Give Bob a piece of your mind here

Bob Asmussen breaks down Saturday's game:

1

How will Justin Green perform is his first start at cornerback?

Well, you know he is going to try. Really, really hard. But the guy has been on defense for less than two weeks and had little work at cornerback before arriving at Illinois. Had he moved to the position during the spring, he would have a chance to be a royal pain for the Missouri passing game. But with little training and a lot of pressure, it could be a long day. He'll get better. And by the end of the season, the change will look brilliant. Just not now.

2

Will Blaine Gabbert throw for 300-plus yards?

If the Missouri receivers come through, the number might be closer to 400. A couple of things point toward a big day for the junior. First, he is used to the building and had great success against Illinois in last year's game. Second, his running game is depleted by injuries and suspensions, meaning more of the offensive attention will be pointed at him. And, finally, he's got an inexperienced Illini secondary to pick on.

3

Is Martez Wilson ready to tackle people?

It sure looks like it. Check out his Q&A in this section and you will read the words of a guy who is A) not thinking about his injury and B) comfortable with what he is being asked to do on defense. In the final days of Camp Rantoul, Wilson seemed to flying around like the old days. He is putting the injury behind him and ready to play. Sitting out most of last season served as great motivation for a guy who already had plenty of it. We'll guess 12 tackles and two sacks.

4

Have the fans embraced the game?

Not exactly. When you have to do combo tickets with the St. Louis Cardinals just to get people in the seats that is not a good sign. Maybe playing four games in a row was a mistake. Maybe the luster is gone. Maybe the fans are sick of the trip to St. Louis. Illinois sold its allotment, but Missouri still figures to have a considerable crowd advantage. If the attendance doesn't rise much above the midweek total of 50,000, the place is going to feel empty.

5

Which Illini freshman will have the greatest impact?

Let's avoid the obvious, tight end Evan Wilson. He almost isn't fair for this category because you already know he's starting. So, instead, let's pick defensive end Brandon Denmark. He is listed third at Bandit, but given his play during Camp Rantoul, Denmark will get some time on defense. When they got Denmark to commit late in the recruiting season, the Illinois coaches felt like they gotten a steal. He has done nothing in his first month with the team to dispel that notion.