Can Illinois Football Win 10 Games? Here's a Better Question ...

Winning 10 games is still within the Illini's reach – but why not go all the way to 11?

Oct 19, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini players wear the throwback helmets and uniforms in honor of legendary Red Grange and the 100th anniversary of the stadium before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

No one vacillates as wildly between fist-pumping and hand-wringing as an Illinois fan, and the past week-plus in Illini Nation has been a form of mental whiplash that has left its members in a state in which, to paraphrase the great Ricky Bobby, they don't know what to do with their hands.

It's no way to live. Time to move on from Illinois football's demoralizing loss to top-ranked Oregon on Saturday, as well as what was hoped to be a consolation salve in the debut of the new-look Illini basketball crew – a 91-74 exhibition bummer that was dropped to Ole Miss on Sunday. Look, you can't win 'em all.

But here's a question when it comes to coach Bret Bielema's Illini: Can they win the rest?

There was nothing at the start of the 2024 college football season that indicated the Illini might be where they stand at this moment: 6-2 (3-2 in the Big Ten), having beaten three ranked programs – including the defending national champs, Michigan – and on the verge of history.

No, that isn't hyperbole. Maybe you hadn't heard, but the Illini haven't won 10 games in a season since 2001 and the Ron Turner years. Before that? It was John Mackovic's 1989 squad, back when a certain aspiring young sportswriter from Urbana-Champaign may have still had a pair of parachute pants floating around the back of a dresser drawer. Yeah: in the olden times.

In fact, the Illini have won as many as 10 games only four times in the entire 133-year history of the program and – quoth the raven – never more. Ten is the high-water mark. Repeating that feat would be a worthy goal. And with four regular-season games remaining – including Minnesota on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, on FS1) – matching the figure is mathematically, and perhaps comfortably, within reach.

But here's a thought, Illini fans: With those four regular-season games left, plus a guaranteed bowl game, why not live the impossible dream? Who says your boys can't go all the way to 11?

It's not unreasonable. The Gophers are on a hot streak and are dangerous if the dejected Illini don't have their heads right for Saturday. But this is a new era, and we're going to assume that Bielema doubles down on preparation and inspiration, and has his guys ready to eat glass and spit fire by kickoff on Saturday. If Illinois beats Minnesota, then Sparty, Rutgers in New Jersey and Northwestern at Wrigley Field are all that's left – three bottom-half Big Ten teams that these Illini, on paper, should beat handily. What a time to be alive.

Now, wanna hear something that'll blow your mind? Twelve wins is still a possibility. Twelve! A finite number of wild permutations would first have to fall into place, of course – Indiana losing three games, Happy Valley falling into a sinkhole and Oregon collapsing in on itself like a supernova – but Illinois is technically still eligible to play in the Big Ten Championship Game. At this moment, friends, 12 is still on Illinois' bingo card.

Is it realistic? Hell, no! But as long as we're daydreaming ...

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Football vs. Minnesota: Illini's Quest for 10 Wins Gets Real This Week

Big Ten Football Week 10 Power Rankings: Oregon Soars, Illinois Tops ‘Others’

Week 9 Big Ten Football Recap: Illinois Outclassed By Oregon