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The Rutgers Scarlet Knights haven't won a game against the Illinois Fighting Illini since Oct. 14 of 2017, but they'll be looking to end the drought on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights will take on Illinois at noon ET at Memorial Stadium after a week off. The Fighting Illini should still be feeling good after a victory, while RU will be looking to regain their footing.
RU might not have won anyway, but with 90 yards lost due to penalties, they really shot themselves in the foot two weeks ago. They came up short against the Northwestern Wildcats, falling 21-7. WR Bo Melton put forth a good effort for the losing side as he caught eight passes for one TD and 101 yards.
Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Illinois ultimately got the result they were hoping for last week with a 20-18 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions. RB Chase Brown had a stellar game for Illinois as he rushed for one TD and 222 yards on 33 carries.
The Fighting Illini's defense was a presence as well, as it got past Penn State's offensive line to sack QB Sean Clifford four times for a total loss of 26 yards. It was a group effort with three guys contributing.
This next contest is expected to be close, with the Scarlet Knights going off at just a 1.5-point favorite. Now might not be the best time to take RU against the spread since they've let down bettors for the past three consecutive games.
RU is now 3-4 while Illinois sits at 3-5. Two defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: RU is 197th worst in the nation in passing touchdowns allowed, with 11 on the season. The Fighting Illini are completely their equal: they are stumbling into the matchup with the 197th most passing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 11 on the season. It's possible one of these Achilles' heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
