Those of you ready to drop Lovie Smith now aren't going to like this. But let's say he returns next season and starts winning.
Let's say he beats so-so Akron in the opener. Then leads Illinois to a win at struggling UConn.
He comes back to good-seats-available Memorial Stadium and beats Eastern Michigan.
That's 3-0 for the first time since 2011.
Next, Nebraska visits C-U on Sept 21. Scott Frost is fixing the program, but the Cornhuskers will be far from a finished product in September.
After the open week, the Illini visit Minnesota.