Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Football: How the Big Ten will shake out for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 21: The Big Ten logo on a yardage marker at the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - OCTOBER 21: The Big Ten logo on a yardage marker at the game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 21, 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 15
Next
Illinois football
CHAMPAIGN, IL – NOVEMBER 11: Illinois cheerleaders lead the team on to the field before a Big Ten Conference football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini on November 11, 2017, at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

The Illinois football team needs to have a season where they progress as a team and finish well in the Big Ten.

This is my goal for the Illini. The last few years have been rough for the Illinois football program and their fans. There hasn’t been winning recently and the future, at one time, seemed pretty bleak. But, now that Lovie Smith took over, I feel things are turning around.

Illinois now has a solid head coach and a coaching staff that knows what they are doing. They are recruiting well and building a solid foundation of talented players. This upcoming season should be one of the best we have seen over the last half-decade.

But, how will they stack up against the rest of the Big Ten? They have been bottom dwellers recently, but this season they shouldn’t be at the bottom. They should work their way up a little and surprise some of the doubters.

The rest of the Big Ten should shake out differently from years past as well. The regulars will be towards the top, but I think a new Big Ten Champion could emerge from the pack. It will be interesting to see how everything comes out at the end of the season.

Here is the prediction on where the Illini will finish in the Big Ten.

Home/Illinois Football