Minnesota @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 21, 2017 ) Illinois 17, Minnesota 24

Minnesota hopes to build on its first Big Ten win of the season when it visits Illinois on Saturday. The Golden Gophers held off Indiana 38-31 to halt a four-game slide and quarterback Tanner Morgan looks to continue where he left off in his first career start by leading his team one step closer to bowl eligibility by beating Illinois for the fourth consecutive time.

"Tanner has earned the right to be able to make sure he gets the opportunity to lead this football team again," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck told reporters. "We're looking forward to going on the road and facing a good Illinois team with a lot of good athletes." The Fighting Illini are left to pick up the pieces following their third consecutive blowout loss. Illinois suffered a 63-33 defeat to Maryland and has allowed 48 points while surrendering an average of 569 yards per game in conference play, prompting defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson to resign for personal reasons on Monday. They hope to stop the bleeding by earning their first win against Minnesota since 2014. "It's a tough time for our program as we're not satisfied with a lot of things were doing football-wise right now, Illinois coach Lovie Smith told reporters. "We're all disappointed in the performance of our defense and we all bear responsibility for that."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Minnesota -9.5.

ABOUT MINNESOTA (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten): Morgan was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after completing 17-of-24 for 302 yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start. Shannon Brooks rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown in his season debut against Indiana, but suffered a knee injury in the fourth quarter and is unlikely to play on Saturday. Tyler Johnson hauled in five passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Hoosiers to record his sixth 100-yard receiving game of the season, which equaled the program record set by Ryan Thelwell in 1996.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (3-5, 1-4): Reggie Corbin gained a career-high 155 yards and scored a 69-yard touchdown scamper against Maryland, which is his fifth run of 50 yards or more this season. A.J. Bush Jr. completed 11-of-19 passes for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including an 84-yard scoring strike to Dominic Stampley, which was the third-longest passing play in program history. Defensive lineman Lere Oladipo, who has made seven tackles in four games this season, has been suspended indefinitely after he was charged with domestic battery on Sunday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Minnesota has lost its three road games this season by an average margin of 23.3 points.

2. Johnson has registered four straight 100-yard receiving games.

3. Illinois has allowed 500 or more yards in four of eight contests in 2018.

PREDICTION: Minnesota 31, Illinois 20