e-Claim. By mail, send the required documentation to: Illinois Lottery Claims Department, P.O. Box 19080, Springfield, IL.
- Prizes from $601 to $10,000: Claim at a Claim Center, by mail, or via an e-Claim.
- Prizes over $10,000: Claim at a Claim Center or by mail.
- Appointments Required: Schedule an appointment for in-person claims.
- Documentation: Bring a photo ID and Social Security number proof.
When are the Illinois Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky Day Lotto (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky Day Lotto (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto: 9:22 p.m. CT on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:40 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:22 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Illinois editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us.
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