IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is ranked for the first time in five years. With a win in Iowa City on Saturday, Illinois could make the Hawkeyes stay in the Top 25 a short one — and serve notice that it’s an early contender in the Big Ten West. The 22nd-ranked Hawkeyes (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) host the Illini in a matchup that’s much more intriguing than it looked like it would be in August.

Iowa has been revitalized by the sweeping changes made by longtime coach Kirk Ferentz. Its defense has been among the best in league, holding Wisconsin to just a pair of field goals in last week’s 10-6 win. Illinois (4-1, 1-0) is fresh off what was technically a 14-13 upset of Nebraska at home last week.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Baseball fans converging on downtown St. Louis for the first-round playoffs series between the Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs can expect a greater police presence. St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson says officers will be in greater numbers for the best-of-five series that gets under way Friday (today). Game 2 is on Saturday.

A local business promotion group, Downtown STL Inc., says it will provide guides who will be able to help direct fans to the city’s sites and assist them to their and from their vehicles, among other things.

Such services aren’t uncommon for big events in downtown St. Louis. But it comes two weeks after an Army veteran was shot and potentially paralyzed during a robber as he walked with his girlfriend to their vehicle after a Cardinals game.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — All-Star catcher Yadier Molina is on the St. Louis Cardinals roster for the NL division series against the Chicago Cubs and will play wearing a splint to protect a strained ligament in his left thumb. Molina was injured on a tag play in Chicago on Sept. 20. The Cardinals roster includes four rookies — outfielder Randal Grichuk, outfielder-first baseman Stephen Piscotty, outfielder Tommy Pham and infielder Greg Garcia — for the best-of-five series that starts Friday night.

Lefty Tyler Lyons joins them after impressive outings down the stretch. Expected in the lineup for Game 1 are Grichuk in right field and Piscotty at first. Not on the roster: First baseman Matt Adams, who returned late in the season from a torn quadriceps; relievers Randy Choate and Steve Cishek and infielder Pete Kozmaby.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois said Thursday that starting running back Josh Ferguson will miss the Illini’s game Saturday at No. 22 Iowa because of a shoulder injury. Interim coach Bill Cubit had said earlier this week that he doubted Ferguson would play.

Ferguson injured the shoulder early in Illinois’ 14-13 victory over Nebraska and did not return. The senior has 397 yards and three touchdowns on 71 carries for the Illini (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten). Freshman Ke’Shawn Vaughn took over for Ferguson on Saturday and was the only other Illini back to carry the ball. Vaughn had 98 yards on 24 carries.

Cubit has said Illinois will need junior Henry Enyenihi to help pick up the rushing load at Iowa (5-0, 1-0).