By Woodrow Carroll
It was bound to happen with COVID-19 laying waste to the sports scene. But, it was still painful when it did happen!
Early there was a sense of optimism that Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois would play all of their scheduled top-level Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) football games. The schedule had been restricted, thanks to the nasty and widespread virus one month into the schedule. All three of Illinois’ football teams had avoided a postponement or cancellation.
Might all three schools survive? No!
The Illinois dream ended Saturday. The Ohio State-at-Illinois game Saturday was canceled less than 24 hours prior to kickoff. The guilty party was Ohio State many Buckeyes’ players, led up by head coach Ryan Day, tested positive.
Northwestern, 5-1, will not lose at Minnesota Saturday. Northwestern will not beat the Gophers, either. The game already has been canceled.
All last week many voices were singing the praises of Northwestern. At 5-0 and in command of the Big Ten West, the Wildcats were two-touchdown favorites at Michigan State, nonetheless, the final score was 29-20 in favor of Michigan State.
After opening the season with three consecutive defeats, the Fighting Illini won at both Rutgers and Nebraska. Although few envisioned an Illinois victory over the heavily-favored Buckeyes, there was a renewed optimism in Champaign.
Illinois will play host Iowa at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Champaign, if all goes well. The caveat is the risk of cancellation because of COVID-19.
The cancellation numbers are constantly changing. Among the 14 Big Ten teams only six, Indiana, Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers, Northwestern, and Iowa, came into this week having played all six games on their on their revised schedule. The number is down to five with the Minnesota-Northwestern game scrubbed.
• A kind word is in order the for Northern Illinois football program. The Huskies fell, 30-27, at Western Michigan Saturday in the Mid-American Conference MAC. The defeat left Northern Illinois 0-4. Nonetheless, facing the MAC West-leading Broncos, the Huskies were in it all the way and led in the fourth quarter before a late push by Western Michigan spelled difference..
Northern Illinois will play host to Toledo, 2-2, at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Huskies’ final home with a game at Eastern Michigan the following week to close out the season.
• If the MAC needed a positive game, it was Kent State at Buffalo Saturday.
The final score favored Buffalo, 70-41, in a battle for first place in the MAC East. Each team entered the game with a 3-0 record. The real eye-opener was Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson. The Buffalo junior rushed for 409 yards and scored eight touchdowns rushing.
Patterson scored two touchdowns and gained 137-yards rushing in Buffalo’s 49-30 season-opening victory at Northern Illinois. Since the contest with Northern Illinois, Patterson has increased the pace with each game and has scored 16 touchdowns this year.
Buffalo, which will play at Ohio at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, drew some attention from the pollsters this week. One poll has the Bulls ranked No. 27 and ahead of Texas and Auburn. MAC teams often have been shutout in the polls in recent seasons, so the appearance of Buffalo is most welcome.