College football preview: Michigan at Illinois

Posted October 29, 2009 11:00 pm

Michigan (5-3, 1-3) at Illinois (1-6, 0-5)

When: 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium

TV: Channel 7; Radio: WIND 560-AM

Series: Michigan leads 66-22-2

Coaches: Rich Rodriguez (8-12, second year at Michigan; 68-38, ninth FBS year overall); Ron Zook (19-36, fifth year at Illinois; 42-50 overall)

Players to watch: True freshman QB Tate Forcier, who has started every game for Michigan, completes 55 percent of his passes with 9 TDs vs. 5 INTs. He's more of a threat to throw (1,167 passing yards, 190 rush yards), while true freshman backup Denard Robinson runs more (293 rush yards, 172 passing yards). CB Donavan Warren (3 INTs) and DE Brandon Graham (15.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks) are difference-makers on defense. Senior C/RG David Moosman (Libertyville) has started 19 of the last 20 games.

Illinois QB Juice Williams set a Michigan Stadium record last year with 431 total yards, but he's not guaranteed to be the starter. Redshirt freshman Jacob Charest (4 of 8, 52 yards) is in the mix for his first start. RB Mikel Leshoure owns 200 rushing yards over the last two games, which are the team's best back-to-back efforts in a year. Senior RG Jon Asamoah, a third-year starter, is one of 14 finalists for the Campbell Trophy that goes to the nation's best senior scholar-athlete. Minnesota WR Eric Decker is the other finalist from the Big Ten.

The skinny: Illinois, which gets knocked out of bowl contention if it doesn't snap its five-game losing streak, has gone 3-13 since its all-too-rare 45-20 victory at Michigan last season. That 3-13 mark, though, is better than the Illini's record against Michigan over the last 50 years: 4-40-2. Illinois' lone home win during that stretch occurred in 1983. There's a decent chance this game will be decided on the ground. Michigan features the Big Ten's best run offense (219.4 ypg) vs. Illinois' league-worst run defense (185.3 ypg), while Illinois' fourth-best rush offense (171.9 ypg) goes against the Wolverines' seventh-best rush defense (134.9 ypg).

- Lindsey Willhite

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