Can't Wait For Saturday Fifth win adds to Illinois' bowl appeal

Nov. 5—***

No surprise, a fifth win by Bret Bielema’s Illinois football team put it on the tracking list for bowl games.

Illinois needs a win its last four games against Nebraska, UCLA, Iowa or Northwestern to extend its postseason streak to three. That would be the longest at the school since the early 1990s.

For the current team, the question after six wins is where?

Depends who you believe. ESPN, which airs most of college football’s postseason, has a couple ideas. One prognosticator has Illinois playing Louisiana in the Frisco Football Classic. Another has Illinois in the Birmingham Bowl against Mississippi State.

CBS Sports places Illinois in the Frisco Bowl against North Texas.

Coming off 19 wins in the last two seasons, continuing the postseason run is vital to the program. Because Illinois is in the high-profile Big Ten, six wins are enough. There will be lobbying. Bowls directors are happy when they see a team arrive from the Midwest.