What once looked like a Big Ten Championship preview, the matchup between Michigan and Illinois this weekend lost its luster with the Illini dropping their last two games and probably eliminating themselves from the title race.
Even though they may not be as formidable as once thought, this is still a much better Illinois team than usual and Michigan can’t be looking ahead to Ohio State. These few players will need to be on their A game to preserve Michigan’s undefeated record.
DT Mazi Smith
The Illini are coached by Bret Bielema, which means they want to pound teams into the ground on offense, similar to what Michigan does.