When 15th-ranked Purdue clashes with the Illini in Champaign on Saturday, both teams will have big expectations to live up to.

Illinois will be waging the next battle in its war to prove it has improved over last year, when the team finished winless in the Big Ten.When 15th-ranked Purdue clashes with the Illini in Champaign on Saturday, both teams will have big expectations to live up to.

Illinois will be waging the next battle in its war to prove it has improved over last year, when the team finished winless in the Big Ten.

Purdue will have to prove it can establish a winning record on the road as easily as it has at home.

“With this being our first road game, it’ll be interesting to see how we react to adversity as a football team,” said Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton. “We haven’t really faced any so far, and our young players haven’t played in an environment away from home. If Illinois starts out with big plays and the crowd gets into it, it’s harder.”

The Boilermakers easily steamrolled their first two opponents, defeating Syracuse 51-0 and Ball State 59-7.

Orton passed for 287 yards and a career-high four touchdowns against the Orange, leading the Boilermakers to their first shutout since 2000. He broke the record again a week later, throwing for five touchdowns and running for another against Ball State.

Head coach Joe Tiller said Orton’s strong offensive leadership is one of the team’s greatest assets this season and will be a stabilizing force as the season progresses.

“I don’t expect to see carelessness from him,” Tiller said. “I feel he’s a mature guy whose personality will keep him level-headed no matter what direction our season takes.”

Despite the ease with which the team overtook its first two opponents wide receiver Taylor Stubblefield said maintaining a perfect record would be a challenge.

Last season Purdue was 9-4 overall, but went 3-3 on the road, which is motivating the team to do better away from home.

“We’ve had fairly easy success early on in the season,” Stubblefield said. “One of the goals coming in to this season was to win on the road. If we can do that after the wins we’ve had, go on the road and have a win, whether it’s a tough win or we win convincingly, it will show very good signs of maturity from our team.”

Tiller said he was most concerned about Illinois’ offense, kicking game and depth.

“They have an explosive offense and kicking game, and those will be our two biggest fears,” Tiller said. “I think they can really stretch the field vertically offensively. … (Illinois) has good speed at the wide receiver position, unlike any speed we’ve seen to date.”

When Purdue and Illinois last met in Champaign, the Illini pulled off an early touchdown much like the one that opened the Western Michigan game. Defensive back Travis Williams returned the kickoff 90 yards just 19 seconds after the start of the game.

“We remember two years ago when (Illinois) returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown,” Tiller said. “That’s hard to forget.”