Zook doesn't want his team to be overconfident

Illinois hasn't been a double-digit Las Vegas favorite against a Big Ten opponent in at least five years.

That's yet another sign the Illini, who need 1 more win to clinch a bowl berth, keep rolling in the right direction.

But coach Ron Zook doesn't want his guys believing they're 12 points better than last-place Minnesota as they prepare for Saturday's trip (7 p.m., Big Ten Network) into the Metrodome.

That's why Zook went out of his way Tuesday to praise the Gophers, but some of his testimony conflicted with his premise.

"Their program, you know, it's going to take off," Zook said. "They're a young football team -- very, very young football team. Their redshirt freshman quarterback (Adam Weber) is very, very talented.

"They're playing a lot of young guys. I think they're playing seven or eight freshmen, so they're going to be a team that continually improves. And that's what they're doing right now, continually improving."

The Gophers' depth chart indeed lists eight freshmen starters, including three true freshmen in the defensive secondary.

That's a good sign going forward, as Illinois' youth movement over the last three years seems to have proved, but it might not be the best thing for the Gophers down the stretch this year.

Zook suggested as much Tuesday, though he wasn't trying to apply his rationale specifically to the Gophers. He merely mentioned a freshman's tendency to break down late as part of a general bye-week discussion.

"We had so many freshmen playing last year," Zook said. "When you're a young team, it is really, really hard (to play 12 weeks straight). When you're an older team, it's still hard, but the guys understand it.

"But there was a period of time there when, probably a couple weeks ago, I'm talking to (freshman linebacker Martez Wilson) one day during practice before the Michigan game.

"And I say, 'Tez, you know, what's the matter?' He just says, 'Man, I'm tired.'

"It's just mentally and emotionally, because their schedules start very, very early in the morning and go very, very late at night."

Juice and domes: Saturday's trip to Minnesota represents Illinois' third game in a dome this season.

Sophomore quarterback Juice Williams doesn't believe in a Metrodome curse, which some might use to explain why the Illini haven't won there since 1994.

Williams does believe, however, that it's tougher to see inside a dome than in the great outdoors.

"The disadvantage is probably the lights," he said. "I had trouble just looking around the field when we played Missouri and Syracuse. I'll just try not to look too far up into the lights."

Today's number: According to CollegeBCS.com, which calculates the Bowl Championship Series rankings for all 120 FBS teams, Illinois checks in at No. 32 nationally.

The Illini's computer rankings range from No. 23 (Anderson-Hester) to No. 40 (Wolfe).

CollegeBCS.com also predicts Illinois will face Kansas State (5-3, No. 33) in the Insight Bowl on New Year's Eve.