Newly minted No. 20 Illinois (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) are fresh off a 21-7 win against then-ranked No. 24 Michigan Saturday. The win improved Illinois’ home record to 5-0 and set up a date against No. 1 Oregon (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) Saturday in Eugene.
Illinois’ three forced turnovers were enough to frustrate quarterback Jack Tuttle and give it its first win against the Wolverines since 2009. Regardless of how Illinois finishes its season, it clinched bowl eligibility for the second time in Bielema’s tenure.
Turning the page, the Illini, which now has three wins inside the AP Top 25 for only the third time in program history, will get a chance to knock off a potential Big Ten title contender. Oregon is riding high after showcase performances in back-to-back weeks against Ohio State and Purdue. Despite a 3-12 record against AP No. 1 teams, it’s the first time since 2007 that Illinois has been put in this scenario. The Illini knocked off Ohio State that year, eventually leading to a berth in the 2008 Rose Bowl, losing to USC 49-17…