CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois offense entered Saturday ranked 124th in the country in total offense, averaging a measly 314.9 yards per game.
Those numbers only got worse after Iowa shut out the Illini 28-0, the second straight game Illinois failed to score a touchdown.
That rarity hasn’t happened to the Illini since 2005, when Illinois lost 40-2 at Ohio State and then followed up with a 37-3 loss at Purdue the next Saturday during the latter part of Ron Zook’s first season at Illinois.
“We couldn’t get the running game going,” Illinois coach Lovie Smith said.