These are five names Kansas football fans must know vs. Illinois.
This Friday awaits what might be the most meaningful game for the Kansas Jayhawks this season. Lance Leipold’s squad will follow up a season-opening 48-17 victory against Missouri State with a Friday night showdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
The Illini finished No. 1 in the nation in terms of points allowed in 2022 (12.8 per game) but lost their two tackling leaders to the NFL. Additionally, offensive stars Tommy DeVito and Chase Brown are no longer on the team, meaning Bret Bielema will have to make up for about 75% of last year’s talent on that side of the ball.
Analysts in the preseason suggested Illinois was due for some regression, and their Week 1 performance didn’t help their case. A second-half comeback propelled the Illini to a 30-28 victory over the MAC favorites, Toledo, but they surrendered more than 23 points just once a year ago.
While this clearly isn’t the same team that went 8-4 in the regular season and nearly knocked off Big Ten powerhouse Michigan, Illinois figures to be a formidable challenge for the Jayhawks, albeit on their home turf in David Booth Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.