Illinois vs. South Dakota State - a Preview of Sorts

We're hunting wabbits!

For the second consecutive year, the Fighting Illini host a Missouri Valley Conference school in their second non-conference game.  Last year, it was Southern Illinois; this year, it's South Dakota State.  But unlike last year, this year's schedule featured a winnable opening game, so a win on Saturday would move the Illini to 2-0, which would be their first 2-0 start since 2005.

I usually like to take a look at each team's statistics in my pregame write-ups as a way to learn about the opponent and to figure out how the match-ups will play out.  But, please - we're talking about South Dakota State here.  They're an FCS team (and not a particularly good FCS team at that).  So here's what I've got for you instead:

• South Dakota State's team nickname is the "Jackrabbits", and their cleverly-named mascot is Jack Rabbit.
• South Dakota State actually has an alum in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - Jim Langer, who played center for the Miami Dolphins' Super Bowl teams during the 1970s.  Colts' kicker Adam Vinatieri also played his college football for the Jackrabbits.  
• In 2010, the Jackrabbits finished with the exact same overall record (5-6) and conference record (4-4) as Southern Illinois did.  You know, the same Southern Illinois team the Illini beat 35-3 last year.
• The Jackrabbits nearly blew a 22-point 4th quarter lead against mighty Southern Utah in their home opener last week.  They managed to hold on for a 29-28 win by breaking up a two-point conversion play with two seconds left in the game.

Prediction
Under Ron Zook, the Illini are 5-0 against FCS teams, and all of those wins have been by at least 21 points.  Unless the two teams decide to not play an actual football game on Saturday, and instead go with an "alumni who currently play in the AFC South" field goal kicking contest between Vinatieri and Neil Rackers, this will be easy.

Illini 38
'rabbits 6