It wasn’t smooth or easy, but Illinois is 4-0 heading into the Big Ten season.

After a tough and decisive victory against a ranked opponent under the lights at Memorial Stadium, Illini faithful have some decisive reasons to be more than a bit optimistic.

For the first time in what seems like ages, the Illini are playing host to a big time non-conference game, under the lights, that already has bowl implications. This is gonna be good.

Oh sure, South Dakota State is an FCS team that had no real shot yesterday, but with how the Illini played, we may just have a real contender of a squad on our hands here in Champaign.

Could Saturday at Memorial Stadium be the ultimate trap game? Likely not, based on where the coaches have the Illini as of this week.

Fans of Illini football got everything they wanted and more on a sundrenched and blisteringly hot Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The best news? Seems like this team can win games.

Here’s what $850,000 will get you in the modern era: a Sunbelt conference foe and a better shot at a bowl game.

Basically, nothing happened. And that’s a good thing.

That, and a few other meditations on vacated defeats surrounding the Big Ten.

Jim Tressel blew it, big time, over in Columbus. Those mistakes might pay off dividends some four hours west in Illini Country. It’s a long shot, but that’s better than where we were before.