If anything, the game was more competitive than last year’s edition in Champaign.
Just over a year removed from one of the most embarrassing losses in Illinois Football history — a 63-0 shellacking at the hands of Iowa — the Illini made Saturday afternoon’s contest at Kinnick Stadium a battle, despite losing 19-10. The loss brings Illinois’ four-game winning streak to a close ahead of the regular season finale against Northwestern.
The defeat also official ends Illinois’ hopes of winning the Big Ten West, but staying alive until November 23rd in that regard is better than we had all hoped.