Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Battle Illini Saturday
10/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
October 24, 2002
It could be the single biggest game of the season to this point.
Indiana and Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
The season may not be made or broken on Saturday, but Indiana's confidence will indeed either take a large step forward or backward.
Should the Hoosiers win, they'll move to 4-4 on the year and will be two wins away from becoming bowl eligible with four games remaining (three of which are against teams with sub-.500 records).
Should Indiana lose, they face the prospect of being 3-5 and having to win three of their last four games (two of which are on the road).
As for Saturday's contest itself, the two teams would appear strikingly similar to each other. The Hoosiers (3-4 overall; 1-2 Big Ten) create the majority of their offense through the air, as do the Illini (2-5 overall; 1-2 Big Ten).
In fact, Illinois and Indiana rank first and second in the conference in passing yards per game at 293.4 and 274.1 yards per game, respectively.
Both teams feature explosive wide receivers, with Illinois' Brandon Lloyd ranking second in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game with a 114.4 average. Indiana's primary deep threat is sophomore Courtney Roby, whose 104.0 yards per game ranks him fourth in the conference and 13th in the nation.
Roby is coming off an 11-catch, 198 yard eruption against Iowa that was one of the biggest statistical games in Indiana history.
Roby's 11 catches marked the fifth-highest total in school history, while his 198 yards was good for fourth on Indiana's single-game list. It was some of the catches he didn't make, however, that were most noticeable.
"I am young and I am still learning," Roby said. "I am a true sophomore and so I am still learning the game of college football. Statistically it was my best game, but production wise it was probably my worst. I just learn from the mistakes that I made and try not to make them again."
He, along with fellow receiver Glenn Johnson and the rest of the Hoosier receiving corps will get an opportunity against the Illini. Illinois ranks in the bottom half of the Big Ten in pass defense, allowing 232.9 yards per game.
Headlining the Illini defense is defensive back Eugene Wilson, who was a first-team All-Big Ten honoree last year and was recognized as the nation's second-best cornerback in the preseason by The Sporting News.
Fresh off consecutive 300-yard passing performances against Wisconsin and Iowa, quarterback Gibran Hamdan is looking to become the first Indiana signal-caller to post three straight 300-yard passing games.
Coming off a career-best 121-yard rushing game against the nation's second-ranked run defense, Brian Lewis also figures to place his stamp on Saturday's contest in Champaign. Lewis will be facing the Big Ten's second-worst run defense.
