I'm not sure Illinois is better than Purdue on paper.
But, the Illini should definitely be more experienced than the Boilermakers, that's for sure.
Purdue will be one of the youngest teams in the country, comprised of largely underclassmen. This season will definitely be more of a challenge for Jeff Brohm and his staff as they must overcome some depth issues to make a third bowl in a row.
If there's one saving grace for the Boilermakers, it is the fact that they have recruited well in tandem with their success in recent seasons.
Brohm took the short-term gains route when he was hired as head coach for Purdue in 2017.