Michael Clayton

Oh, yeah.

Michael Clayton, Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the University of Illinois and for the conference as a whole.

So that's pretty exciting news.

And then we found this out in press conference earlier today, but negative news.

Aiden Loffrey led the rushing attack with 123 yards on 13 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run right before halftime that sparked the 21-0 Illini run.

First running back in the nation to have two 75-yard rushing touchdowns this season, by the way.

And yes, freshman starting quarterback Michael Clayton II.

He went 11 for 18 for 84 yards, two touchdowns.

But the problem that they have now is that they are without their starting quarterback, who has been really good throughout the year.

And so coming into this game with a backup quarterback and a defense that's been extremely porous, they're going to be starting a true freshman in his first start.

Michael Clayton is the expected starter after Tatenhauser got hurt against Michigan State.

He was six for eight for 88 yards and two touchdowns, so he didn't play poorly against Michigan State, but obviously it's a lot different when you come in off the bench versus when you're playing a team that's been preparing specifically for you all week.

So, um, I have to get ready for that, that trip again, a little bit.

Thankfully, weather's not really a factor here, but, um, I also don't think you can just chalk this up as an automatic win with the way that Oregon's offense has been playing

no I think defensively though again against a true freshman quarterback starting his first game like this is the worst team Oregon's played since Portland State so this is this is a game that should be very manageable for the Ducks having played a lot of ranked teams early in the season a lot of teams that are in the 20s or better on both sides of the ball in some cases some really good quarterbacks this is going to be a game where the defense for oregon should be able to dictate the pace of the game uh and that should create opportunities for oregon i think to build off what they did well last week offensively running the ball

yeah let's talk a little bit about that side of the ball so as you mentioned michael clayton will be taking over he's thrown six passes on the year they were all in the last game against um against Michigan State, which went to overtime.

So we got a battle of a few backup quarterbacks.

Freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II did come in off the bench for Illinois, throw two touchdowns, lead the Illini to that overtime victory over Michigan State.

So he'll be looking to continue some momentum there.

um for Oregon guys this is their first um trip to Illinois since 1993 it's only their third ever time traveling out there kind of an interesting fact there I doubt any of these guys have ever even been to a town like Champaign kind of in the middle of nowhere and I don't say that begrudgingly I think is what Big Ten country is all about.