MATCHDAY | What to Watch: #22 Illinois looks to regain victory against Northwestern at Wrigley Field

No. 22 Illinois looks to carry its momentum from its most recent win over Rutgers last weekend into Saturday’s friendly confines when the Fighting Illini take on Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago. In the team’s first game at the home of the Chicago Cubs since 2010, the Orange and Blue will compete for the Land of Lincoln Trophy in the 2024 regular season finale.

The Illini head north to the Windy City after a dramatic 38-31 road win over the Scarlet Knights in Week 13. Illinois trailed by as many as nine points in the fourth quarter and had a last-minute 40-yard touchdown with 1:08 left Pat Bryant Four seconds before the end of the game, this proved to be the deciding factor.

Bryant totaled 140 receiving yards in the fourth quarter alone, giving him a career-high 197 receiving yards that earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Northwestern travels from Evanston to Chicago after a 50-6 road loss to Michigan on Nov. 23, pushing the Wildcats’ loss to two games. NU totaled 127 yards of offense and 10 rushing yards in the loss, which resulted in Northwestern falling to 4-7 overall and 2-6 in conference play on the season.

With Illinois seeking nine regular-season wins for the first time since 2007 and Northwestern aiming to keep the Hat in its trophy case for the second straight season, there are a few things to consider ahead of the 118th edition of the in-state tournament rivalry game .

The Land of Lincoln Trophy

The Illini are looking to win the Land of Lincoln Trophy, known as “The Hat,” for the first time since 2022. Illinois won back-to-back meetings with Northwestern in 2021 (47-14 at Memorial Stadium) and 2022 (41-14 at Memorial Stadium). 3 in Evanston), but the Orange and Blue are looking to win the Hat for the third time under their fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema.

“Of course this is a trophy game,” said Bielema. “This is something we have placed great emphasis on since we arrived. To be an 8-3 football team, there is still a lot of work to be done and a lot of things that need to be decided, not just by us, but by the people around us.”

Since the inception of the Land of Lincoln Trophy, the Illini are 5-10 when playing for the Hat, which was first introduced in 2009. With a slim 57-55-5 lead in the all-time series, Illinois will look to finish the regular season with a win for the first time since 2022.

Playing at a unique venue: Wrigley Field

The Illini will make their third appearance at Wrigley Field in program history on Saturday, while the Orange and Blues are 2-0 against the Wildcats in the Friendly Confines.

Illinois’ last trip to Wrigley Field came in 2010, in a one-way game that included a 48-27 victory. The last game was in 1923, when Red Grange and the Illini earned a 29-0 shutout at Cubs Park.

Due to the unconventional setting of Saturday’s contest, Illinois will visit the venue Friday night, which the team only does if “it’s something unusual or a place we’ve never been before.” Another special feature is that half-time lasts 23 minutes instead of the usual 20 minutes due to the route to the changing rooms.

Given the unique circumstances that come with playing in a ballpark, Bielema felt it was essential that his boys get their first look at the facility when they arrived in Chicago on Friday.

“I think the walls sneak up on you a little quicker. It’s a baseball stadium, so we looked at it in detail,” Bielema said. “I’m thrilled to be playing at Wrigley. I grew up a Cubs fan. I’ve sung there a few times so I’m happy to be able to play there against a team I have a lot of respect for.”

Opponent Scout: Northwestern Offensive

Offensively, the Wildcats are led by quarterback Jack Lausch, who has taken over the starting role under center for Northwestern. Lausch has thrown for 1,427 yards, completed 54% of his pass attempts and recorded seven total touchdowns (five passing, two rushing). He is also a threat with his legs as he registered 82 runs in his nine appearances.

The NU offense has had some struggles this season, ranking 16th in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (172.9), 17th in rushing yards per game (97.2), last Ranked last in total offense (270.1 yards per game) and last in total offense (16.9 points per game).

Northwestern’s ground game features a dynamic running back in graduate student Cam Porter, who leads the team with 114 carries, 448 rushing yards and six rushing scores. RB Joseph Himon II ranks second with 236 yards and two touchdowns.

The Wildcats have a dangerous wide receiver duo in AJ Henning and Bryce Kirtz. Although Northwestern has only scored five passing touchdowns this season, three of those points went to Henning, who also has a team-best 49 receptions. Kirtz has rushed for a team-best 573 yards and is averaging about 15.5 yards per catch, ranking 10th in the conference among eligible receivers.

“Coach Braun instilled a certain mentality of physicality there on offense, defense and special teams. I think that really showed throughout the year,” Bielema said. “Offensively, they can definitely run the football. Their quarterback is a very precise and very mobile guy.”

Opponent Scout: Northwest Defense

Northwestern ranks 15th in the Big Ten with 25.3 points allowed per game, while the Wildcats average 359.9 total yards on offense (13th), 237.4 passing yards (14th) and 122.5 rushing -yards (11th) conceded.

Linebacker Mac Uihlein is the team’s leading tackler (73.0), while defensive linemen Aidan Hubbard and Jaylen Pate lead the Wildcats in tackles for a loss with 6.0 and 5.0, respectively.

Defensive back Theran Johnson has two interceptions, although a total of seven Northwestern defensive backs have received a pick this season. Johnson also ranks first on the team with 10 pass breakups, a mark also tied with the best in the Big Ten.

LB Greyson Metz has forced a team-best two fumbles, while six Wildcats have recovered a fumble in NU’s 11 games.

“Coach Braun, everything he did last year to win Big Ten Coach of the Year and everything he has embodied since speaks volumes,” Bielema said. “They have a lot of really good players. There is a lot of overlap. Many of our players went to high school together or competed against each other. We have a lot of players from the Chicago area on our team, a lot of family, and a lot of fans, so I’m excited to see where we are from a spectator perspective.

“It’s another great opportunity for us to play and see where we go from there.”

No. 22 Illinois and Northwestern will play for the hat at Wrigley Field on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.