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Illinois Football: Wins are still there for the Illini in 2019

By Rees Woodcock

EAST HARTFORD, CT - SEPTEMBER 07: Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe (9) reaches over the goal line for a touchdown against UConn Huskies defensive back Diamond Harrell (3) during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the UConn Huskies played on September 07, 2019 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, CT. (Photo by Steve Nurenberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
EAST HARTFORD, CT - SEPTEMBER 07: Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe (9) reaches over the goal line for a touchdown against UConn Huskies defensive back Diamond Harrell (3) during the game between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the UConn Huskies played on September 07, 2019 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, CT. (Photo by Steve Nurenberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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After the Illinois football team fell to Eastern Michigan on Saturday, what do we make of the rest of the 2019 campaign?

Immediately after the defeat at the hands of the Eagles, some Illinois fans, in true Illini fan fashion, started with their bashing of the coaching staff and where we are as a team. Some points were valid and others were just the detractors who always have something negative to say regardless if we win or lose.

Let’s start off by looking at the schedule. We can break the season down into four quarters. Illinois just completed the first quarter going 2-1. It would have been nice to be 3-0 in the quarter, but we fell short in the final game. I believe the next quarter is going to show us where we are at as a program.

The second quarter kicks off this weekend with a home matchup against Nebraska, followed by a road game against Minnesota and then back home against No. 11 Michigan. If Illinois plays their best game, they can beat Nebraska and Minnesota. But, overall, I want to win, at least, one of those three games bringing our record to 3-3 on the season.

Illinois would then enter the third quarter with No. 13 Wisconsin coming to town, we then head to Purdue and then Rutgers comes to Champaign. Again, I think if we play our best football, we can win the Purdue and Rutgers matchups. If we want to go bowling, those are the two games we need to come out winning. Our secondary is going to need to be healthier by the Purdue game, though. That would then bring our record to 5-4.

The fourth quarter is where Illinois would close out their season and make a bowl game. It is a tough stretch, though. We have at Michigan State, at Iowa and then the finale is home against Northwestern. If Illinois plays their best, I think we can win two of these final three games. Both Michigan State and Northwestern have bad offenses. That is good for the Illini. If we could continue to click on offense, then we can win these games. But one win would get us in. I am mainly looking at the Northwestern game.

dark. Next. 3 observations from the Illini loss to Eastern Michigan

People are looking at Illinois and thinking we are a really bad team. I am telling you that isn’t the case. We shouldn’t lose to Eastern Michigan, but that Eagles team did beat Purdue last season. They aren’t a bad program. The Illini have the firepower to be able to put more wins on the board this season. I am not saying they will win the games mentioned above, but the games are there for them to win. They just have to perform like they are capable of performing.

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