How often will the Illini players and staff be tested for COVID-19 this season?

It’s complicated.

Currently, the Illini are being tested five times a week, Monday through Friday.

The players and coaches are using the saliva tests that are being deployed campus-wide.

“What’s going to change is we will add on what the Big Ten is doing on top of what campus is doing,” said Randy Ballard, Illinois associate athletic director of sports medicine.

Ballard is working with head football athletic trainer Jeremy Busch in the program’s dealing with COVID-19.

All told, the program goes through about 200 tests every weekday.

League schools are awaiting final confirmation on how Big Ten testing will work.

“We will have to do whatever the conference mandates,” Ballard said. “It sounds like they are going to mandate daily antigen testing that will be done by a third party.”

Here’s where it gets tricky: If the Big Ten asks for testing seven days a week, it will likely cut into the number of required on-campus tests for the Illinois players.

“We’re still working through some of those logistics,” Ballard said.

The goal is to have the players and coaches competing on a clean, safe field this fall and winter.

“Testing every day is essential to make that happen,” Ballard said. “That’s not necessarily what’s happening across the Power 5. But I think that is one of the things the Big Ten has hung their hat on: We’re going to try to do everything we can for health and safety of athletes, which involves testing every day.”

What does Illinois need to do to jump into the AP Top 25?

Until Sunday, Big Ten teams weren’t eligible. But they are now.

On his preseasons ballot, when Big Ten teams were included, Steve Batterson of the Quad City (Iowa) Times had six from Kevin Warren’s league.

Illinois plays two of those six — Wisconsin and Minnesota — in the first three weeks.

“Wins over those two would qualify as attention-getters and position the Illini for a spot on my ballot,” Batterson said.

Batterson and the rest of the 61 AP voters have to figure out how and when to add Big Ten teams to their ballots.

“Working Big Ten teams back into my rankings — especially ones that weren’t in my poll before they were removed — is going to be tricky,” Ryan Aber of the Oklahoman said. “But the schedule will give them the chance to move in quickly if they’re able to have success.”

If the original 2020 Illinois schedule had remained in place, Neill Ostrout would have covered an Illinois game. He is the UConn football and basketball beat writer for the Manchester (Conn.) Journal Inquirer. The Huskies were supposed to play in Champaign on Sept. 12.

It won’t take a perfect season for Illinois to land a spot on his ballot. But it will take a fast start.

“Win at Wisconsin. That always grabs some attention,” Ostrout said. “Other than that, win three straight afterward.”

To consider Illinois, Matt Baker of the Tampa (Fla.) Bay Times said he will need to see wins against Wisconsin, Purdue and Minnesota. Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review already had his eye on Illinois before 2020. And if Illinois opens with a win at Wisconsin, it will get a long look from DiPaola.

“I have a lot of respect for Paul Chryst, what he has done at Wisconsin and what he tried to do at Pitt,” DiPaola said. “Good man, good coachBeating Wisconsin two seasons in a row can’t be ignored.”

How are practices different?

The football work is same old, same old. Lots of running, listening and learning.

“We’re still going out there, we’re competing, we’re improving,” tailback Chase Brown said.

Other than the daily COVID-19 testing, Lovie Smith is using the same routine.

“Our schedule that we’re going to use is our schedule from last year,” said Tim Knox, assistant athletic director for football operations. “What the virus is doing is it’s affecting really what you do prior to and then afterward.”

More virtual meetings are taking place. And when they are in person, social distancing is a must. Inside the Smith Center, the coaches and staff wear masks around others. Alone in their offices, they can take the masks off.

“Once I get up and go get some water,” Knox said, “I’m going to put this mask on.”

New rules are in place for the team to follow because of the pandemic.

“There’s always going to be that COVID elephant in the room,” Brown said.

Knox is impressed with the players doing their part. The attitude starts from the top. Smith has remained calm.

“Of all the coaches I’ve worked for,” Knox said, “he would be the one I’d want to go through anything with.”

How will the Illini travel to their four road games?

The opener is at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis. In the past, that would be a short flight. At a cost of about $75,000.

But Illinois had long ago decided to bus to the Wisconsin capital. How many buses?

Seven, which is up from the usual five.

“We’re increasing that number just to allow for A) comfort and B) some distance within the buses,” Knox said.

The Illinois travel party will stay at a Marriott property in Wisconsin. As always, players will stay two to a room. That is easier to do because the players will all have been tested before they arrive.

“We have to fight against our guys falling into this false sense of security,” Knox said.

The travel party has been reduced considerably, with only essential personnel will make the trips.

Illinois will also bus to Northwestern on Dec. 12 for the regular-season finale in Evanston. The two other Illinois road games — at Rutgers on Nov. 14 at Nebraska on Nov. 21 — will include flights. Knox said there were no discussions about taking a nine-hour bus ride to Lincoln, Neb.

Knox said all the road hotels are set.

“They’re excited to have the business,” Knox said.

Still to be determined are the sites for the ninth game on the schedule during championship week. The Big Ten title game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, but locations for the other six games haven’t been released.

Knox prefers the final game be played in Champaign. Or somewhere close.

“If anything, we just want to know,” Knox said. “I’m holding eight buses for three days because we don’t know. It’s going to be very hard to get a plane, so hopefully, it’s not too far away.”