Iowa Football: 2018 game-by-game predictions
11. Illinois (Nov. 17)
The Hawkeyes final road trip of 2018 takes them to Champaign, Illinois to face the lowly Illinois Fighting Illini. Iowa routed the Illini in their matchup last season in Kinnick by a final score of 45-16. Illinois hasn’t beaten Iowa since 2008 and have lost ten out of their last eleven matchups against the Hawkeyes, dating back to 2003. The term “dumpster fire” is very much applicable to the Illinois program at this point.
Since Lovie Smith took over, things have not gotten better for the Illinois program. Going into his third season, Smith is 5-19 in his first two seasons in Champaign and has shown no signs that the program will be elevating anytime soon. Former starting quarterback Jeff George Jr., left as a grad transfer for Michigan, leaving Cam Miller as the favorite to win the starting quarterback battle for the Fighting Illini.
After a statement win against Northwestern and a rivalry matchup with Nebraska on the horizon, it will be easy for Iowa to overlook the Illini. But, outside of Kansas, you can make a pretty good argument that Illinois is the worst Power-5 program in the country. I just don’t see the Illini giving Iowa a fight at all in this one.