About half of the games this season are ‘winnable’, and another half could be competitive, but with the Illini considered as serious underdogs. Unfortunately, the battle for the HAT falls under the latter.
The Wildcats are coming off a 10-3 season bolstering the longest win streak in any Power Five conference and a dramatic Music City Bowl win against Kentucky. Meanwhile, the Illini are on their streak... the second-longest losing streak in the Power Five. Northwestern is also winners of three straight Land of Lincoln trophies with the last two contests not being all that close.
And although Pat Fitzgerald lost Justin Jackson and much of his starting secondary, the Wildcats return starting quarterback Clayton Thorson, who will be looking to bounce back from a knee injury, and most of their starting front seven, including Joe Gaziano and Paddy Fisher.