Western Kentucky (1-0) at Illinois (1-0)

7 p.m. Saturday

Memorial Stadium

Champaign, Ill.

Broadcast: Big Ten Network

Radio: WPTQ-105.3 FM,

WWKU-1450 AM

Projected starting lineups

HILLTOPPERS

OFFENSE

Ht. Wt. Yr.

QUARTERBACK

14 Mike White 6-4 225 r-Sr.

RUNNING BACK

32 D’Andre Ferby 6-1 225 r-Jr.

-or- 5 Marquez Trigg 6-0 225 r-So.

-or- 3 Quinton Baker 5-9 185 So.

WIDE RECEIVER

11 Lucky Jackson 6-1 185 r-So.

9 Xavier Lane 6-4 200 r-Fr.

-or-16 Quin Jernighan 6-3 210 r-So.

-or- 23 Cameron Echols-Luper 6-0 195 Gr.

1 Nacarius Fant 5-9 185 Sr.

-or- 8 Kylen Towner 5-8 175 r-Sr.

TIGHT END

19 Deon Yelder 6-4 255 r-Sr.

LEFT TACKLE

75 Jimmie Sims 6-4 295 r-Sr.

LEFT GUARD

51 Brandon Ray 6-2 300 r-Sr.

CENTER

64 Dennis Edwards 6-1 315 r-Jr.

RIGHT GUARD

63 Miles Pate 6-2 320 r-So.

RIGHT TACKLE

69 Matt Nord 6-6 310 r-Sr.

KICKER

37 Ryan Nuss 5-9 200 r-Jr.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE ENDS

42 Derik Overstreet 6-2 250 Sr.

43 Carson Jordan 6-2 255 Jr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

56 Evan Sayner 6-3 300 r-Jr.

3 Chris Johnson 6-1 285 Sr.

LINEBACKERS

25 Masai Whyte 6-0 225 r-Jr.

4 Joel Iyiegbuniwe 6-1 230 r-Jr.

NICKELBACK

1 Leverick Johnson 6-0 185 Sr.

CORNERBACKS

7 Joe Brown 5-10 195 Sr.

22 DeAndre Farris 5-10 190 r-Jr.

-or- 24 Roger Cray 5-10 170 Fr.

SAFETIES

9 Drell Greene 5-11 200 Jr.

2 Devon Key 6-1 205 r-Fr.

PUNTER

49 Jake Collins 6-1 210 r-Jr.

FIGHTING

ILLINI

OFFENSE

Ht. Wt. Yr.

QUARTERBACK

7 Chayce Crouch 6-4 230 Jr.

RUNNING BACK

22 Kendrick Foster 5-9 190 Sr.

TIGHT END

39 Nathan Echard 6-2 230 Sr.

WIDE RECEIVERS

18 Mike Dudek 5-11 185 Jr.

8 Dominic Thiemann 6-3 190 So.

11 Malik Turner 6-3 200 Sr.

OFFENSIVE LINE

53 Nick Allegretti 6-4 320 Jr.

65 Doug Kramer 6-2 295 r-Fr.

71 Zeke Martin 6-5 300 So.

72 Gabe Megginson 6-5 305 So.

52 Adam Solomon 6-6 310 So.

KICKER

43 Chase McLaughlin 6-1 180 Jr.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE ENDS

47 Sean Adesanya 6-3 250 Jr.

97 Bobby Roundtree 6-5 245 Fr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

55 Jamal Milan 6-3 300 So.

96 Tymir Oliver 6-4 285 So.

LINEBACKERS

2 Julian Jones 6-2 220 Jr.

3 Del’Shawn Phillips 6-2 220 Jr.

33 Tre Watson 6-2 235 Jr.

CORNERBACKS

6 Tony Adams 6-0 190 Fr.

31 Cameron Watkins 6-0 190 So.

SAFETIES

4 Bennett Williams 6-0 200 Fr.

21 Patrick Nelson 6-2 210 So.

PUNTER

14 Blake Hayes 6-6 230 Fr.

*Starting lineups subject to change

Position-by-position breakdown

QUARTERBACK: Mike White didn’t put up gaudy stats last week against Eastern Kentucky but showed why his coaches love him, completing 10 of 11 passes on third downs. Illinois’ Chayce Crouch was 10-of-19 for 145 yards with a touchdown and an interception throwing the ball last week in a win over Ball State. ADVANTAGE: WKU

RUNNING BACK: The Hilltoppers welcome sophomore speedster Quinton Baker back from suspension. He’ll complement D’Andre Ferby and Marquez Trigg’s between-the-tackles running. The Fighting Illini have a freshman in Mike Epstein who can carry the ball, catch passes out of the backfield and return kicks.WKU

WIDE RECEIVERS: Lucky Jackson showed last week why he’s WKU’s new No. 1 receiver, catching five passes for 144 yards and a TD. No other Topper had more than 40 receiving yards. Mike Dudek and Malik Turner combined for 111 receiving yards and a TD in the Fighting Illini’s 2014 win against WKU. Illinois

OFFENSIVE LINE: The Hilltoppers’ starting offensive line wasn’t dominant last week against EKU. WKU ran for just 2.5 yards per carry, and White was sacked three times. Illinois’ front also struggled last week, allowing Ball State to sack Crouch four times. Push

DEFENSIVE LINE: Tops defensive end Carson Jordan is questionable with what coach Mike Sanford said was a lower extremity injury. Nicholas Coffey and freshman DeAngelo Malone could see more time in his place. Talented Illini freshman Bobby Roundtree also had offers from Kentucky and Louisville. WKU

LINEBACKERS: Joel Iyiegbuniwe led WKU last week with nine tackles. Del’Shawn Phillips recorded 16 tackles for Illinois against Ball State, while Tre Watson finished with 12 tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery. Illinois

SECONDARY: Safety Devon Key stepped into a starting role last week for the Hilltoppers and posted eight tackles in his college debut. Also making a college debut last week was Fighting Illini freshman Nate Hobbs, a former WKU commit. He made three tackles. WKU

SPECIAL TEAMS: EKU avoided kicking to dangerous Hilltopper return men Nacarius Fant and Kylen Towner last week. Illinois might do the same. Meanwhile, Ryan Nuss hit his only field goal attempt last week after winning the starting place kicking job. WKU

Brad’s picks

Western Kentucky faces Power Five teams each season and has won those matchups just three times since completing the jump to FBS. One of coach Mike Sanford’s program goals is for the Hilltoppers to win such a game each year.

WKU will have to make some improvements from last week in order to make that happen Saturday, but expect them to do so.

Western Kentucky 27, Illinois 20

Season record: 1-0