Well everybody, one thrilling win in the Western Hemisphere and 10 demoralizing losses later, HAT day is finally here. Here’s what our staff is predicting heading into the ‘Cats’ Senior Day showdown with the Illini.
Gavin Dorsey: Illinois 34, Northwestern 6
Two words: Chase Brown. The Wildcats are just half a yard shy of the worst run defense in the Big Ten, averaging a clip of 194.5 yards a game on the ground, and facing the nation’s leading rusher Saturday may be the nail in the coffin for the conference’s bottom-feeder. Combine that with a third/fourth-string quarterback for Northwestern and a ticked off Illinois team from last week’s close loss to Michigan, and you have the exact recipe for a 1-11 finish.