Iowa @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 1, 2008 ) Iowa 24, Illinois 27

With Illinois suffering four double-digit losses its last five games, there’s no reason to expect positive vibes in Champaign this week. But the mood does happen to be fairly upbeat in anticipation of starting quarterback Wes Lunt’s expected return Saturday against visiting Iowa. “He (Lunt) had a great week last week, and it was great to see him out there,” Illinois coach Tim Beckman said this week in his press conference. “He was throwing the ball very well, and I think the wide receivers got the sense that he was back out there on the football field.”

The Hawkeyes are smarting from last week’s 51-14 loss at Minnesota in which they were was outrushed by the Gophers, 291-84, and turned the ball over three times in a complete reversal of fortune from the previous week’s 48-7 thrashing of Northwestern. “It's really hard to predict what's going to happen any week.” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said during his weekly press conference. “... All I know is you gotta get ready to go, have a good week of practice and preparation and go play well. If you do those things, you give yourself a good chance, and if you don't, the door's open.”

TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Iowa -3.5

ABOUT IOWA (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten): The Hawkeyes had won four of five heading into the Minnesota contest but slipped a game off the conference’s West Division lead with loss. Avoiding turnovers will be emphasized more than usual this week as quarterback Jake Rudock threw an interception and lost a fumble in Minneapolis. The Iowa defense, which leads the Big Ten with only 121.4 passing yards allowed per game will pose an obstacle to Lunt and the Illini aerial attack as secondary starters John Lowdermilk, Jordan Lomax, Greg Mabin and Desmond King have combined for 18 pass breakups and five interceptions.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (4-5, 1-4): Lunt, a transfer from Oklahoma State, has missed the last three games with a fractured fibula, but was ranked among the FBS top 20 in most passing categories prior to the Oct. 4 injury. One of his prime targets will be Mike Dudek, who has 45 receptions for 707 yards this season in breaking Arrelious Benn’s 2007 school record for freshman receiving yards. The Illini defense has struggled, allowing 483.1 yards and 36.7 points per game, but don’t blame play-making cornerback V’Angelo Bentley who has returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns this season and is the only player who has scored touchdowns via kickoff, punt, interception and fumble return in program history.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Iowa has won seven of the last 10 games in the series, but the two teams haven’t met since Illinois’ 27-24 win in 2008.

2. The Illini are coming off their second bye week of the season and stunned visiting Minnesota 28-24 on Oct. 25 following their first week off.

3. The Hawkeyes have lost LB Travis Perry for the rest of the season after he suffered a lower-leg injury against Minnesota, but tailback Jordan Canzeri is expected back after missing the last two games with an ankle sprain.

PREDICTION: Iowa 31, Illinois 27