In most situations, coaches and teams would celebrate a bye week. It’s a time for players to nurse some injuries and recoup their bodies for the final stretch of the season. It’s a time for Illinois Fighting Illini coaches to hit the recruiting trail, for the first time able to sell some on-field success as direct evidence this program is heading in the right direction.
This is not like most situations. Coach Smith talked about momentum pre- and post-Michigan State victory. The Fighting Illini are on a roll and are feeling confident, and this particular game against this particular opponent needs no extra motivational speech or cliché-ridden rant about how this is a neighboring state rival in the Big Ten West division.