Two weeks removed from a homecoming loss to the Purdue Boilermakers, the Minnesota Gophers will travel to Champaign, Illinois to take on the no. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini.
The Fighting Illini are featured in the AP Poll for the first time since 2011. They are led by NCAA rushing yardage king, Chase Brown, who exploded for 147 yards on 32 carries when the Illini upset the Gophers last year, winning 14-6 at Huntington Bank Stadium.
“Chase Brown is one of the best backs in the country,” said Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck about the Big Ten leader in all-purpose yards (933). “He’s got a very similar style with Mohamed [Ibrahim] in breaking tackles and getting a lot of yards after contact. He’s a very patient runner, he will stay behind his offensive line for a while then, pfft, pop out the other side…then finish it for touchdowns.”
With the Illini’s success on the ground, it makes it even harder for opposing defenses to cover the play-action pass and deep aerial attacks. It will be a game-time decision for QB Tommy DeVito, who reaggravated an ankle injury last weekend in a 9-6 narrow victory over Iowa.
If DeVito cannot suit up, backup Artur Sitowski will take the reins. Sitowski threw 13/19 for 74 yards and 1 INT off the bench against the Hawkeyes.
Meanwhile, Minnesota as a team leads the Big Ten Conference in rushing yards per game (245) and will have their leading rusher, Mohamed Ibrahim, return this week from an ankle injury.
“It’s a joy having him back,” said Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz. “Just the energy he brings each and every day in practice…glad to see him back as his normal self.”
Ibrahim, during the season, has played four games with 567 yards rushing, eight touchdowns and averages 6.4 yards per carry. Without Ibrahim against the Boilermakers, the Gophers totaled 47 yards on 26 carries, averaging a horrific 1.8 yards per rush.
“We gotta be more consistent,” said Gophers offensive coordinator, Kirk Ciarrocca, on how the running game can improve from the Purdue game. “From the offensive line to the running backs…blocking on the perimeter, all that. We’ve worked really hard on our fundamentals these last two weeks.”
Ciarrocca also pointed out that Illinois’ front seven is definitely the toughest that Minnesota has faced all season. On the passing end, he believes Illinois CB Devin Witherspoon is the most talented cornerback the Gophers have seen.
“It sure makes me smile watching him [Ibrahim] practice and move around out there and see him at close to full speed,” Ciarrocca said. “It’s human nature when you have a great player coming back from an injury and him being out there it helps pick you up a little bit…I certainly don’t undervalue his presence in our lineup…you can’t put a price on that.”
The Gophers will play Illinois on Saturday at 11 a.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
