PISCATAWAY — After years of being at the bottom of the Big Ten Conference, No. 24 Illinois and Rutgers are going in the right direction under Bret Bielema and Greg Schiano with the season entering its final two weeks. The Illini (7-3, 4-3, No. 25 CFP) and Rutgers (6-4, 3-4) are both bowl eligible heading into Saturday’s game at SHI Stadium, and both have a lot at stake. Illinois has had an exceptional season, especially considering two of its losses have been to No. 1 Oregon and No. 4 Penn State. If it can beat the Scarlet Knights and Northwestern in the final two games, the Illini will post its first nine-win season and likely get a bid to a prestigious bowl game. Bielema’s team is ranked in the College Football Poll for only the second time. The other time was in 2022 for two weeks. “The fact of the matter is we have an unbelievable opportunity in front of us with Rutgers to put ourselves in a position with two games remaining to have a lot to play for,” Bielema said. “It’s pretty awesome.” Rutgers is in the same position in what has been a rollercoaster season. It opened with four straight wins, followed by four losses and now two wins. The Scarlet Knights have never had a three-game winning streak in conference play since joining the Big Ten in 2014. They have never won four league games in a season. The fact this game is on Senior Day is not lost on Schiano, who started his second tour at the New Jersey university in 2020, taking over a program that had nine wins overall in the previous four years. “This group is a special group,” Schiano said. “If you think back to when they decided to come to Rutgers, they had a huge leap of faith. Let’s call it what it was, we were probably the worst Power 5 football program in America at the time.” Rutgers is in line to make its third bowl appearance in the last five years, including one as a replacement team in COVID-19 season. It’s progress for both schools. NFL receiver room Schiano said Illinois has an NFL group of wide outs, led by Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin. Bryant has 43 catches for 717 yards and eight touchdowns. He is averaging 14.5 yards. Franklin has 48 catches for 559 yards and three TDs, with an 11.7-yard average. Rutgers has one of the top secondaries in the conference with cornerback Robert Longerbeam and Erik Rogers at the cornerbacks and Shaquan Loyal, Flip Dixon and Kaj Sanders at the safeties. The defending Big Ten rushing champion Kyle Monangai ranks 11th nationally and second in the Big Ten, averaging 114.2 yards rushing. He ranks 15th nationally and second in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns. The New Jersey high school star ranks ninth nationally and first in the Big Ten with 197 carries. Monangai has no career fumbles (610 carries, 35 receptions). He has rushed for 1,028 yards and has scored a touchdown in 7 of 9 games played. He is the first Rutgers player since Ray Rice (2005-07) with consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. Special teams Bielema said he started preparing to face the Rutgers punt block team three weeks ago. That’s not ordinary. Rutgers has blocked 73 kicks (43 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under Schiano, including 15 games with multiple blocks. The Scarlet Knights lead the nation with 10 blocked punts over the previous three seasons. Sack City Illinois had five sacks in its win over Michigan State this past weekend. It leads the Big Ten, averaging 3.14. Outside linebacker Gabe Jacas is tied for the conference lead with seven sacks. Rutgers’ line needs to protect quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to win. Rutgers Gameday WHO: No. 24 Illinois (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) at Rutgers (6-4, 3-4) WHEN: Saturday, Noon, SHI Stadium, Piscataway TV/ RADIO: Peacock/ 660 WFAN; 93.5 FOX Sports New Jersey BetMGM ODDS: Rutgers by 1 1/2. SERIES HISTORY: Illinois leads 5-3. WHAT’S AT STAKE?: Both teams are bowl eligible and are playing for bids to more high-profile games. After snapping a two-game losing streak with a win over Michigan State and moving into the CFP for the second time at No. 25, Illinois finishes out the regular season with games at Rutgers and at Northwestern. The Scarlet Knights can clinch a second straight winning season with a record third-straight win in conference play. KEY MATCHUP: Rutgers offensive line against Illinois’ front seven. The Illini lead the Big Ten in sacks during conference games, averaging 3.14. Outside linebacker Gabe Jacas is tied for the conference lead with seven sacks. Rutgers’ line is led by tackle Hollin Pierce. It has allowed an average of 1.6 sacks, ninth-best in the league, and has cleared the way for running back Kyle Monangai to post his second straight 1,000-yard season. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Illinois: Pat Bryant. The wide receiver has 43 catches for 717 yards and eight touchdowns, which is third in the Big Ten and tied for 15th in the nation. He caught four passes for a career-high 135 yards and a TD in his final home game this past weekend. Rutgers: Linebacker Dariel Djabome. The junior leads the team with 88 tackles and is tied for the team lead in tackles for loss with five, three of which came in a win over Minnesota. He ranks 24th nationally in tackles per game and his 8.8 average is tied for fourth in the Big Ten. The Canadian has led the team in tackles in six times. FACTS & FIGURES: Illinois is back in the Top 25 for the eighth time this season. The total is the program’s most since 2001, when it appeared in 10 polls. … Illini QB Luke Altmyer has the conference’s best touchdown to interception ratio with 18 TDs and three picks. … Illinois has three defensive backs with multiple interceptions: Xavier Scott (3), Miles Scott (2), and Torrie Cox Jr. (2). …. Illinois ranks 8th-best nationally in fewest penalty yards per game (36.4), one behind Rutgers at (34.6). … Rutgers is bowl eligible for the eighth time under coach Greg Schiano and is poised to earn the 13th bowl invitation in program history. The Scarlet Knights last earned bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons from 2011-14. … Rutgers has never won four conference games in a season since joining the league. … QB Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown 14 touchdown passes. … Monangai ranks third in Rutgers history with 2,970 yards rushing and is tied for seventh with 26 rushing touchdowns. … Rutgers allowed less than 20 points in back-to-back Big Ten games for the second time since joining the conference, also in 2022 (Nebraska and Indiana). … Rutgers has blocked 73 kicks (43 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) in Schiano’s two tenures.