The Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-3, 3-2) will look to extend their winning streak to three games on Saturday afternoon against the Illinois Fighting Illini (3-5, 1-4). Here's what you need to know about Saturday's matchup.

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP EVERY DAY WITH YOUR PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION!

When: Saturday, November 4, 2:30 p.m.

Where: Huntington Bank Stadium (50,805) | Minneapolis, MN

TV: BTN | Connor Onion (PxP), Matt Millen (Analyst)

Radio: KFAN | Mike Grimm (Pxp), Darrell Thompson (Analyst), Justin Gaard (Reporter)

SiriusXM: 108/196/SiriusXM App

Minnesota - P.J. Fleck (7th year at Minnesota ; 11th overall)

- Career Record: 79-52

- Record at Minnesota: 49-30

- Record vs Illinois: 4-3

Illinois - Bret Bielema (3rd year at Illinois; 10th overall)

- Career Record: 113-75

- Record at Illinois: 16-17

- Record vs Minnesota: 9-0

The Golden Gophers have the advantage in the series though Illinois has won each of the last two matchups. The Golden Gohpers are 23-13-2 at home all-time against the Fighting Illini.

It will be a chilly morning in Minneapolis but my game time it will be in the high 40s, low 50s. There isn't expected to be much wind on Saturday with gusts up to 7 mph. No precipitation is expected on Saturday.

Minnesota vs Illinois Visitors List

Enemy Intel: Illinois Fighting Illini

What does Minnesota's 2024 Big Ten schedule look like?

What are the keys to victory for the Golden Gophers against Illinois?

Recruiting Rouser - Visitor follow-up, JUCO offers

LOCKED ON GOLDEN GOPHERS: 3 Keys to victory

Stats & Highlights: Checking in on Minnesota's 2024 commitments

Minnesota vs Illinois: What to know about the Illinois Fighting Illini

Locked on Golden Gophers: Offense shows life, Jordan Nubin's big day

P.J. Fleck Press Conference Notes: Illinois week

- How Can the Gophers Win the Big Ten West?! It Starts vs Illinois Saturday + Hoops Begins!

- PREDICTIONS - Minnesota Gophers vs Illinois Fighting Illini + Gophers 2024 B1G Schedule

- Minnesota Gophers Need the Pass Game to Take Down the Illinois Fighting Illini - 3 Keys to Victory

Minnesota is a two-point favorite over the Illini with the over/under for the game set at 43.5.

Read Minnesota's full game notes

Tied for first in the Big Ten West and having won two games in a row, Minnesota (5-3, 3-2 B1G) closes out a two-game homestand Saturday as it welcomes in Illinois (3-5, 1-4 B1G) to Minneapolis. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network.

Saturday marks the 100th game in the 15-year history of Huntington Bank Stadium. The facility opened in 2009 and saw Minnesota defeat Air Force, 20-13, in its first game on Sept. 12. In total, the Golden Gophers have posted a 61-38 record at the stadium, including a 29-14 mark since P.J. Fleck took over in 2017. The Gophers have had a winning record at home in each of the last six full seasons played and 10 times overall (excluding this year), including a program-best 6-1 record in 2014, 2016 and 2019.

Jordan Nubin was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after his standout performance in Saturday's 27-12 victory against Michigan State. Entering the game with 15 career rushing attempts for 51 yards, he rushed 40 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns against the Spartans. His 204 yards are also the 28th most in program history and 18th most this season in the FBS. Nubin's 40 carries set a Huntington Bank Stadium record and tied for the seventh most in program history. For further context, no other player in the country this year has more than 34 carries in a game. On Saturday, he had four carries of 10 yards or more, which included a careerlong of 19 yards and an 18-yard touchdown run. Nubin rushed 18 timed for 79 yards in the first half and followed with 22 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. He is the first Gopher to be named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week since Mohamed Ibrahim on Nov. 21, 2022.

