Texas State @ Illinois preview

After entering the season with only six wins combined over the previous two years, Illinois looks to go 3-1 when it hosts Texas State of the Sun Belt Conference on Saturday. Although the victories wouldn’t be against power-conference teams, they would be an achievement for a program that is averaging fewer than five wins a season over the past decade and hasn't won a Big Ten title since 2001. The Illini hope to gain confidence before opening Big Ten play Sept. 27 at No. 22 Nebraska.

The Illini are coming off a rough outing at Washington where they saw the Huskies return an interception and a fumble for touchdowns, fell behind 35-5 in the second quarter and were called for 110 yards in penalties. The 44-19 loss came after Illinois opened the season with home wins over Youngstown State and Western Kentucky. The Illini trailed entering the fourth quarter in both of those contests before scoring 21 points.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPN News. LINE: Illinois -14

ABOUT TEXAS STATE (1-1): The Bobcats are led by dual-threat quarterback Tyler Jones, who was 21-of-25 for 278 yards and four touchdowns in a 65-0 season-opening victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and had a career-high 82 rushing yards in a 35-21 loss to Navy last week. Robert Lowe leads the Sun Belt with 121 yards rushing per game, highlighted by 150 on 14 carries with a touchdown in the opener. Texas State, in just its third year in FBS and second as a member of the Sun Belt, was hurt by penalties against Navy with 11 for 125 yards.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (2-1): Quarterback Wes Lunt is off to a hot start after sitting out last season following a transfer from Oklahoma State, where he was the first true-freshman to start at the position since at least 1950. Lunt ranks 11th in the nation with 971 passing yards and is tied for sixth in touchdowns passes with nine. Geronimo Allison has been Lunt’s go-to receiver with 16 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns, including six for 160 and both scores at Washington last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Lunt has eight pass plays of 30 or more yards this season, third best in FBS.

2. The Illini have eight comeback wins after trailing entering the fourth quarter since 2001, including two this season.

3. Illinois RB Josh Ferguson led the team with 779 yards rushing last season, but his 535 receiving yards set a school record for a running back, surpassing the previous mark of 503 by Kameno Bell in 1991.

PREDICTION: Illinois 35, Texas State 20