IU defense, Illinois offense ranked last in conference

Both IU (2-5, 0-3) and Illinois (2-5, 0-3) hope for a third win of the season as they play against each other Saturday in Champaign, Ill.

The Hoosiers have lost their last five games, and the Fighting Illini have lost their last four.

IU players remain optimistic even with the consecutive losses.

“I think we are all still positive because we are playing good football,” junior wide receiver Kofi Hughes said.

These rivals will duke it out in Illinois’ Memorial Stadium, and the winner will claim its first Big Ten win.

Both teams have had trouble in different areas that have led to consecutive losses.

The Hoosiers rank last in the Big Ten with scoring defense, allowing 31.7 points per game, total defense, letting up 448 total yards per game, and rushing defense, 226.3 yards per game.

IU has lost four of its five consecutive losses by four points or less.

The Hoosier defense has given up an average of 281 rush yards per game during the last four contests.

The Fighting Illini’s offense ranks the worst in the Big Ten in the same categories as IU’s defense.

Illinois ranks last in scoring offense, recording 18.1 points per game, total offense, posting 309.6 total yards per game, and rushing offense, totaling 123.4 yards per game.

The Fighting Illini have been outscored 111-21 in their first three Big Ten games.

“It’s going to be a tempo offense,” Assistant Head Coach Doug Mallory said. “A spread offense, which is similar to our offense.”

The Illinois offense has run the ball 55 percent of the time with 255 carries and 212 passes this season.

The IU rushing attack has had four different players carry the ball 40 times or more this season.

Sophomore running back Donovonn Young leads the Fighting Illini with 75 attempts for 276 yards and two touchdowns.

The two quarterbacks, junior Nathan Scheelhaase and sophomore Reilly O’Toole, have combined for 189 rushing yards and three touchdown scores.

Rounding out the run game is freshman running back Josh Ferguson with 210 yards off 53 carries.

“When they are hitting on all cylinders, they are capable of being a good offense,” Mallory said.

Stopping the Illinois run game might not be the easiest task, since the Hoosiers have allowed less than 150 rush yards in only two games this year.

The last time IU defeated the Fighting Illini on the road was in 2006.

Junior cornerback Greg Heban said belief in themselves would help get the victories.

“We just all have to believe that we can get Ws,” Heban said.