.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
UNC at Illinois: Game info, TV, weather and more
It’s finally game day again folks!
The North Carolina Tar Heels (0-1) are in Illinois to take on the Fighting Illini (1-0) under the lights at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
These two teams met last season, with the Tar Heels winning 48-14. But this isn’t the same Illinois team. They have a new head coach in Lovie Smith, an improved defense and a better offense.
UNC is coming off a disappointing loss to Georgia to open the season. It was the second-straight year the Tar Heels lost to an SEC team to begin the year.
Last season, UNC rallied off 11-straight wins after losing to South Carolina in the opener. One of those wins was against Illinois.
For the Illini, they are looking for that first signature win in the Lovie Smith era. After beating Murray State, the confidence is high but they must play better in week two. Look for the Illini to try and expose UNC’s run defense, much like Georgia did.
The Illini have a backfield with two solid running backs, so if the run game gets going early it could mean bad news for the UNC defense.
On the other side, Tar Heels quarterback Mitch Trubkisy has to play better. He was shaky in the opening game but did make some nice plays. Keep an eye on Trubisky early and see if the Tar Heels take some shots deep again.
Now onto the game info.
WHAT? UNC at Illinois
WHEN? Today, 7:30 p.m. ET
WHERE? Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois
TV? Big Ten Network. Eric Collins (play-by-play), J Lehman (analyst) and Rick Pizzo (sideline).
RADIO? Tar Heel Sports Network. Jones Angell (play-by-play), William Henderson (analyst) and Lee Pace (sideline)
WEATHER? Isolated thunderstorms during the day. Partly cloudy skies at kickoff and a low of 53 degrees at night. There’s a 10 percent chance of rain, but it shouldn’t effect the game.
LAST MEETING? 2015. UNC defeated Illinois 48-14.
ALL-TIME SERIES? UNC leads 3-0.
BETTING LINE? UNC -8
Keeping It Heel Coverage
As always, make sure you follow Keeping It Heel on Twitter for in-game analysis on what we hope is a Tar Heels win. Check back for postgame coverage on the game and future Tar Heels football games this season.
More from Keeping It Heel
This article originally appeared on 
