The Illinois football program is off to its best start in quite some time, going undefeated through the first five games of the season. With a 27-14 halftime lead, thanks in part to three touchdown passes from Nathan Scheelhaase, the Fighting Illini seem poised to remain undefeated through Saturday afternoon's battle with the Indiana Hoosiers.
Scheelhaase's day wasn't made easy when Shane Wynn took the opening kickoff 99 yards to give the Hoosiers an early 7-0 lead, forcing him to begin the game in a hole. The sophomore followed that up by throwing just nine passes in the first half. Five of the sophomore's passes, however, ended in completions and three ended up in the end zone as A.J. Jenkins caught a pair with tight end Jon Davis catching the other. Thus Scheelhaase, he's thrown for 173 yards despite just finding two different receivers.
Aside from the opening kickoff return, the Hoosiers have only managed a pair of field goals while struggling on both sides of the ball. Indiana has the only turnover of the game and has converted on just four of their 12 third down attempts.
For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Illinois blog Hail To The Orange and Indiana blog The Crimson Quarry. Stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub for more.