Since 2021, Minnesota has seen seven different running backs combine for 26 100-yard rushing games: Mohamed Ibrahim (10), Ky Thomas (5), Mar'Keise Irving (3), Trey Potts (3), Darius Taylor (3), Jordan Nubin (1) and Bryce Williams (1). Ibrahim (2) and Nubin (1) have also combined for three 200-yard games. Within the Big Ten, only Michigan State and Nebraska (five each) have had more than four different 100-yard rushers since 2021. In addition, Michigan joins Minnesota as the only teams to have multiple 200-yard rushers in that same time span. The 2023 campaign is the seventh for head coach P.J. Fleck at Minnesota, where his record is 49-30. He is fifth in program history for overall wins, Big Ten wins (29) and games coached (79). Fleck's .620 win percentage is third best among Minnesota coaches with at least 45 games under their helm behind only Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, ‘45-50). In his 11th season overall as a college head coach, Fleck is 79-52 (.603).

Minnesota and Illinois meet for the 76th time on Saturday with the Golden Gophers leading the all-time series, 40-32-3. The Illini have won the past two meetings, but the teams have split the last four, and Minnesota has prevailed in five of the last eight and eight of the last 12 in the series. Illinois has not won three straight games in the series since winning three in a row from 1993-95.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota leads 23-13-2 in the series, including wins in four of the last five meetings.

P.J. Fleck is 3-3 against Illinois as head coach of Minnesota and 4-3 against the Illini overall. A win Saturday would make Illinois just the second school that Fleck has beaten at least five times in his career. He has already beaten Nebraska six times in his coaching career.

After Minnesota (34 players), Illinois (15) ranks second among states that Gophers call home. u Minnesota's 15 Illinois natives are: freshman LS Ryan Algrim (Elburn), seventh-year WR Chris Autman-Bell (Kankakee), fifth-year WR Corey Crooms Jr. (Country Club Hills), redshirt freshman TE Jack DiSano (Glenview), redshirt sophomore TE Jameson Geers (Channahon), redshirt senior OL JJ Guedet (Washington), redshirt sophomore DL Jack Hawkinson (Frankfort), redshirt sophomore QB Athan Kaliakmanis and redshirt sophomore WR Dino Kaliakmanis (both Antioch), freshman LB Matt Kingsbury (Chicago), redshirt sophomore RB Jordan Nubin and fifth year DB Tyler Nubin (both Saint Charles), sixth-year LB Ryan Selig (Lake Villa), fifth-year RB Sean Tyler (Richton Park) and freshman TE Pierce Walsh (Downers Grove).

In addition, three of the 11 members of the Gophers' coaching staff hail from Illinois: Fleck (Sugar Grove), offensive line coach Brian Callahan (Chicago), and safeties coach Danny Collins (Oak Lawn).

Illinois has no Minnesotans on its roster.

Two members of the Illini coaching staff spent time at Minnesota in their careers. Illinois assistant head coach/ wide receivers coach George McDonald was the Gophers' wide receivers coach in 2007-08, while offensive line coach Bart Miller held the same role at Minnesota in 2016.

McDonald was also the wide receivers coach at Northern Illinois from 2001-03, which were Fleck's final three seasons as a player for the Huskies.

Minnesota running backs coach Luc McKissic-Luke was the Northern Illinois running backs and fullbacks coach in 2020 when Illinois wide receiver Keion Battle was a true freshman for the Huskies.

Illinois offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Barry Lunney Jr. was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1996 and played one season of minor league baseball for the team.

Coming off a bye, Illinois enters the game with a 3-5 record overall and a 1-4 mark in league play. The Illini split its first four games of the season but has lost three of its last four. Their lone Big Ten win came over Maryland on Oct. 14.

The Gophers and Illini have one common opponent this year in Nebraska. Minnesota opened the season with a 13-10 win over the Huskers, while Illinois lost to the Huskers at home on Oct. 6, 20-7.

Luke Altmeyer has completed 151-of-239 passes for 1,671 yards with 10 touchdown passes and nine interceptions for a quarterback rating of 128.19. He also leads the team with 83 rushing attempts and three rushing touchdowns to go with 301 rush yards (second on the team).

Kaden Feagin is Illinois' top rusher at 329 yards on 67 attempts, while Reggie Love III is averaging a team-best 5.0 yards per carry and 51.40 yards per game (257 yards and a touchdown on 51 carries in five games).

The receiving corps is led by Isaiah Williams who has a team-high 46 catches for a team-leading 562 yards and one touchdown. Pat Bryant has a team-best five receiving touchdowns and his 319 receiving yards are second on the team. Casey Washington is another receiving threat with 271 yards on 25 receptions.

Defensively, Dylan Rosiek has a team-high 51 tackles and three fumble recoveries, while Miles Scott is right behind him at 50 stops. Jer'Zhan Newton has been the top disruptor with 4.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Xavier Scott's two interceptions make up half of the Illini total this year, and his seven pass breakups are most on the team.

Hugh Robertson is averaging 43.05 yards per punt, and Caleb Griffit is 6-of-9 on field goals this year.

LAST TIME VS. THE ILLINI

With assistance from the AP: Chase Brown rushed for 180 yards on a career-high 41 carries and caught a 40-yard touchdown pass, Minnesota was limited to its fewest yards in five years, and No. 24 Illinois won its sixth straight game with a 26-14 victory last season in Champaign.

Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 127 yards, his nation-leading 14th straight 100-yard game, and the bulk of the Gophers' 180 total yards.

Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan, held to just 21 yards on 4-for-12 passing, left early in the fourth quarter after taking a hit to the head. Athan Kaliakmanis entered for the Gophers and was intercepted twice.

Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito, back from an ankle injury that forced him out of the prior game, ran for a 5-yard score early in the third quarter to put the Illini up 20-14. He completed 25 of 32 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown.

Brown got wide open on a wheel route for his 40-yard touchdown to finish Illinois' nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the game. Fabrizio Pinton tacked on a 31-yard field goal to give the Illini a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. Pinton then connected from 23 yards in the third and from 30 yards in the fourth to extend Illinois' lead.

Quentin Redding's 92-yard return of the second-half kickoff set up Ibrahim's 4-yard touchdown, which gave the Gophers a brief 14-13 lead.

PREVIOUSLY IN MINNEAPOLIS

With assistance from the AP:

Chase Brown rushed 33 times for 150 yards, and the Illinois defense delivered six sacks and two interceptions of Minnesota's Tanner Morgan on the way to a 14-6 victory when the teams last met in Minneapolis in 2021.

Kerby Joseph picked off Morgan at the Illini 45-yard line with 38 seconds left to halt the too-little-too-late rally by the Gophers. Morgan had pulled the Gophers to within one scored when he scored on a fourth-and-1 bootleg with 4:56 to go after going 7 for 8 for 68 yards on the drive.

The Illini finished the game with seven consecutive punts, except for a kneel-down at the end of each half, but Brown moved the chains with a 7-yard run off left tackle on third-and-4 near midfield around the 3-minute mark. Blake Hayes pooched his last punt to land it at the 2, leaving only 1:12 left and no timeouts for Morgan and the Gophers.

Brandon Peters attempted just nine passes, but he was as sharp as he needed to be with seven completions for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Illinois matched Minnesota's per-game average allowance with 93 rushing yards in the first quarter. Seth Coleman provided the spark by tipping Morgan's third-down pass at the line, deflecting the ball toward fellow linebacker Tarique Barnes for an interception near midfield to thwart a promising opening possession for the Gophers.

Wide receiver Isaiah Williams scored on a 2-yard jet sweep to finish a strong response to the turnover. Then after forcing a three-and-out, the Illini moved from their own 9 to reach the end zone again on the first play of the second quarter. With a bootleg rollout to his right, Peters threw to tight end Tip Reiman from 15 yards out.

Read Illinois's full game notes

Illinois Travels to Minnesota Coming off Bye Week

• Illinois is coming off its bye week, the team’s latest first bye since 2011 (Nov. 5). • Illinois is looking for its third straight win over Minnesota. The Illini have not beaten Minnesota in three straight meetings since 1993-95.

