By Woodrow Carroll
At the beginning of the Division I college football season, focus on the University of Illinois program was if the Fighting Illini would win six games and make it to a postseason bowl game. The 2021 Illini ended with a 5-7 record under first-year head coach Bret Bielema Expectations for this season were, understandably, modest. That has changed!
Following Illinois’ 26-9 victory at Nebraska Saturday, Oct. 29, the Illini faithful are focused on two extra games If Illinois, 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten West and one game ahead of 3-2 Purdue, captures the division championship, it would move the Illini into the Big Ten championship game, December 3, in Indianapolis against the Big Ten East champion. A bowl game is a lock for Illinois this season. Two extra Illinois games were not a dream for many in the Orange & Blue earlier this season.
Illinois will play host to Michigan State, 3-5 and 1-4 in the East, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The Spartans lost to Michigan, 29-7, Saturday, Oct. 29 and should not be looking beyond the rankings as No. 13 and No. 14, up from No. 17.
Illinois running back Chase Brown continued on a tear against Nebraska with 149 yards on 32 carries. He is the Nation’s leading rusher and collected rushing and receiving touchdowns against Nebraska. Illinois quarterback Tommy DeVito was 20 for 22 in passing and his yardage was 179
The Illinois victory was its sixth straight.. The last time the Illini won six games in a row it was followed by a six-game losing streak in 2011. The Illini collapse cost head coach Ron Zook his job!
• Here is a slanted question: When was the last time Northwestern University won a football game played in North America? Obviously a trick question given the Wildcats’ season-opening 31-27 victory over Nebraska in Ireland.
The answer to the above question is October 16, 2021 when Northwestern edged visiting Rutgers, 21-7, in Evanston. Life has not been kind of late for the Wildcats. Northwestern dropped its final six games last season and is 1-7 this season. If taking it on the chin in 13 of 14 games is not bad enough the Wildcats will play host to visiting and nationally-ranked No. 3 Ohio State at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. Ohio State is 8-0 and on a monstrous roll, including a 21-10 victory over Notre Dame to open the season. Since that time, Ohio State has scored 44 or more points in each of its seven games. The Buckeyes beat host and ranked Penn State, 44-31, Saturday, Oct. 29.
Ohio State ranks second in the Nation in scoring at 48.9 per game. Only Tennessee, with at 49.4 points per game, surpasses Ohio State in scoring average. Illinois continues to set the standard defensively by allowing 8.9 points per game..
Tennessee’s standing as the top-scoring team, and undefeated top 10 member, should be put to the test Saturday, Nov. 5, when the Volunteers play at No. 1-ranked Georgia.
• Northern Illinois was attempting to keep alive its slim shot at a bowl game against visiting Central Michigan Wednesday this week in DeKalb. Both teams stood 2-6 and 1-3 in Mid-American Conference (MAC) prior to the game. There is a glut of mediocre teams in the MAC which offers Northern Illinois a shot at a bowl game.
Another factor working for Northern Illinois to make a bowl game is the Conference tie-ins that many bowl games have. Six or seven of the bowl games likely will end up with a MAC team.