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Illinois continues to struggle in Lovie Smith's fourth season as coach

Illinois announced this week it will open the 2021 football season by playing Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland.

Which raises a question: Will Lovie Smith still be in charge of the program at that point?

The Fighting Illini are 2-4 overall, 0-3 in the Big Ten heading into Saturday's game against the University of Wisconsin football team at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. The No. 6 Badgers (6-0, 3-0) opened as 29-point favorites over Illinois, which has lost nine consecutive times to UW, all by double digits.

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman offered a vote of confidence following the 2018 season by extending Smith’s contract by two years.