Cincinnati @ Illinois preview
Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)
Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2009 ) Illinois 36, Cincinnati 49
Although Munchie Legaux didn’t exactly put together the kind of performance in Cincinnati’s season opener to match his colorful name, he may have done enough to draw another start. Legaux, who is expected to lead his Bearcats again Saturday at Illinois, was replaced as the starter by Brendon Kay last season as he struggled with his decision-making. However, the senior quarterback went 13-for-20 for 145 yards and accounted for two scores in last Saturday’s 42-7 home rout of Purdue.
While Legaux was leaning on the Bearcats’ rushing attack and defense in the season opener, Illinois needed every bit of Nathan Scheelhaase’s career-high 416 yards passing in its season-opening victory over Southern Illinois. The Illini avoided becoming one of several FBS schools to lose to lower-level competition last weekend, but did struggle to hold a 22-point lead against a six-win FCS school from a season ago. "It's unacceptable and these (mistakes) have to get corrected," coach Tim Beckman said.
TV: 12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Cincinnati -8
ABOUT CINCINNATI (1-0): Legaux threw two interceptions in the win over the Boilermakers, perhaps one of the reasons why coach Tommy Tuberville has decided to keep the quarterback competition going for at least one more week. "This will be a big week for both quarterbacks, seeing how they improve," Tuberville said. "We made enough mistakes that it could have cost us if it had been a closer game. So we've got to cut back on those mistakes." Kay, who went 4-for-5 for 59 yards against Purdue, was in line to start before developing a sore passing shoulder over the summer that caused him to miss substantial practice time.
ABOUT ILLINOIS (1-0): Scheelhaase earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors after posting the 10th-best single-game passing performance in school history. Conversely, the running game managed only 49 yards on 30 carries against the Salukis and will not get any help from running back and Dami Ayoola, one of the team’s top recruits from 2011 who was kicked off the team for an unspecified violation of team rules. Illinois also allowed five sacks, further increasing the concern for a team trying to improve upon last season’s 2-10 finish.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Saturday will be Cincinnati’s first-ever visit to Memorial Stadium in the stadium's 91-year history and the second all-time meeting between the schools.
2. The Illini had six plays go for 30-plus yards against Southern Illinois, equaling the team's total for the entire 2012 season.
3. The Bearcats collected four turnovers against Purdue and have forced at least three in each of their last three contests.
PREDICTION: Cincinnati 38, Illinois 24