A lot is on the line when No. 13 MSU meets Illinois on Saturday at Spartan Stadium (noon, Big Ten Network).
The Spartans (6-0 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) will look to start 7-0 for the first time since 1966 and keep hopes of contending in the Big Ten alive.
The Fighting Illini (3-2, 1-1) are looking for their second-straight road win after a 33-13 shocker against Penn State.
Coming off a third-consecutive win against rival Michigan last weekend, MSU hopes to keep momentum in its direction and continue an undefeated season.
“As much as anything it’ll test our maturity as a football team,” MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said.
“After two big wins with some fruits of our labor
with the ranking and those types of things, it’s about what are we going to do next.”
The Spartans’ offense has been putting up major numbers, scoring at least 30 points in each of its first six games this season.
It’s been anchored by the nation’s No. 14 rushing game and sophomore running back Edwin Baker, who tore up U-M for 147 rushing yards, including a 61-yard touchdown run.
Illinois does not yield much on the ground, giving up only 65 yards against Penn State last week and allowing only 117 yards per game on the ground.
Linebacker Martez Wilson has 46 tackles and is the Fighting Illini’s top playmaker on defense.
Illinois’ pass defense is sound as well, as it has allowed only 187.2 yards per game through the air even though it returns a defense that was ranked at the bottom of the conference in total defense last season.
The Illini’s two losses came against No. 21 Missouri and No. 1 Ohio State, two still-unbeaten teams.
Illinois led Missouri until early in the fourth quarter in its 23-13 loss on Sept. 4, then was within a touchdown for most of the game against the Buckeyes in a 24-13 loss on Oct. 2.
The Fighting Illini are 8-12-1 all-time at Spartan Stadium, but have lost 11 of the past 12 against MSU.
Last season, the Spartans went into Memorial Stadium in Champagne, Ill., without quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was nursing an injury, and defeated the Fighting Illini, 24-14.
The Spartans hope to use this season’s mission of going 1-0 each week to maintain focus despite all the buzz surrounding the undefeated team.
“We’re trying to make a point that we’re taking everything seriously,” senior linebacker Jon Misch said.
“We just need to hit film as much as we have and even more.”
Illinois’ running game took center stage last week, earning 289 yards behind Mikel Leshoure’s 119-yard performance.
Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase is a dual threat who accounted for 61 rushing yards last week, but the Fighting Illini have the nation’s 114th-ranked passing offense.
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The game appears to come down to whether or not both teams can find balance on offense.
MSU and Illinois both averaging more than 200 rushing yards per game and have statistically good run defenses.
But Illinois is hoping to boost its passing game and MSU is hoping to boost its secondary, which will be without senior cornerback Chris L. Rucker, who was suspended on an OWI charge this week.
“I don’t think there’s any question that we’re the underdog and they’re the team that’s being hunted,” Illinois head coach Ron Zook said.
“This is the last chance we are going to have to play against an undefeated Big Ten team. … This is going to be our last chance. Our guys have to be ready to play. They know how good MSU is. They know that this is going to be a fierce battle and a physical battle. They’re looking forward to the challenge.”
