After an incredibly disappointing loss to Wisconsin, the Illinois football team finds themselves in a must-win situation against Northwestern if we look to continue the momentum the program has gained as of late.
Miscues in all three phases of the ball led to the loss being the cherry on top of a disappointing season for the Illini, in which many had high hopes entering it. That being said, there is still much to play for, even more than the Land of Lincoln trophy.
Sustained success for Illinois has historically been a rarity, often showing spurts of success and growth followed by long droughts of losing. For example, this season marked the first time the Illini have been bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons since 2010-2011.
Beating Northwestern this weekend would provide a huge boost in confidence for the fans that this winning is not a flash in the pan. Likewise, it would also provide a huge boost to securing a good bowl game.
Not all bowl games are created equally, and earning a well-regarded game would work well in providing some good publicity and national notoriety for the program.
Moreover, just as the highs of winning can carry over to the next season, so too can a slide of losing taint the start of the following year. A loss this weekend could start a disappointing spiral to kick off the 2026 season.
While all rivalry games are incredibly important to the programs that play in them and the fans that watch them, there is a very real argument to be made that this is the most important Battle for the Land of Lincoln in quite some time.