Football

How Illinois Football Takes Care of Business vs Western Michigan

Keys to victory for Illinois Football as they take on Western Michigan under the primetime lights of a sold-out Memorial Stadium.

Published

2 hours ago

September 12, 2025

Kirkland Chappell

Credit: Alex Kyi - Armchair Illini

The 9th-ranked Illini enter Week 3 as heavy favorites, leaning on a veteran roster, hungry to keep their momentum rolling ahead of a Big Ten opener in Bloomington against the 22nd-ranked Hoosiers. For Bret Bielema’s crew, Saturday’s matchup with Western Michigan presents an ideal opportunity to clean things up even more (and stay healthy) in a game that, seemingly, doesn’t pose many obvious challenges.

Still, looking too far ahead can be dangerous.

For head coach Lance Taylor, the trip to Champaign is about seeing how his Broncos respond to a top-ten opponent after a crushing defeat in Week 2. Speaking with the media this week, Taylor emphasized that his team will carry the same standard into their battle with Illinois as they would against any opponent. Still searching for their first win of the season, Western Michigan enters with little to lose — and this matchup could be the perfect chance to play free, give it their all, and try to shock the nation against a team most expect to roll them.

When was the last time Western Michigan knocked off a Big Ten team? The Broncos have dropped 10 straight to the conference since their most recent victory back in 2016 — a 34-10 victory over Lovie Smith’s Illini in Champaign, led by none other than current Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck. Considering the program’s current struggles, pulling off another upset seems unlikely. However, history proves that it’s not out of the question.

With that in mind, here’s what I see as Illinois’ key opportunity for a blowout win under the lights, along with the Broncos’ biggest threat to the Fighting Illini, ahead of their Big Ten opener.

After some health scares in Week 2 at Duke, it will be crucial for Illinois Football to come out of the game vs the Broncos healthy.

Despite offensive struggles and open QB competition, Western Michigan’s defense has been active. They have combined for 7 sacks through their first two games, four of which came against Michigan State. Edge rusher Nadame Tucker and DT Rodney McGraw (both with 2.5 sacks) have shown the ability to apply consistent pressure. Tucker and McGraw are the kind of guys Illinois’ offensive line has to stop.

Bart Miller’s unit, despite a strong second half against Duke, has shown some inconsistency as they shake the offseason rust. While it is a bit concerning that all five starters are returning from 2024, early struggles are not unusual in the trenches. This matchup provides a prime opportunity for Miller’s crew to assert itself and build confidence heading into conference play. However, sharp execution will be necessary.

Keeping Luke Altmyer clean will be critical, and the same goes for the Illini’s running backs, who have injury histories. The offensive line must set the tone, control the line of scrimmage, and limit risk to key playmakers. If they execute well, Illinois will dominate on all fronts. But, if not, Altmyer could face unnecessary hits.

Truthfully, the national consensus is that this game will be a blowout for Illinois. It’s certainly tough for a MAC team, still chasing its first win of the season, to keep up with a veteran top-10 program. That said, this matchup presents a prime opportunity to clean up rotations and give valuable reps to build confidence.

Opportunity for Illinois Football to Continue Building this Roster’s Confidence

Could DB Tanner Heckel, who had a standout game against Duke, continue to make an impact?

Will tight end Cole Rusk, who is working his way back after a season-ending injury in 2024, make more big plays in week 3 after an athletic score against the Blue Devils?

Can Hudson Clement find his footing after transferring in from West Virginia?

Will Malik Elzy, who’s built a lot of anticipation around his career, finally have that breakout moment?

This feels like the perfect week for Illinois to answer those questions.

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Kirkland Chappell

Kirkland is an expert source for Illinois athletics news. He is the lead Football analyst at Armchair Illini and has been featured in top media publications like Bleacher Report, Yard Barker, Autograph, Newsbreak, CBS Sports and more.