>>Illini WR Dudek Unlikely To Play This Season

Illinois coach Bill Cubit says he doubts standout receiver Mike Dudek will play this season. And the coach isn't sure when starting running back Josh Ferguson will return.

Cubit said Monday that Dudek is at best two weeks away from returning after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in April. At that point the Illini (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten) would only have four regular-season games left.

As a freshman last year, Dudek led Illinois with 76 catches for 1,038 yards.

Cubit said Ferguson is questionable for Saturday's game against Wisconsin (5-2, 2-1) with the right-shoulder sprain suffered Oct. 3 against Nebraska.

Receiver Justin Hardee remains doubtful. He has been out all season with a broken foot.

>>Start Time Set For Halloween Matchup With Penn State

The Big Ten conference says the Oct. 31 game between Penn State and Illinois will kick off at noon Eastern time.

The conference said Monday that television plans are still yet to be decided. The game at Penn State will be shown on either ESPN2 or ESPNU. That decision will be made after this Saturday's games.

Illinois (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten) hosts Wisconsin while Penn State (5-2, 2-1) plays at Maryland.

>>Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer Not Naming Starting QB

Seven weeks into the 2015 season, Ohio State's starting quarterback position is right back where it started: in limbo between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett.

Barrett's outstanding performance as the designated "red zone quarterback" in the Buckeyes' 38-10 dismantling of Penn State on Saturday seems to have re-opened the starting quarterback battle, with Urban Meyer telling the media after the game he would need to "evaluate" the position and would "let you guys know" a decision on Monday. But Meyer demurred again with the press Monday, saying he had not yet had the chance to address the situation with Barrett and Jones directly and was not ready to make any firm announcements.

Jones didn't accomplish much against the Nittany Lions, throwing for an average of 5.6 yards on his 15 attempts and rushing for minus-16 yards in the ground game. Barrett, meanwhile, hit all four of his passes for 30 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 102 yards and two more touchdowns against what had been a stingy Penn State rush defense.