The Big Ten West is getting competitive: Illinois has to keep pace

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesIn 1996, legendary Long island-based hip hop trio De La Soul released the classic album Stakes Is High. The album is seen by many fans of a certain vintage as the exclamation point that signaled the end of hip hop’s golden era. It capitalized on the critical backlash to emerging commercialism of hip hop music as a product and the desire of hip hop-obsessed purists to take one last stand against shiny suit rap.

The album peaked at No. 13 on the US Billboard 200. Ironically, Stakes Is High couldn’t match the success of their platinum debut album 3 Feet High and Rising.

So what does any of this have to do with Illini football?

Well, the stakes couldn’t possibly…