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Illinois defense trending upwards following Week 2
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Bret Bielema and Illinois are 2-1 after their first three games of the season. The defense has been a huge part of their success.
It’s crucial that a football team defends its home turf. Illinois has done a good job at doing that so far. The Fighting Illini defense has not allowed a single rushing touchdown in the two home games that they have played.
Speaking of the rush defense, Illinois has done a good job of limiting more than just touchdowns on the ground. Illinois has also only allowed 74 yards rushing per game in its last two games. That comes out to an average of about 1.3 yards allowed per rushing attempt.
Illinois isn’t just doing well on defense at home, but from a national standpoint as well. Bielema’s defense is doing a great job of being efficient on passing situations. The Fighting Illini have the 5th-best passing efficiency defense in the nation (80.2).
The B1G West is a tight race right now, and it’s going to take more of this if Illinois wants to challenge for a division title. Illinois plays Chattanooga next up on Sept. 22.
The Illinois Defense keeps trending up 📈
🔸 Zero TDs allowed at home
🔸 74 rushing yards allowed in the last two games (1.3 yards/rush)
🔸 5th in the nation in passing efficiency defense (80.2)#Illini | #famILLy | #HTTO pic.twitter.com/l15S1bXbI6— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 13, 2022
Grant Bricker covers the B1G for Saturday Tradition. His previous stops include the Williamson Homepage and Nashville Post.