Illinois Football: Wisconsin to be without starting quarterback on Saturday

Illinois football looks to be getting a bit of a break this weekend when we take on the Wisconsin Badgers.

Things were looking pretty bleak for the Illini heading into this past weekend. We had dropped two games in a row and four out of the last five. On top of that, Illinois was on the road against a Maryland team that was 5-1 on the season.

None of that mattered to this resilient group, though. Illinois took the game to the Terrapins and beat them 27-24 on a last-second field goal. It was a huge win for the program, and now there is a new outlook on the 2023 season.

Illinois takes a 3-4 record into week eight of the college football season. This week is homecoming, as the Wisconsin Badgers come to town. The 4-2 Badgers are coming off a tough loss to Iowa, 15-6, but this loss had a lot to do with their starting quarterback, Tanner Mordecai, going down with an injury.

That injury now seems to be pretty severe, as Pete Thamel of ESPN is reporting Mordecai has a broken hand. He had surgery on that hand and is out for the “immediate future.”

Illinois football takes on an injured Wisconsin team in a pivotal game for the 2023 season

Let me first say, I never want to see a player get hurt. I wish Mordecai a speedy recovery and hope nothing but the best.

On the football field, this is a break for the Illini. While Mordecai didn’t have great stats this season – 1,127 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions – he is an experienced quarterback who can move the ball down the field when needed. He gives you enough worry about to the point you can’t load the box for the running attack.

The backup to Mordecai is Braedyn Locke. He is a former four-star recruit who committed to Mississippi State in 2022, redshirted that season, and then transferred in to the Wisconsin program.

In the game against Iowa, Locke stepped in and was 15-of-30 for 122 yards and an interception. Those aren’t great stats, and it doesn’t look like the kid can run well either.

Illinois definitely catches a break with Mordecai being out. We are in the hunt for a bowl game, which is a great accomplishment at this point after starting the season 2-4. There are some winnable games ahead too.

If Illinois can knock off an injured Badgers team, that would move us to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten. We finish the season at Minnesota, home against Indiana, at No. 24 Iowa, and home against Northwestern. There are three very winnable games in there, and shoot, Iowa isn’t a juggernaut by any means.

Optimistically, Illinois has a legit shot to rattle off six straight wins to end the 2023 season. That would put us at 8-4 overall and 6-3 in the Big Ten. Realistically, if we can win three out of the next five games and finish 6-6 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten, I would be a happy camper. That is a far better outlook than just a week ago.