For the first time since 2016, Illinois will play in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium crowd when No. 19 Kansas comes to town this weekend. Both teams are coming off 45-point wins over Big South – OVC programs in their respective season openers, so Saturday’s nationally televised 6 p.m. kickoff will be nothing short of loud and electric.

Illinois enters the game coming off a convincing 45-0 win over Eastern Illinois on August 29, a game in which quarterback Lucas Altmyer threw four touchdowns, running back Kaden Feagin recorded the first 100-yard rushing game of his career and the Illini defense forced him into four takeaways in total.

The visiting Jayhawks opened their 2024 slate with a 48-3 win over Lindenwood. Kansas totaled seven touchdowns, over 500 yards of offense and 331 yards on the ground while never being forced to punt.

The Orange and Blue will enter the game looking to avenge last season’s loss to the Jayhawks in Lawrence. Kansas will travel to Champaign for the first time since 1968, while the all-time series is split at three wins apiece.

As the Illini host their annual Hail to the Orange Out and celebrate the first annual FamILLy Weekend, here are a few storylines to keep an eye on leading up to Saturday’s game.

Offense: Illinois looks to find more success in its rushing game against Kansas

In last season’s game, Illinois finished with 139 rushing yards while averaging about five yards per carry. Outside of a 72-yard touchdown run from Lucas Altmyeralthough? The Illini managed just 67 yards on the ground, which equates to an average of 2.5 yards per rush.

The Illini found success on the ground in the team’s season opener against EIU. The offense totaled 251 rushing yards, with Kaden Feagin (16 carries, 108 yards) and Aidan Lachen (10 carries, 79 yards) both of whom set new personal bests in yardage against the Panthers.

In the Jayhawks’ first game of the season against Lindenwood, Kansas allowed 75 yards on 27 carries for an average of 2.8 yards per carry. In 2023, however, they have allowed 75 yards or fewer on four different occasions.

Kansas ranked second in the Big 12 last season in fewest passing yards allowed (216.7). The Illini will need to better utilize their rushing attack when the teams face off again Saturday.

“They’re really, really good at what they do,” the offensive coordinator said Barry Lunney Jr. on Kansas’ defense. “We saw that a lot in the way they started 2024 and how they improved last year. I have a lot of respect for the way they play defensive football. They play great fundamentals, they play really fast, they know their scheme really well.

“We’re going to have to play a lot better this week to win, but I was happy considering it was a performance in Week 1. I thought our guys played with a lot of energy and handled the ball well, but we have to make a big leap this week to win this game.”

Defense: Illinois wants to prevent the Jayhawk offense from getting off to a strong start on Saturday

In Kansas’ 13 games last season, the Jayhawks scored at least 10 points in the first half, except in two games, both of which ended in losses. When Illinois traveled to Lawrence last season, Kansas scored a season-high 28 points. Although the Illini outscored the Jayhawks 16-6 in the second half, it wasn’t enough to overcome their halftime deficit.

Kansas continued that trend in the season opener, holding a 34-0 lead at halftime thanks to 27 points in the second quarter and more than 300 yards of offense in the game’s first two periods.

The Orange and Blue defense set the tone for EIU’s first drive of the game last week. In the Panthers’ seven first-half possessions, every drive ended in a three-and-out or a turnover.

Illinois will need to continue that trend against a dynamic Jayhawk offense that features several players who returned last season, including two All-Big 12 honorees.

“Last year was an incredible learning experience for me as a coach,” the defensive coordinator said Aaron Hendrik“From that standpoint, I probably watched the Kansas game over 100 times just to see what we did, what I liked about that game and what we didn’t do well.

“They’re really well-coached. They’re ranked when they come to our home stadium, and we couldn’t be more excited, not only from a team perspective but also from a defensive perspective, to be going there to play. We’re really looking forward to it.”

Opponent: Kansas brings “a very talented football team” to Champaign

The game against the Jayhawks is the first of six rematch games for the Illini this season, with Kansas taking on a ranked team at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.

The Jayhawk offense features dynamic weapons at every position, starting with redshirt junior quarterback Jalon Daniels, who was named to multiple preseason watch lists ahead of his fifth collegiate campaign. A true dual-threat QB, Daniels played in just three games last year and recorded 705 passing yards, 74 rushing yards, a 74.7% completion rate and five touchdowns. Against the Illini in 2023, Daniels went 21-for-29 with 301 total yards of offense, two touchdowns and one interception. He played only the first half against Lindenwood, throwing for 148 yards and one touchdown while completing 60% of his passes.

Running back Devin Neal, a 2023 All-Big 12 Second Team selection, is another threat within Kansas’ offense. Neal rushed for 100+ yards six times last season, including a 10-carry, 120-yard effort against the Illini. He also collected 16 rushing touchdowns as a junior in 2023, which tied him for second in the Big 12. He got off to a hot start in the season opener, catching eight carries for 112 yards and two touchdowns.

The Jayhawks also brought back their top three receivers from a season ago, Lawrence Arnold, Quentin Skinner and Luke Grimm. Arnold earned all-conference honors in 2023 after finishing with team-leading tallies in receptions (44) and receiving yards (782). Arnold and Grimm tied for the team-best mark with six touchdown catches.

Defensively, Kansas lost three of its top four leaders in tackles, including Austin Booker, who was named the 2023 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and drafted by the Chicago Bears. The Jayhawks return both 2023 All-Big 12 First Team selection Cobee Bryant and 2023 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention winner Mello Dotson, who both had four interceptions last season.

Kickoff between the Illini and Jayhawks is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. on FS1.

“Kansas is obviously a very talented football team. They’re top-20 ranked for a reason. People talk about them as a playoff team, and you can definitely see that before they’ve even played a snap this year. They’re very well-coached and have very dynamic players on offense and defense,” said head coach Bret Bielema“We are excited about the opportunity to bring a top-tier team to Memorial Stadium.”