Illinois, under first-year head coach Lovie Smith, arrives at Rutgers for a 12 p.m. Big Ten cross-division showdown Saturday at High Point Solutions Stadium. Illinois has dropped four straight following a season-opening win over FCS-foe Murray State, while Rutgers is 2-4 after losing three straight games in Big Ten play.
Named the Illinois head coach on March 7, 2017, Lovie Smith arrived in Champaign, Ill., following a two-year stint coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he compiled an 8-24 record after replacing former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. Smith is best known for the job he did guiding the Chicago Bears.