Gameday Central | Illinois 3, Iowa 3; 3:51 left 1st quarter

Preserve following alongside all evening lengthy with beat author Scott Richey from Memorial Stadium as Illinois tries to solidify itself on the prime of the Huge Ten West: 

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The tailgate crowd as we speak is pretty spectacular. With about 20 minutes till kickoff, we’ll see if they really come into the stadium. Primarily based on the east stands, it is possibly a bit of fuller than regular at about this a lot time earlier than kickoff.

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Here is what I am going to have my eye on tonight at Memorial Stadium:

– The group. Duh.

– Josh McCray. The Illinois sophomore working again hasn’t performed for the reason that season opener towards Wyoming. He had a brace on his proper knee and was at the least going by some mild drills in the course of the casual spherical of warmups. Extra working again depth is not a foul factor, however even when he returns I would not anticipate the frequency of Chase Brown rushes altering.

– The Iowa run recreation. This one is Spencer Petras dependent. If the Hawkeyes’ quarterback struggles like has has all season, depend on the Illinois protection loading the field. It is a transfer the Illini can pull off with Devon Witherspoon’s capability in man protection and Taz Nicholson’s enchancment there. Iowa has one of many worst speeding offenses within the nation, but it is the factor they nonetheless wish to do. In the meantime, Illinois has among the finest speeding defenses. May very well be an actual benefit for the Illini.

– The Illinois passing recreation. Offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. retains including new wrinkles. Some RPO motion towards Chattanooga was the final large change. May there be extra tonight? Both manner, do not be shocked in the event that they run that later to Isaiah Williams for a large receiver cross once more. It labored towards Wisconsin and solely did not depend due to a penalty. The one different time Illinois ran it it was a turnover at Indiana. If it really works? Huge play potential.

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The primary dialog starter this week was virtually solely about ticket gross sales. No less than if all of our school soccer conversations are taking place on social media.

It appears unlikely that as we speak’s Illinois-Iowa recreation will probably be a sellout. And if we actually wish to get right down to brass tacks, the final “sellout” had about 47,000 individuals in attendance. Memorial Stadium simply appeared full and raucous as a result of the truth is sort of all the time so totally different.

So even when it is not a sellout tonight, the vibe surrounding Zuppke Discipline needs to be fairly strong. The first tailgating tons have been as full as I’ve seen them this season. So was Grange Grove. After all, a 6:30 p.m. kickoff would not harm. (Apart from my deadline. That is toast). 

The sport itself? Powerful to say apart from odds are factors will probably be at a severe premium. Illinois ranks first nationally in scoring protection. Iowa is third. First offensive landing wins?

The Hawkeyes, after all, would not conform to that. Not with their unhappy sack offense. That might be the decisive issue. Illinois hasn’t proven an excessively explosive offense save for some Chase Brown runs, however Tommy DeVito and the Illini have at the least been regular. 

We’ll discover out quickly. It is cliche to say the most important recreation on the schedule is the subsequent one, nevertheless it suits for tonight’s matchup. For the Huge Ten West standings. For recruiting. For possibly getting extra individuals into the stands subsequent week towards Minnesota.

Scott Richey is a reporter overlaying school basketball at The Information-Gazette. His e mail is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you may comply with him on Twitter (@srrichey).