How to Watch: No. 9 Illinois Football at No. 19 Indiana in Week 4

The Illini may be considered a top-10 team, but a key injury could be the edge needed by the formidable-in-their-own-right Hoosiers

Sep 13, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Alec Bryant (3) celebrates a sack during the second half against the Western Michigan Broncos at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Day and time: Saturday, Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
TV/Stream: NBC/Peacock
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 and WDWS-FM 93.9 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Fighting Illini Mobile App
SiriusXM 139/195
SXM App

Odds and ends

lllinois vs. Indiana all time: 46-25-3
Streak: Illinois, one win in a row
Last meeting: Illinois 48, Indiana 45, Nov. 11, 2023

By the numbers

Team	PPG	PPG allowed	3rd down success %	3rd down % allowed	Red zone scoring %	Red zone scoring % allowed	TOs	Opposing TOs
Illinois	45.0	7.3	47.1	31.6	88.8	66.7	0.0	2.0
Indiana	52.0	7.7	61.8	21.6	87.0	100.0	0.3	1.7

With a couple of rare exceptions, the numbers above are pretty similar – and, frankly, only ohld so much water given the levels of competition faced by both teams. (Illinois at least got some pushback at Duke – a team that received a few votes from AP pollsters – while Indiana has played nothing but doormats.)

In any case, a 61.8 percent success rate on third downs against a 21.6 percent rate allowed is impressive stuff, and both the Hoosiers' offense and defense present problems for the Illini – especially if injured Illinois defensive back Xavier Scott sits this one out, as expected. But if his protection is decent, quarterback Luke Altmyer can match Indiana counterpart Fernando Mendoza blow for blow. Meanwhile, Mendoza has quite possibly never faced – and certainly not this season – a pass rush as fearsome as that of linebacker Gabe Jacas and crew.

Although Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. prefers to spread the ball around in the passing game, not only will Altmyer's short-range targets be critical in this matchup, but the offense won't be able to pull its weight without proper support from pass protectors and the run game. That puts Arkin – a big, sure-handed outlet receiver and a solid blocker in both offensive phases – directly in the path of the storm. It says here that he'll be one to help the Illini batten down the hatches.

Illinois on SI preview

As stout as both defenses have been – both Illinois and Indiana are allowing barely a touchdown's worth of scoring per game – each team figures to take some lumps from the other's offense. In part, that's just the nature of college football, but both the Illini and Hoosiers have an excellent quarterback, a multitude of weapons and some sharp coaching minds at the controls. Even if Scott had been healthy, Indy's home-field edge and Curt Cignetti's play-design brilliance would have made this matchup no worse than a coin flip for the Hoosiers. Now? There just isn't quite enough going Illinois' way to call it for anyone but Indy.