Spirited Illini Battle Wisconsin but Come Up Short, 24-10
By Jeff Mayfield

[October 30, 2017]  Earlier this season the young Fighting Illini actually looked younger and more inexperienced in their performance than they actually were. Teams that fans hoped Illinois could beat or at least be competitive with exposed the Illini’s weaknesses in a multitude of ways. The lack of experience is one of the reasons Illinois finds itself mired in a 6-game losing streak.

And after remembering last year’s game with Wisconsin, a 48-3 thrashing at the hands of the Badgers, not many were too hopeful at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. However, that’s why they play the games. I don’t think there were many people in the stands Saturday who dared think that the Illini would be competitive, but competitive they were.

It all started with Illinois’ defense. Perhaps the best place to start as a team, and the best starting place to rebuild the Illini program. Remember that Wisconsin was averaging 247 rushing yards per contest coming into this battle. But the upstart Illini defense held Bucky to only 186 rushing yards for the game! Now part of that is that Freshman Badger super star running back Jonathan Taylor injured a leg and did not play in the 2nd half, but that’s not the whole story.

Illinois’ young defensive gridders were moving to the football all afternoon. Their overall pursuit of whoever had the football was the best this reporter has seen this season. They forced the Badgers to punt more times than they dreamed coming into the game and just frustrated Bucky most of the day. In fact, Badger coach Bucky Dent stormed and stomped near the benches expressing his frustration and his displeasure to his players that the Illini were giving them fits!

Had Illinois’ offense done a little more, or even just a little something they could’ve given ol’ Bucky a decent Halloween scare. Once again, the youthful Illini just made too many mistakes and kept shooting themselves in the foot. A penalty for having too many men on the field denied Illinois of thwarting Wisconsin for a third straight offensive possession to start the game. The Badgers in turn, marched down the field and scored a touchdown. In the second quarter, Illinois intercepted a pass and returned it to the Badger 45 yard-line but the offense couldn’t move the football and were forced to punt. That was the reoccurring theme for the Illini the rest of the afternoon.

Illinois looked like they would only be trailing Wisconsin 14-3 at the break, but their prevent defense let them down and forced a 52-yard field goal attempt. With as cold as it was and the football disguised as a brick in the frigid conditions, I was not too worried about the attempt. Illinois froze the kicker 3 times by calling all 3 of their time outs, but Lovie ended up freezing me more than the kicker who drilled the kick between the posts for a 17-3 lead.

Illinois seemed undaunted and their mental attitude and body language was a huge positive all game long. Anyway, they marched down the field and settled for a field goal attempt of their own to get the score back to within two touchdowns. Illinois’ very reliable kicker missed and the game see sawed most of the rest of the way.

Yes Wisconsin scored late in the 4th quarter on a trick play and Illinois scored with less than a minute to go on a Kendrick Foster touchdown, but the Badgers were never very nervous and ended up prevailing 24-10. But there were lots of positive signs in this one at least defensively:

Better overall defense
Better pursuit of the football
Better tackling
Better pressure on the QB at times
Better pass coverage

The reality is that the Illini still have a ways to go to become respectable, but Saturday was a good start. Hopefully, it will vault them to a streak-snapping win at Purdue next week. I know Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a Big Ten football program. I also know like the fans that I can’t wait till the Illini are battling for Big Ten championships again.

Saturday was a step in the right direction!

[By JEFF MAYFIELD]

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