Illinois took a step backward during its first season under new coach Lovie Smith.
The Illini finished 3-9 with their only two FBS wins coming against Michigan State and Rutgers, the bottom rung of the Big Ten in 2016. Smith’s team wasn’t competitive in five of the final six games, and while injuries played a role in that, an anemic offense was the root of the problem in Champaign. Reaching a bowl game should be the goal in 2017, but with nonconference games against quality Group of 5 opponents (South Florida and Western Kentucky) that won’t be easy.