With two victories in the nonconference portion of the schedule, Illinois already matched its victory 2006 total, but starting Saturday the road to success will get a whole lot more dangerous.

“This is kind of the time of the year everybody aims for,” head coach Ron Zook said at his weekly luncheon. “We’re getting ready to play a pretty good Indiana team. They have the most skill of any team we’ve seen.”

The Hoosiers will enter the Big Ten opener in Bloomington, Ind., a perfect 3-0 with victories against Indiana State, Western Michigan and Akron.

“Their defense is pretty good, but their offense is scary good,” Zook said.

Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis leads the Hoosier attack, which is averaging 44.3 points per game.

Lewis, like Illinois’ Juice Williams, poses multiple challenges for the opposing defense.

The 6-foot-1 sophomore leads all quarterbacks in rushing and is 31st nationally in total rushing with 105.6 yards per game.

“He has a very, very quick release,” Zook said. “He almost just flicks it out there and he seems to have a strong arm. He can beat you with his feet and his arm. How do you defend that?”

Illinois kicker Michael Cklamovski and the rest of the Illini kickoff squad will have a challenge this week when they try to stop return man Marcus Thigpen.

Thigpen led the nation with three touchdowns and a 30.1-yard return average last season, which included a 98-yard touchdown return against Illinois.

“Hopefully we can try to contain him; we’re very, very concerned about him,” Zook said. “He’s an awfully, awfully great player.”

Last season the Hoosiers erased a 25-7 second-quarter deficit and won on a last second 33-yard field goal by Austin Starr.

“We haven’t beaten them in the two years since I’ve been here and that’s my concern,” Zook said.

Running backs update

Lost in the dominating rushing performance by Rashard Mendenhall, Troy Pollard and Williams was the absence of sophomore Daniel Dufrene. After playing a major role in the Illinois backfield in each of the first two games, Dufrene left the game with a slightly sprained ankle after carrying the ball just two times.

Zook said Mendenhall also had a minor ankle sprain, but he is not overly concerned with either injury. Both players were wearing the same Nike shoes, so Zook called the company, who assured him the shoes were not faulty.

Tight ends emerge

Tight end Jeff Cumberland made his first catch of the season a big one. The sophomore snagged Williams’ throw on the opening drive to cap the Illini’s first opening-drive touchdown of the season.

“That helped (him),” Zook said. “He’s got a little different hitch in his giddy-up right now.”

The catch was not only the first for Cumberland but also by any Illini tight end.

“Everybody wants the tight ends involved, but I think what we have to do is we have to use the people that give us the best opportunity to be successful,” Zook said.