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Final score: Illinois 20 Western Kentucky 7
Quick analysis
The Illini moved to 2-0 on Saturday after upsetting – yes, upsetting – Western Kentucky in Champaign.
It wasn’t a definitive win for Illinois, but it was a stellar defensive effort against a Hilltoppers team with a history of scoring a lot of points. The Illini kept Western Kentucky out of the end zone until the fourth quarter and allowed just six (!) rushing yards in the game.
Running back Mike Epstein had an outstanding day on the ground, rushing for 111 yards on 21 carries. He was about the only offensive weapon for the Illini, though. The team tallied just 300 yards of total offense in the victory, a total that will definitely need to see some improvement moving forward.
This was a game that Illinois wasn’t suppose to win and did. It may not have come against a B1G opponent, but this could be a confidence builder for the Illini.
Key play: Julian Jones pick-six in the second quarter
Yes, Illinois’ defense had as many touchdowns as its offense on Saturday.
With just 1:21 remaining in the first half, Jones intercepted a Mike White pass and walked it into the end zone to put the Illini ahead 13-0. It was a big momentum boost heading into the half.
Stat of the game: WKU’s six rushing yards
A great way to win football games is shutting down the run. It’s something Illinois struggled with last year but had no trouble with against the Hilltoppers.
Western Kentucky netted just six yards in the game, with D’Andre Ferby leading the way with 14 yards on the ground. Granted, the Hilltoppers rushed the ball just 16 times, but they still couldn’t manufacture any yardage.
What it means
Illinois looked more impressive than it did a week ago against Ball State. Smith’s team appears to be making progress early in the year.
But it’s still too hard to tell exactly what to think of this Illinois team. The defense has played well but the offense is a mess. The good news, at least right now, is that the Illini have won games that they should win. That’s a step in the right direction.
We’ll probably learn a lot more about the Illini next week when the travel to Tampa to take on South Florida.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB