Gameday is almost here at last, and the Illini march into Memorial Stadium looking to secure their 14th straight season-opening victory at home this Saturday. The opponent is the Akron Zips, who were defeated by the Illini 38-7 in 1996 in their only other matchup.
Here’s what the Illini will need to accomplish to emerge with a win on Saturday.
Establish a Consistent Rushing Attack
It’s little secret that Illinois’ running backs are the strong suit of the offense, and they must be used effectively wear out the Zips’ defense. The one-two punch of Reggie Corbin and Mike Epstein will likely be the best running back duo that Akron will face this season, and Rod Smith should try to get them into one-on-one matchups with Akron linebackers and defensive backs as much as possible.