Three Things to Know About Illinois Football vs. Duke Ahead of Kickoff

There are always key matchups and intriguing storylines in every college football game, but they just don't land the same in lopsided outings like Illinois' lambasting of Western Illinois in Week 1. When the Illini face off against Duke on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, ESPN), however, a plethora of interesting tidbits, battles worth monitoring and aspects of the game could help determine the winner. Here are three things to know heading into Week 2 and Illinois-Duke:

3. Expect a low-turnover battle

Nov 23, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Dymere Miller (0) is tackled by Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Xavier Scott (14) during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Duke may have turned opponents over at a relatively high rate last year (opponents: 2.1 turnovers per game), but the Blue Devils failed to generate a turnover against Elon in Week 1. To top it off, Illinois rarely coughed up the football in 2024 and is even more experienced – and therefore arguably less turnover-prone – than it was a year ago. On the other side of the ball, the Illini typically don't force many turnovers against good offenses – and Duke likely qualifies.

None of this necessarily means Saturday will be a gunslinging, high-scoring shootout, but it certainly shouldn't be a turnover bonanza. With that in mind, any cough-ups in this Week 2 outing will prove paramount in the final outcome, making ball security a top priority for both squads.

2. Duke’s wide receiver corps is deep and veteran-laden

Oct 26, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Que'Sean Brown (14) catches the football to make a touchdown during the first half of the game against Southern Methodist Mustangs at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The Illinois-Duke discussion thus far has been dominated by quarterback Darian Mensah – at least on the Blue Devils’ side. And although he is undeniably a skilled, multi-talented dime-dropper, Mensah’s job is made a lot easier by the weapons at his disposal.

Sahmir Hagans from Darian Mensah on the fade!! 😈 pic.twitter.com/el32pu9Rlx
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) August 29, 2025

Three of Duke’s top four receivers are graduate students with at least four years of college experience to their names, while speedster Que’Sean Brown – arguably the least experienced among the Blue Devils’ key wide receivers – is already producing like a veteran. Expect Duke to use five or more receivers to attack Illinois’ secondary in a handful of different ways.

1. Illinois’ ground game can thrive

Chains kept moving. So did Laughery.
100 yards rushing. pic.twitter.com/4pcF8Ihe9n
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) August 31, 2025

Elon, led by athletic quarterback Landen Clark, had a solid rushing performance in Week 1, going for 163 yards and two touchdowns (albeit on 44 carries) against Duke. Last year the Blue Devils allowed a fairly hefty 149.6 rushing yards per game.

Meanwhile, Illinois, with its versatile running attack, rumbled for 209 yards and three scores on 5.6 yards per carry in Week 1. Behind their experienced offensive line (five returning starters from 2024) and talented trio of running backs, the Illini should gash the Blue Devils on the ground.