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Lovie Smith: Illinois is ‘a little bit closer than people gave us credit for’
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Lovie Smith and Illinois finally closed the deal on a big-time upset!
After a tough stretch to start the season, the Illini entered Saturday’s game as a 30-point underdog against No. 6 Wisconsin. The Badgers were rolling into Champaign and firing on all cylinders, but they fell flat on the road. In the end, James McCourt nailed a field goal as time expired to finish off the upset.
RELATED: James McCourt drills game-winning field goal, Illinois upsets Wisconsin
Following the win, Lovie Smith addressed the perception that Illinois still has a ways to go as a program. He pointed out that the Illini have had their chances this season, carrying a big lead against Nebraska and building a strong comeback against Michigan last week.
RELATED: Lovie Smith emotional in postgame interview: ‘We needed to get a signature win’
Though those wins slipped away, Smith said he hasn’t lost faith in the direction the program is headed. Matthew Stevens with Illini Maven shared Smith’s comments:
#Illini coach Lovie Smith: "We dominated Michigan for a short time. We had a 14-point lead against Nebraska. We're a little bit closer than people gave us credit for."
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) October 19, 2019
Lovie: "It's not like I'd lost faith or confidence in what we're doing." #Illini
— Matthew Stevens (@matthewcstevens) October 19, 2019
Hopefully, Illinois can build on this success moving forward.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.