A lack of depth of Illinois has gotten worse since the season began.

Illinois (2-1) was missing several key players on each side of the ball in a 44-0 win over Charleston Southern over the weekend. Coach Tim Beckman isn't ready to say whether any will be back Saturday against Louisiana Tech (2-0).

Those key players include starting quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase. He's missed more than two games now with a sprained ankle.

Defensive injuries could really hurt. The Bulldogs run a high-tempo offense that allows them to run more than 80 plays a game. And they score a bunch, too. Louisiana Tech is averaging 56 points a game.