has dropped 16 straight Big Ten games since the middle of October 2015. Illinois has lost 13 of 16 during that same time period.
Whether they would admit it publicly or not, it's a safe bet that both Rutgers coach Chris Ash and Illinois coach Lovie Smith circled this Saturday's game in Champaign, Ill., as a game their respective program had to win when the schedule was drawn up.
Such is life when you play in a Big Ten that currently has five Big Ten teams ranked in the latest AP Top 25 poll.