First Look: Illinois Football Week 1 Opponent Western Illinois

The Leathernecks on the field

Frankly, it's almost impossible to project much for the Leathernecks, whose roster has been almost completely turned over. In Monday's press conference, Bielema said his staff had counted 57 new players on WIU's roster, which would seem to be a good thing. (Almost any change from the Leathernecks' abysmal recent run is worth embracing.)Still, some of Western Illinois' best (and only) assets are now gone – including quarterback Nathan Lamb and receiver Matt Henry, who were among the top three producers nationally in total offense and receiving yards, respectively. At the same time, their numbers were undoubtedly inflated by the prevent schemes and multiple-touchdown deficits they faced over and over last season.

Still, things are looking up in Macomb. Davis has a reputation as a bright offensive mind and a developer of quarterbacks, and returning senior quarterback Chris Irvin is being counted on to keep the passing offense humming while the other units are playing catch-up. Preseason projections have the Leathernecks pegged for a middle-of-the-pack finish (fifth in the OVC–Big South), but even if they ultimately exceed those expectations, keeping up with Illinois at Memorial Stadium is, at this point, a bridge too far.

Illinois vs. Western Illinois matchup

For Illinois, the opener offers a chance to establish an identity and a rhythm right away. With College Football Playoff aspirations, the Illini will be seeking more than just wins in games like these. They want to look the part of a contender, which means unleashing destruction on the WIUs of the world. In just the fourth meeting between these schools (and first since 2018), despite only a couple hours' drive separating them, the Leathernecks will get a meaningful opportunity to measure themselves against the state's flagship school – even if the results aren't pretty.

Illinois enters as one of the heaviest favorites of the opening weekend, with the spread hovering at around 45 points. Expect the Illini to play things pretty straight, avoiding showing their hand to Big Ten foes.

Outside linebacker Gabe Jacas and his front-seven teammates will be tasked with generating pressure, and the schemes behind them figure to be somewhat vanilla (including, perhaps, more man-to-man coverage across the board than usual from defensive coordinator Aaron Henry). Meanwhile, quarterback Luke Altmyer will likely strike with a big play or three, but running backs Kaden Feagin, Aidan Laughery and Ca'Lil Valentine will perform most of the heavy lifting for the offense in what should be a literal runaway win for the Illini.