• Bret Bielema is looking for his seventh Big Ten road win in his first three seasons as Illinois’ head coach. Currently, his six Big Ten road wins are tied for the third-most by a head coach in Illinois history through their first three seasons. Only John Mackovic (9, 1988-90) and Lou Tepper (8, 1992- 94) won more Big Ten road games in their first three seasons at Illinois than Bielema. Mike White (1980-82) and Ray Eliot (1942-44) also won six Big Ten road games in their first three seasons.

• Bielema’s 10 Big Ten wins through his first three seasons at Illinois are the most since Lou Tepper won 13 in his first three seasons (1992-94). Bielema already has the fifth-most Big Ten wins through three seasons among the Illini’s 13 head coaches in modern history (post-1940).

The Law Firm of Newton and Randolph

• Defensive tackles Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton and Keith Randolph Jr., who go by the nickname “The Law Firm,” are one of the top defensive tackle duos in the nation over the last two seasons.

• Newton was named to the AP Midseason All-American First Team. He is looking to be the second Illini defender to earn Consensus All-American honors in as many years, following DB Devon Witherspoon. Illinois has not had back-to-back years with consensus All-Americans since linebackers Dana Howard (1994) and Kevin Hardy (1995) from 1994-95.

• Newton is tied for the national lead in QB pressures among interior defenders with 31, according to PFF, equal to Tulane’s Patrick Jenkins. Newton leads Big Ten defensive tackles by eight pressures with the next closest being Ohio State’s Michael Hall Jr. (23).

• Newton has been one of the most durable interior defenders in the nation, as he ranks third in the nation in snaps among defensive tackles with 502 (62.75 per game). Newton has played 67 more snaps than any other Big Ten interior defender, as Iowa’s Logan Lee is the next closest at 435.

• Newton’s two biggest games have come against two of Illinois’ best opponents. He had eight pressures against Wisconsin, the most by any defensive tackle in the nation this season, and seven pressures against #7 Penn State in Illinois’ Big Ten opener, the second-most by any defensive tackle in a game this season. Newton was the highest-rated Power-5 defensive tackle in the nation during Week 3 vs. Penn State and Week 8 vs. Wisconsin (minimum 30 snaps), according to PFF. His 95.0 grade against Wisconsin was the highest by a Big Ten defender since 2019.

• Randolph leads the nation in tackles per game among defensive tackles with 5.5.

• Both Newton and Randolph were named Preseason All-Americans by multiple outlets prior to the start of the 2023 season. Newton was Illinois’ first-ever Preseason AP All-American.

• Newton led the nation in QB hits (19) and ranked sixth in the nation in pressures (54) in 2022. • The Law Firm led the nation in TFLs (27.0) and QB pressures (81) among D-line duos (81) in 2022.

• Newton and Randolph were second and third in the Big Ten in TFLs (14.0, 13.0) and ranked first and second among interior defensive linemen in 2022.

• Newton tied Pitt’s Calijah Kancey (14.0) for the most TFLs by any Power-5 interior defensive linemen in 2022, and Randolph was third (13.0). Kancey was the ACC Def. Player of the Year.

#1 Among Nation’s Most Reliable

• Isaiah Williams is second in the Big Ten in receptions (46) and receiving yards (562), trailing only Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. (48-889) in both categories.

• Williams is third in the Big Ten with 26 first-down receptions, tied with Minnesota’s Daniel Jackson and trailing only Harrison (34) and Penn State’s KeAndre Lambert-Smith (27).

• Williams has at least one catch in all 33 games since he switched from QB prior to the start of the 2021 season, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and tied for the 9th-longest active streak in the nation.

• Williams has at least three catches in 22 straight games.

• Williams is No. 2 in Illinois history in career receptions with 178. In the Illinois record book, Williams trails only College Football Hall of Famer David Williams’ 262 receptions (1983-85).

• Williams has 1,811 career receiving yards, ninth all-time in Illinois history. • Williams is the Power-5 active leader in receptions among players who have eligibility remaining.

Notes from the Maryland Win

• QB Luke Altmyer led his second game-winning drive of the season and K Caleb Griffin drilled his second last-second game-winning field goal to give Illinois a 27-24 upset victory at Maryland during Week 7.

