Illini Fan Reaction: Lovie Keeps Saying They're Better but...What If They're Not?

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Illini took its third straight loss in embarrassing fashion as Minnesota did practically whatever they wanted on offense in route to a 41-14 blowout result.

Illini Now/Sports Illustrated publisher/editor Matthew Stevens breaks down all the elements of the Illinois loss to Minnesota Saturday.

In a matchup of 0-2 programs, Saturday’s affair proved nothing more than Minnesota had a pair of poor games to start a nightmare 2020 season while those associated with Illinois might be coming to grips with the idea that their entire program is below average.

Minnesota (1-2), which started this season ranked in the Top 20 of the Associated Press poll but suffered crushing losses to Michigan and Maryland, totaled 556 yards on a Illinois defense that was missing just one projected starter (cornerback Nate Hobbs) and allowed 6.7 per rush through three quarters of play.

Illinois, which had excitement and potential entering the 2020 campaign after ending the program’s five-year postseason drought but losing its last three games, has been down 94-24 after the first three quarters of play in each of its first three losses this season.

The 27-point loss for the Illini is the 10th loss for the program by 20 points or more under head coach Lovie Smith. Smith’s team, which is supposed to be his most veteran-based team in his five-year tenure at Illinois, committed 12 penalties for 120 yards.

Instead of having drastic problems with stopping the deep passes against Wisconsin and Purdue, Minnesota simply found success by stuffing its run game down the middle of an Illinois defense that came into Saturday only allowing 3.2 yards per carry. The combination of junior all-around back Mohamed Ibrahim and freshman speedster Treyson Potts left Memorial Stadium with five rushing scores and 325 combined yards as a depleted Minnesota offensive line dominated the Illini at the line-of-scrimmage.