Let's get this out of the way at the start. Today's 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Maryland is a significantly important game for Illinois.
Would a win against the Terrapins immediately right the ship? No, this team is still a year away — at minimum — from turning the corner. But after getting blown out at home by Purdue and on the road at Wisconsin, the Illini (and maybe their fans in particular) need to see some sort of sign that the rebuild is on the right track.
VIDEO: @IlliniFootball coach @LovieSmith discusses how he wants his team to respond to its loss at Wisconsin and how the QB situation might shake out heading into Saturday's game at Maryland.