Another week presents itself with an opportunity to rebound when Wisconsin heads to Champaign this weekend.

UW (1-3 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) comes off a loss to now-No.9 Michigan and will face an Illinois (2-4, 1-2) team led by former head coach Bret Bielema on Saturday inside Memorial Stadium (2:30 p.m. CT, BTN).

BadgerBlitz.com presents five burning questions leading into this division clash.

Things appear trending in right directions here. Quarterback Graham Mertz and tight end Jake Ferguson each left Saturday's game against Michigan with respective chest injuries, with the former being taken to the hospital for evaluation before being discharged later that day. BadgerBlitz.com previously wrote about Mertz talking about his experiences from that ordeal on Monday.

Head coach Paul Chryst, during his weekly Thursday availability, discussed Mertz's status for Saturday's game against Illinois. Within that, he further alluded to Ferguson as well.

"He's been able to practice, and that part's been good, so expecting to have everyone there," Chryst said. "Ferg's been able to practice. That part's all been good."

If those two return, that will help Wisconsin when it takes on an Illinois defense that allows 292.2 yards through the air per contest. Mertz still presents the best option under center at the moment, despite a rough start to 2021 where he has completed just over 56% of his throws for 681 yards and two touchdowns to six interceptions. Ferguson, a consistent threat in the passing game since 2018, sits second on the team in receptions (15).

Granted, the competition has been fierce for Wisconsin in three of its four games against a trio of top-15 programs. That being said, it has scored a combined 40 points in those outings. Unlike the defense that consistently makes its mark in pressure and stuffing the run, just what can the offense rely upon at the moment?

Its rushing attack has floundered starting with the Notre Dame game, accumulating just 121 yards on just over two yards per carry in the last two weekends. This, compared to averaging 266 yards per contest heading into its lone regular-season week off.

The passing game has shown signs of life -- like during Wisconsin's final two drives of the first half against Michigan where Mertz completed 8-of-10 throws for 115 yards and a touchdown -- but has not established itself. I firmly believe UW has a trio of wide receivers who can make plays in Kendric Pryor, Danny Davis and Chimere Dike, with the latter showcasing his skills in back-to-back catches before halftime. Can this aerial attack become more consistent and lift up the offense?

Illinois's defense allows nearly 25 points per game, and it gives up almost 42% of opponents' third-down conversions. However, UW's offense sits last in the Big Ten in moving the chains on that down (26.2%). Can that change starting this week?

Wisconsin has coughed up the ball 12 times this season -- eight interceptions and four fumbles lost -- during its four contests. Illinois sits at plus-four in the turnover margin (10 created, six lost) through its first half-dozen games in 2021.

UW saw key turnovers crush their hopes of continuing its undefeated season in Champaign two years ago in a 24-23 upset loss to Illinois.The Illini came away with two key takeaways in the final quarter -- three total in that game -- that led to the Badgers' first loss of 2019 in stunning fashion.

Keeping Wisconsin's quarterbacks upright will be key on Saturday as well. Illinois currently boasts 15 sacks through six games, and Pro Football Focus credits Bret Bielema's defense with 91 pressures so far.

Andy Vujnovich currently ranks 11th in the FBS in yards per punt at 47.7. Seven of his 22 punts have gone over 50 yards, with six landing inside opponents' 20-yard line (writer's note: BadgerBlitz.com spoke with Vujnovich on Monday and hopes to have something on the former D-III prospect by Saturday morning).

Collin Larsh has looked better this season, hitting 6-of-8 field goals. Those are two of the bright spots currently from Chris Haering's units.

As noted in our "From the Box" column earlier this week, special teams have produced momentum changes in the wrong direction for a team with not a lot of margin of error to work with. UW allowed a 96-yard kickoff return to Notre Dame's Chris Tyree, which became the catalyst for a 31-point, fourth quarter bashing courtesy of the Irish two games ago.

Two errors led to six Michigan points in the first half last weekend. A punt hit true freshman safety Hunter Wohler near the goal line in the second quarter, and Wolverines linebacker Joey Velazquez recovered it at the UW 5. The Badgers' defense, fortunately for the team's sake, held the Wolverines to a field goal on that red zone opportunity.

Later in the second quarter and with UW cutting the lead down to a touchdown, Jack Van Dyke's errant kickoff went out of bounds before the end zone. Michigan took over at its own 35-yard line, and the offense extended the lead to 10 once again on a 47-yard field goal to Jake Moody.

On top of that, Penn State blocked Larsh's first field goal attempt of 2021 -- a 25-yard chip shot -- in the season-opener.

The return units have not done much in terms of creating opportunities, though for the kickoffs, wide receiver Devin Chandler has not received many chances due to touchbacks. Just how much of a chance they will have against Illinois may be few and far between. Punter Blake Hayes averages over 45 yards per attempt, and 11 of his 32 attempts have been recorded as fair catches. Kicker James McCourt has registered 25 touchbacks in 28 kickoffs.

With the team needing a boost at times, can this phase step up for the final eight games?

Illinois averages more than 187 yards per contest from its ground attack, which averages 4.5 yards per carry. The running back duo of Chase Brown (379 yards, 7.3 yards per carry, three touchdowns) and Josh McCray (329, 5.5, one) lead the way. Brown claimed Big Ten offensive player of the week honors for his 257-yard performance against Charlotte on Oct. 2, while true freshman McCray boasts a 6-foot-1, 240-pound frame and ran for 156 yards on 24 carries against Purdue.

"Obviously, they've played a number of backs," defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said on Monday of Illinois' rushing attack. "I think they all run physical. They make you tackle. They're not a group that falls down without a fight, so I like their scheme. It's kind of similar to some of the things Michigan does with some of the fly motions and deception, using receivers in the run game, but the backs, they give you different skill sets.

"Different size, different speed. They're running powerful, they're running behind their pads. I respect the game. They want to make it a physical game and use the run and play action to try to throw the ball vertical, just as we've seen pretty much everyone do different ways the first part of the season."

That being said, this will be the toughest challenge for Illinois to date, and I expect Wisconsin to lock down. UW's MO on defense is always to constrict opponents' rushing attack. It leads the nations in rush defense, allowing 45.3 yards per game. Teams only gain 1.6 yards per carry against the Badgers.