The Fighting Illini begin a string of three straight prime time games when Western Kentucky comes to Memorial Stadium Saturday night for a 7 p.m. opening kick.

Illinois opened the season with a 24-21 win over Ball State on Saturday thanks to a walk-off blocked field goal.

 

Freshman RB Mike Epstein  had a team-high 105 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in his Illini debut, including the go-ahead one-yard plunge with 2:06 left in the game.

 

Mike Dudek caught four passes for 55 yards and a touchdown and WR Malik Turner caught six passes for 56 yards against WKU in a matchup in 2014. Dudek, Turner and OL Christian DiLauro are the only current Illini that appeared against WKU in 2014. 

 

Catch all the action Saturday night on The Big Ten Network. 

 

>>Illinois State on Bye This Week

 

After a season opening 45-0 over Butler last Saturday, the Illinois State Redbirds are on bye as they prepare for their in-state rivalry meeting with Eastern Illinois a week from Saturday in Charleston.

 

Game time next Saturday is 2 pm.

 

>>Eastern Illinois At Northern Illinois

 

Eastern Illinois plays its second straight game on the road facing FBS member Northern Illinois after last week's 22-20 win over Indiana State.

 

Northern Illinois lost to Boston College 23-20 last Saturday in DeKalb.

 

Hear this week's action at 2 pm on The Big 1520 AM/92.3 FM WHOW and online at dewittdailynews.com.