The MOST important game of Illinois’ season

Admittedly, it isn’t exactly the hottest take to say that the most important game on Illinois’ 2023 schedule is the one against its highest ranked ranked opponent, the Penn State Nittany Lions. It is, but maybe not for the reasons that you might think.

Of course, if the Illini beat the Toledo Rockets and Kansas Jayhawks in the first two weeks of the season, then they’re probably ranked heading into their Sept. 16 matchup against the Nittany Lions, setting the stage for a major showdown with FOX Big Noon Saturday in town.

Winning that game in those circumstances would potentially vault Illinois into the top half of the national rankings, and would make the Illini a clear frontrunner for the West Division title. But there’s more to this game than just what it could do for the program this season, and let’s dig into some of those ramifications.

College football today isn’t just about wins and losses. The conference realignment chaos of the past two offseasons have made…