What happened
Illinois kept the Iowa faithful who filled Kinnick Stadium to near capacity quiet most of the day. Then Jordan Canzeri broke through. And Ke’Shawn Vaughn fumbled. The loss didn’t come down to just those two plays. Yet llinois will think back about an opportunity to beat an unbeaten foe and how it slipped away.
What it means
Beat Iowa and Illinois is possibly on the cusp of a Top 25 ranking. That won’t materialize now. The Illini, however, didn’t fold like they have in the past. Solemn faces filled the postgame scene. Understandable.