Kent State @ Illinois preview

Illinois endured a tumultuous offseason which included the firing of coach Tim Beckman, so Friday's season opener versus visiting Kent State could not come soon enough. Beckman was terminated Aug. 28 after preliminary results from an external investigation revealed he pressured players to play hurt and influenced medical decisions, but interim coach Bill Cubit - elevated from his offensive coordinator position - vows the Fighting Illini can overcome the off-the-field adversity.

"... We're all trying to run a classy program that's going to play hard and give everything they've got and represent this university the way it should be,'' Cubit told the Chicago Tribune. "We've got some tough times. I want us to be the rallying cry for this campus right now." Cubit's first order of business will be to improve a defense which permitted Big Ten-worsts of 34 points and 239.2 rushing yards per game, and a ground attack that gained an average of 117.5 yards - second-worst in the conference. Illinois, though, boasted the second-best passing attack in the Big Ten last season and junior quarterback Wes Lunt returns after an injury-plagued 2014. The Golden Flashes are coming off a two-victory season - their fewest since winning once in 2005 - and were voted to finish last in the Mid-American Conference's East Division, but could better that rating with the return of senior running back Trayion Durham from a foot injury that sidelined him for the entire 2014 season.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Illinois -14.5

ABOUT KENT STATE (2014: 2-9): Durham rushed for 2,712 yards (4.2 per carry) and 24 touchdowns during his first three seasons, including 1,316 and 14 as a sophomore in 2012. The Golden Flashes return their top 11 tacklers including junior safety Nate Holley, who ranked third in the nation with 12.5 per game and leads a defense which is expected to improve after allowing an average of 29 points last season. Junior quarterback Colin Reardon is coming off a season in which he threw more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (14) and won't have the luxury of throwing to the departed Casey Pierce and Chris Humphrey (combined 11 TD receptions in 2014), but should be well-protected behind an experienced offensive line.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (2014: 6-7): Lunt missed three games and parts of two others because of a broken leg, but completed 63.5 percent of his 241 passes to go along with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. Versatile senior running back Josh Ferguson has compiled 3,105 career yards from scrimmage - 1,878 rushing and 1,227 receiving - and is one of three active FBS players with at least 1,500 rushing and 1,000 receiving. The defense is expected to be led by senior linebacker Mason Monheim, who has 294 career tackles - second-most among active FBS players - after recording a career-best 111 last season.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Sophomore WR Mike Dudek, who set Illinois freshman records with 76 catches for 1,038 yards, is expected to be out until at least October because of a knee injury suffered in spring practice.

2. Illinois has won 17 consecutive home openers - the third-longest run among Big Ten teams behind Nebraska (29) and Wisconsin (19).

3. Kent State's only victory in 14 tries over a current Big Ten member occurred in 2012 when it stunned No. 7 and 7-0 Rutgers 35-23. ... The Golden Flashes and Fighting Illini have never met.

PREDICTION: Illinois 28, Kent State 14