>>Illinois Travels To No. 22 Iowa
Iowa is ranked for the first time in five years.
With a win in Iowa City on Saturday, Illinois could make the Hawkeyes stay in the Top 25 a short one - and serve notice that it's an early contender in the Big Ten West.
The 22nd-ranked Hawkeyes (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) host the Illini in a matchup that's much more intriguing than it looked like it would be in August.
Iowa has been revitalized by the sweeping changes made by longtime coach Kirk Ferentz. Its defense has been among the best in league, holding Wisconsin to just a pair of field goals in last week's 10-6 win.
Illinois (4-1, 1-0) is fresh off what was technically a 14-13 upset of Nebraska at home last week.
>>Illini RB Ferguson Confirmed Out Saturday
Illinois said Thursday that starting running back Josh Ferguson will miss the Illini's game Saturday at No. 22 Iowa because of a shoulder injury.
Interim coach Bill Cubit had said earlier this week that he doubted Ferguson would play.
Ferguson injured the shoulder early in Illinois' 14-13 victory over Nebraska and did not return. The senior has 397 yards and three touchdowns on 71 carries for the Illini (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten).
Freshman Ke'Shawn Vaughn took over for Ferguson on Saturday and was the only other Illini back to carry the ball. Vaughn had 98 yards on 24 carries.
Cubit has said Illinois will need junior Henry Enyenihi to help pick up the rushing load at Iowa (5-0, 1-0).
>>Illinois State At No. 7 Youngstown State
Coming off a huge win at home against top-10 Northern Iowa last Saturday, things don't get any easier for the Illinois State Redbirds this weeks as they head to Youngstown, OH to take on former-Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini and the Youngstown State Penguins.
The Penguins jumped out to quick lead and rode a strong defensive effort to a 31-3 win over South Dakota last Saturday at the DakotaDome in the conference opener for both teams.
After a tough start to the season against the Iowa Hawkeyes, senior All-American running back Marshaun Coprich has bounced back and looks like the runner that led the FCS in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2014. Over the past three games, Coprich has averaged 159 yards per game and scored at least two touchdowns in each contest.
Derek Rivers leads a stout Penguin defense and ranks third in the MVFC with 7.5 tackles for loss on the season. His three sacks are also tied for fourth in the league and he has 19 tackles and a forced fumble on the season as well.
Last year at Hancock Stadium, coming off their first loss of the season, No. 12 Illinois State bounced back, dropping No. 10 Youngstown State by a score of 35-21.
Game time Saturday is 6 pm local time and the game can be viewed on ESPN3.
>>Eastern Illinois Hosts SEMO
Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri enter the weekend as two of the four unbeaten teams in the Ohio Valley Conference race.
Both teams opened OVC play last weekend with EIU winning on the road at Austin Peay and SEMO beating Murray State at home.
The Panthers are 1-3 overall. SEMO is 2-3.
Eastern Illinois defense limited Austin Peay to 41 yards passing during Saturday's win over the Governors. It marked the first time since Nov. 10, 2012 that EIU has held an opponent under 50 yards passing.
EIU's pass defense is first in the OVC and ninth in the FCS allowing just 146.5 yards per game through the air.
Game time is 1 pm from Charleston, IL. Hear all the action on The Big 1520 AM/92.3 FM WHOW.
