Eastern Illinois at Illinois

Eastern Illinois (0-1) at Illinois (0-1)

When: 11 a.m. at Memorial Stadium

TV: BTN

Radio: WIND 560-AM

Series: Illinois leads 1-0.

Coaches: Bob Spoo (121-103-1, 21st year at Eastern Illinois); Ron Zook (13-24, fourth year at Illinois; 36-38 overall)

Players to watch: Junior guard Chaz Millard (St. Charles North), an FCS all-American candidate, is one of EIU's four captains this year. DE Pierre Walters, who prepped at St. Joseph, might be the best player on the team. QB Bodie Reeder, who grew up 10 minutes outside Champaign, threw for 201 yards and 1 TD in the Panthers' season-opening 31-12 loss at Central Michigan.

Illinois QB Juice Williams cast himself into the wide Heisman Trophy net by throwing for 451 yards and 5 TDs in the 52-42 opening loss to Missouri. MLB Brit Miller led the Illini with 12 tackles last week, but he might have had just as many missed tackles. He's one of several defenders who knows he needs to cut down on mistakes this week.

The skinny: Though just 45 miles separate Champaign and Charleston, there's a world of difference between these two programs. EIU does have several transfers who know all about BCS ball, including former Illini Jeff Sobol (starting DT) and D'Angelo McCray (Sobol's backup). In fact, Illinois coach Ron Zook noted that McCray, a Top 100 recruit in the Class of 2007, came back to Champaign Sunday night to kibbitz with his former mates, but said with a steely grin that, "I probably won't even notice when he goes in."

The same might go for everyone else at Memorial Stadium, who will be bombarded with new things and nostalgia throughout the game. This marks the unveiling of the renovated west side, as well as the return of approximately 50 former Illini legends who'll be introduced to the crowd during timeouts throughout the game.

- Lindsey Willhite