The Legends Division-leading Spartans (6-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) clash with Cubit once again at 3:30 p.m. in Champaign, Ill., before a looming rivalry showdown with Michigan. MSU has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Illini (3-3, 0-2).

“I know coach Cubit is excited,” Beckman said. “When you play against the best, which Michigan State is, we know that we’re gonna have to be able to mix-and-match and be able to run the football to be successful, and throw the football as well.”

The Illini have boosted nearly every statistical category on offense since Cubit’s arrival. After finishing 119th nationally in total offense last season, Illinois is averaging nearly 150 more yards and 18 points more per game in 2013.

Cubit pushes the buttons, but the on-field maestro is senior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase. Head coach Mark Dantonio referred to the mobile four-year starter as “an established quarterback.” Averaging 267.7 total yards per game, Scheelhaase trails only U-M’s Devin Gardner in total offense in the Big Ten.

Scheelhaase and Co. have yet to see a defense like MSU’s, though, which ranks among the nation’s top five in total defense, scoring defense, rush defense and pass defense.

Looking at the Illini offense, Dantonio sees old elements Cubit ran at Western Michigan mixed in with new concepts, he said.

“I think they create a lot of problems for you offensively,” Dantonio said. “… Scheelhaase is playing well and it gives you a guy that can do a variety of things.”

So much attention centers on the Illinois offense because its defense hasn’t put up much of a fight all season. The Illini have the second-worst statistical defense in the conference and allow more than 32 points per game.

Saturday should give the Spartans a second straight opportunity to flex their muscle on a weaker opponent, and Illinois struggles to defend the run, which bodes well for MSU’s unit.

Although that was the case last week against Purdue, and the Spartans barely managed 14 points and struggled throughout the game.

“We were improving as a football team,” Dantonio said. “Did we take a step back this last week? Probably. In some cases we did, in other cases, even offensively, in other cases we took a step forward. … So it just depends on how we look at it and what we have to do. But that’s why we’re coaching and we’re just going to try and identify problems and solve those problems as we move through the process here.”