• Griffin’s 43-yard game-winner made him the first kicker to have two game-winning field goals (final minute) in a single season in Illinois history. Discher Leading Top-Ranked Special Teams

• Illinois leads the nation in blocked kicks (4) under first-year coordinator Robby Discher.

• PFF ranks Illinois’ overall special teams unit at #10 in the nation. • All-American Johnny Newton has two blocked kicks (vs. Penn State, at Purdue), and the Illini have blocked punts by Ashton Hollins (at Purdue) and Ryan Meed (vs. Penn State). No other Big Ten team has more than two blocked kicks/punts.

• Illinois is one of only five teams in the nation with two blocked punts (OU, Pitt, Vandy, SJSU).

• K Caleb Griffin is the first Illini kicker to have two game-winning field goals in a single season. His 43-yard winner at Maryland was the second walk-off field goal on the road in Illinois history, along with Mike Bass’ 46-yard winner as time expired at Wisconsin in 1982.

• Griffin hit a 53-yard field goal to end the first half at Purdue, his career long. It was the 6th-longest in program history and the longest ever by an Illini in a road game.

• P Hugh Robertson’s average is up to 43.05 yards/punt, 3.05 better than last season.

True Freshmen Impact

• Illinois’ 2023 recruiting class was the program’s highest-ranked class since 2009 according to Rivals and highest ranked since 2011 according to 247Sports. Bielema’s first two-year stretch of recruiting was Illinois’ best since 2008-09 according to 247Sports and Rivals.

• Running back Kaden Feagin ranks 11th in the Big Ten in yards/carry (4.9) and leads the conference among true freshmen.

• Feagin has started the last two games. If Feagin starts the rest of the regular season, he would tie Robert Holcombe’s Illinois record of six starts by a true freshman running back set in 1994.

• In his first significant playing time against Florida Atlantic, corner Zachary Tobe was the highest-graded true freshman defender in the nation during Week 4 (87.0), according to PFF. Tobe was also the highest-graded freshman in the Big Ten (all positions) during Week 4 (87.0).

• Tobe and fellow true freshman CB Saboor Karriem both had three pass breakups against FAU.

• Wide receiver Malik Elzy has five receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown on the season, all coming in Big Ten games. He missed the Maryland game with an injury.

• 10 Illinois true freshmen have passed the four-game redshirt limit: DL Alex Bray, DB Jaheim Clarke, WR Malik Elzy, RB Kaden Feagin, OL Brandon Henderson, DB Saboor Karriem, K David Olano, DB Mac Resetich, DB Zachary Tobe, and WR Kenari Wilcher.

Big Ten Availability Reporting

• As mandated by the Big Ten, Illinois’ availability report will become public two hours prior to kick.

• Illinois has five expected contributors who are out for the season. Players who are out for the season are not listed in each weekly report:

» RB #0 Josh McCray -- Co-starter at running back had 43 carries, 156 yards in five games

» DB #1 Demetrius Hill -- Expected backup at safety played in one game

» DB #2 Matthew Bailey -- Expected starter at safety played in one game

» RB #25 Jordan Anderson -- Expected contributor was injured in training camp

» LB #45 Malachi Hood -- Expected contributor was injured in training camp

Originally I was thinking of a 17-13 type score but I've changed my mind and will go Minnesota 24 - Illinois 13. The Golden Gophers match up well against this Illinois team in the fact that Illini is struggling to stop opposing run games this season while the Golden Gophers have had great success on the ground against most opponents this season. The Illini offense has a few playmakers but is an offense that the Gophers defense should be able to contain, for the most part.

============================

- Talk about it INSIDE GOPHER NATION.

- SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST

- SUBSCRIBE TO LOGoldenGophers

- Follow us on Twitter: @MinnesotaRivals, @AlexCarlsonTGR, @SeanW_Rivals, @DylanCC_FB, @GopherKaneRob, @LOGoldenGophers, @drew_toennies

- SUBSCRIBE to The Gopher Report.