Scouting Saturday's local college football games

Illinois (5-6, 3-4) at Northwestern (8-3, 4-3)

When: 2:30 p.m. at Ryan Field

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: WIND 560-AM, WGN 720-AM, WNUR 89.3-FM

Series: Illinois leads 32-27-2.

Coaches: Ron Zook (18-29, fourth year at Illinois; 41-43 in seventh year overall); Pat Fitzgerald (18-17, third year at NU).

Players to watch: The Illini have two certain all-Big Ten players in sophomore WR Arrelious Benn (63 catches, 1,012 yards, 3 TDs), who needs an average game to become the program's most prolific receiver since Hall of Famer David Williams, and senior MLB Brit Miller (124 tackles, 6 sacks, 15.5 TFLs, 3 forced fumbles, 1 INT, 1 fumble return for TD).

Northwestern celebrates the final home game for 23 seniors during a ceremony shortly before kickoff, including injured standouts RB Tyrell Sutton (3,772 career rushing yards, 37 total TDs) and MLB Malcolm Arrington. Junior DE Corey Wootton (14.5 TFLs, 8.5 sacks) and junior S Brad Phillips (92 tackles) are the Wildcats' best all-Big Ten bets, though senior LG Keegan Kennedy could find his way on the second team.

The skinny: This marks the third time in the last five years that the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk game is a must-win for a team seeking bowl eligibility. This is the first time the Illini have been in this spot, though, which made coach Ron Zook wryly note how the teams have switched positions since last year's regular-season finale.

Though Illinois has a much better total-yardage differential than Northwestern (plus-1,066 to plus-164), the Wildcats have a slightly better point differential (plus-45 to plus-42). This suggests the Illini have squandered plenty of opportunities to have a record more like the Wildcats, which also explains why NU coach Pat Fitzgerald watched Illinois' videos and proclaimed Zook's bunch to be as talented as any team he's faced all year.

Syracuse (2-8) at Notre Dame (6-4)

When: 1:43 p.m. at Notre Dame Stadium

TV: Channel 5

Radio: WLS 890-AM

Series: Notre Dame leads 3-2.

Coaches: Greg Robinson (9-36, fourth year at Syracuse); Charlie Weis (28-19, fourth year at Notre Dame).

Players to watch: Syracuse senior RB Curtis Brinkley reeled off five consecutive 100-yard games during the middle of the season. Though he has tailed off, he owns 1,060 rushing yards (and 6 TDs) for the year and ranks 19th nationally. Oft-used punter Rob Long ranks third in the country with a 46.0 yard average.

Notre Dame will recognize 15 scholarship and nine walk-on seniors before the team's final home game. That group includes S Kyle McCarthy (89 tackles), S David Bruton (82 tackles, 3 INT), ILB Maurice Crum (240 career stops) and WR David Grimes (79 career catches, 6 TDs). True freshman WR Michael Floyd (46 catches, 702 yards, 7 TDs) is out for the last two regular-season games with a sprained knee.

The skinny: Greg Robinson, the lame duck a l'Orange, coaches Syracuse for the next-to-last time in a game that means plenty more to the Irish. Charlie Weis' crew could go as high as the Gator Bowl with a strong finish, which might not require a shocking upset at USC next week. Syracuse ranks last in the Big East in practically every offensive and defensive category except rushing - where the Orange are a whopping sixth with 146.2 yards per game - so Notre Dame should feel free to dominate every which way it chooses. Failing to do so would suggest a team that doesn't deserve a New Year's Day bowl and $2.5 million payout.

-Lindsey Willhite