Western Michigan @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2011 ) Western Michigan 20, Illinois 23

Illinois and Western Michigan square off for the third time in five years Saturday as the Fighting Illini play their first game under new head coach Tim Beckman, who is no stranger to the Broncos. In three years at Toledo, Beckman battled Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference's West Division and beat the Broncos twice. The Illini knocked off WMU last year, 23-20. Both teams finished 7-6 and played in a bowl game. Illinois has won its last 14 home openers while Western Michigan searches for its first season-opening victory since 2004.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, ESPNU LINE: Illinois -10

ABOUT ILLINOIS (2011 record: 7-6, 2-6 Big Ten): Junior quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase is developing into a strong leader. Since midway through his freshman season (2010), Scheelhaase has thrown 26 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. He's passed for 2,427 yards and 21 TDs while rushing for 959 yards and six scores in Illinois' 14 wins the past two years. The Illinois defense was dominant in 2011, finishing third in the nation in pass defense, fourth in tackles for loss, sixth in sacks, seventh in total defense and 15th in scoring defense. Junior linebacker Jonathan Brown led the Big Ten in tackles and was second in tackles for loss.

ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN (2011 record: 7-6, 5-3 MAC): The Broncos sport one of the top quarterbacks in the nation in Alex Carder, who is the FBS' returning leader in total offense (345.3). Carder threw for a school record 548 yards and a MAC-record seven touchdown passes in WMU's 66-63 loss against a Toledo team coached by Beckman last year. Carder topped 400 yards passing five times last year. Junior rover Johnnie Simon leads the Bronco defense. He had 114 tackles, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions in 2011. Head coach Bill Cubit, now in his eighth season, has four wins over BCS conference teams, including Illinois in 2008.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Illinois' current two-game bowl win streak is the longest among Big Ten teams.

2. WMU will open a season for the fifth straight year against a Big Ten team. That includes Nebraska, which joined the league last season.

3. Illinois has had more first-round NFL draft picks (five) than any other Big Ten team in the last five years, including two last year (Whitney Mercilus and A.J. Jenkins).

PREDICTION: Western Michigan 27, Illinois 24