Just a bit of additional intrigue for this game:
I was listening to "Big Ten Today" on SiriusXM yesterday, and they were talking about how Illinois has a "real shot" at the CFP, based on the opportunities they have ahead to add some very high profile wins. Not new information, and we all know how difficult of a task that will be.
BUT, it was also mentioned that, aside from the obvious (winning out), it might also be helpful/necessary for the Illini to show out a bit. In other words, we need to beat MSU decisively.
I don't see it as necessarily getting ahead of ourselves to simply try to lay it on a little harder on offense, if opportunities to do so are presented. Facing a team that is currently experiencing some turmoil and will be missing some important pieces on defense, it sounds like a golden opportunity to me.
If I'm honest, though, I doubt Bret is worried about that sort of thing. At the end of the day, that's probably for the best, too. Just amazing, though, to hear national media personalities talking about Illinois having a legitimate path to the Playoff and talking about "style points" where, for once, we're not being mentioned as a good way for some other team to rack them up.