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Illinois Football: Fighting Illini looking to escape Big Ten cellar in 2018

By Connor Muldowney

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 21: Cam Thomas #10 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs with the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the game on October 21, 2017 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Fighting Illini 24-17. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 21: Cam Thomas #10 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs with the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the game on October 21, 2017 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers defeated the Fighting Illini 24-17. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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MADISON, WI – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini watches his team prior to a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Lovie Smith of the Illinois Fighting Illini watches his team prior to a game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on November 12, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Schedule and predictions

Week DATE Opponent
1 Saturday, Sept. 1 vs. Kent State
2 Saturday, Sept. 8 vs. Western Illinois
3 Saturday, Sept. 15 vs. South Florida
4 Saturday, Sept. 22 vs. Penn State
5 Saturday, Sept. 29 BYE
6 Saturday, Oct. 6 at Rutgers
7 Saturday, Oct. 13 vs. Purdue
8 Saturday, Oct. 20 at Wisconsin
9 Saturday, Oct. 27 at Maryland
10 Saturday, Nov. 3 vs. Minnesota
11 Saturday, Nov. 10 at Nebraska
12 Saturday, Nov. 17 vs. Iowa
13 Saturday, Nov. 24 at Northwestern

Just about any win total would be better than what Illinois delivered in 2017. The Fighting Illini finished 2-10 with no wins in conference play.

Illinois opens the season with a winnable game against Kent State at home and then Western Illinois the following week. At that point, the Illini should be 2-0 to begin the season with a matchup against South Florida at Soldier Field in Chicago approaching. Charlie Strong’s team will be tough to beat and I just don’t see the Illini pulling this one off.

Penn State will come to town the following week, but it won’t be pretty. The Nittany Lions will have no problem with the Illini, sending them into a bye week with their tails between their legs.

The four other winnable games on the schedule are at Rutgers, Purdue, at Maryland and Minnesota. Sure, the Illini could pull off upsets against Nebraska, Iowa and Northwestern, but don’t count on it.

Next: Way-too-early 2019 NFL Mock Draft

Illinois will beat Rutgers on the road, Purdue at home and steal one against either Maryland or Minnesota to finish the season with three conference wins — one more than in Lovie Smith’s first two years.

Prediction: 5-7, 3-6 Big Ten

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