Just weeks after the firing of Tim Beckman, the Fighting Illini and interim coach Bill Cubit find themselves sitting 2-0 after two dominant performances.

In their first game of the season, the Illini hosted Kent State.  The Illini routed the Golden Flashes 52-3.  Rochester-product Wes Lunt led the team, throwing for 162 yards and four touchdowns.  Senior running back Josh Ferguson had 76 yards on the ground and added a touchdown for the Cubit-led offense.  He also caught a 21-yard touchdown pass.  Without last year’s leading receiver Mikey Dudek, who is missing the first part of the season due to a torn ACL, the Illini need multiple receivers to step up and make plays for Lunt.  Against Kent State that’s exactly what happened.  Marchie Murdock, Sam Mays, and tight end Tyler White all hauled in touchdowns.  As good as the offense was, the defense was even better.  Safety Taylor Barton had a huge game against the Golden Flashes.  He had an interception and two tackles for loss.  The Illini defense as a unit held Kent State to only 245 yards of total offense.

This past weekend the Illini welcomed FCS Western Illinois to Champaign, and again the blue and orange dominated.  The Illini won 44-0 to propel them to 2-0.  Lunt had another big day, throwing for 316 and a touchdown.  Ferguson and Henry Enyenihi added touchdowns on the ground for the Illini.  Murdock and White both hauled in their second touchdown receptions of the season, and Taylor Barton picked off two passes as he and the defense held the Leathernecks to under 150 yards of total defense.

Illinois will have their first true test this Saturday, September 19, as they travel to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina.

My score prediction:  Illinois- 35    North Carolina- 31