Unable to establish an offensive rhythm, the Illini also couldn’t stop a relentless Michigan State rushing attack and at one point trailed 28-3.

Lovie Smith’s Illini had rallied from a 2-4 start with three straight wins to get to 5-4 in early November but were quickly overwhelmed in East Lansing. The loss dropped them to 5-6 on the season and put them in the situation they’re now in. Quarterback John Paddock had a number of passes batted at the line of scrimmage, yet no amount of near-catastrophic results would dissuade the Illini from trying to move the ball through the air. Iowa’s offensive drives were eating much more clock. Illinois continued to relentlessly throw the ball with reckless abandon as they led the Hawks in the second half. A virtually untouched 40-or-so-yard touchdown run followed, after which the Illini were unable to respond. If you were paying attention this week, you saw the 5-5 Illini go to Iowa City, play excellent defense all day, and then get confused and play prevent defense on first down after a phantom defensive holding call extended a late Hawkeye drive.

This mark improves to 5-13-1 if you go back to the 1993 season. Since the turn of the millennium, Illinois has played fourteen games in November that they entered with exactly five wins. However, Illinois is no stranger to this situation. With a win over Northwestern in the final week of the season, the Illinois Fighting Illini can clinch back-to-back bowl seasons for the first time in 12 years and only the second time in the last 30 campaigns.

Gambling casino champaign il