The main takeaway from this game is that the fanbase, administration, coaching staff, and most importantly the players, finally have a program-defining victory to rally around. The on-field results of the Lovie Smith era had been quite bleak until Illinois’ homecoming victory over the No. 6 Wisconsin Badgers, which has resulted in depressed attendance figures and difficult recruiting situations. Those problems don’t vanish after this week, but the Illinois Fighting Illini finally took a major and undeniable step in the right direction with a historic win over the Badgers.
Offensive Takeaways: Strides are Being Taken Across the Board
Brandon Peters successfully led a strong offensive performance against one of the nation’s most elite defenses.