Syracuse at 0-2 to start the season will prove to serve as a warmup game so to speak before the Illini start conference play. They had their way with the Illini last year and Juice is looking to redeem himself, and the team this season. Things started off rocky for the Illini when the Orange held on to a one score lead for the majority of the first half. Although the momentum would begin to shift just before halftime when the Illini would score back to back touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead at the half.

Second half was all Illini, their defense would only allow one more score while the offense rattled off 2 more scores to close out the game 35-21. With the win, Illinois would suffer a huge blow to their defensive line. David Lindquist will miss the next 8 weeks with a broken wrist suffered in the first quarter. Syrcuse will also miss star HB Curtis Brinkley he would also break his wrist late in the 4th, and will miss 8 weeks as well.