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Final score: Northwestern 21, Illinois 16

CHAMPAIGN -- You can put away your shorts and sun screen. The Illinois
football team, and presumably its fans, will be home for the holidays.

Northwestern made sure, beating the Illini in the first-ever game for the
Land of Lincoln Trophy. The seventh loss eliminates Illinois from bowl
consideration with two nonconference games remaining.

The Wildcats dominated the second half, scoring a touchdown on a 99-yard
drive that mirrored the one Illinois had Oct. 31 against Michigan. That
made the score 14-3, which was too big of a hole for the sputtering
Illinois offense.

As expected, starting quarterback Juice Williams didn't play because of a
sprained ankle suffered against Minnesota. Jacob Charest started in
Williams' place, but was pulled after an ineffective first half.

In his place went Eddie McGee, who had moved to receiver before Williams
got hurt. McGee threw just one pass in the third quarter, an incompletion.
He did run seven times for 33 yards in the quarter.

The Illini defense couldn't contain Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka,
who had 283 yards after three quarters. He has been hampered in recent
weeks by a sore hamstring, so he didn't run like he has in the past.

Illinois had a chance to take the lead on its second drive of the game,
reaching the Northwestern 6. On third down, Charest's pass to Arrelious
Benn took the receiver out of the end zone, so the Illini settled for a
23-yard field goal try by Matt Eller. The sophomore continued his
struggles this season, missing the kick wide left.

Illinois gained a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter. Mikel Leshoure had
41 yards on a drive that ended with Derek Dimke's 30-yard field goal. It
was Dimke's first field goal attempt in college.

Northwestern drove into Illinois territory late in the second quarter. On
fourth and 1 at the Illini 43, Mike Kafka's pass to Zeke Markshausen fell
incomplete.

The Wildcats got the ball back on the next play when Charest's pass to
Arrelious Benn was intercepted by Nate Williams at the Northwestern 46.
Northwestern didn't waste the opportunity, scoring five plays later on
Kafka's 28-yard pass to Markshausen. Instead of trailing at halftime, the
Wildcats held a 7-3 advantage.

Charest completed 5 of 14 passes in the first half for 34 yards.

***

Northwestern 21, Illinois 9, 10:11 in the fourth quarter:

Maybe Jacob Charest needed to watch a bit. He looked good on a long touchdown drive that cut the lead, going the final 10 yards himself. The two-point conversion pass looked like their could have been pass interference.

Charest might be positioning himself for more playing time later in the season. We'll have to see what happens if he can lead the team to another score on his next drive.

***

Northwestern 21, Illinois 3, 13:30 in the fourth quarter:

After Northwestern's latest touchdown, capped by a short run, the fans are starting to file out of Memorial Stadium.

Since this one looks to be over, let's take a quick look around the Big Ten:

-- Indiana is hanging tough against Penn State, trailing by seven going into the fourth quarter. Impressive.

-- South Dakota State is down three at Minnesota. That would be a huge loss for the Gophers. Something weird is going to happen.

-- Wisconsin looks to be taking over against Michigan. The Badgers are so much better than they looked early in the season.

-- Purdue is holding on against Michigan State, a game it needs to keep its hopes alive for a bowl bid.

***

Northwestern 14, Illinois 3, 3:16 in the third quarter:

Ron Zook is about to lose the crowd with the way the offense is playing. Illinois is one pick six away from being in a huge hole.

The problem for the Illini with Eddie McGee at quarterback is the trouble he seems to have throwing the ball. That gives defensive-minded Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald the chance to sellout against the run. Where McGee can burn the Wildcats is with scrambles.

You have to wonder about Jacob Charest's mental frame of mind after this game. He has been benched in favor of a guy who was a receiver a week ago. And Juice Williams will certainly return against Cincinnati, so Charest's time this season might be over.

Charest struggled completing passes after some good success early in the game.

***

Northwestern 14, Illinois 3, 6:30 in the third quarter:

We are down a photographer today. Robert K. O'Daniell suffered an ankle injury in the first half and had to get treatment. So, we're down to photo chief Darrell Hoemann, who is more than capable of getting you all the photos you need. We wish R.K. a speedy recovery.

Northwestern duplicated Illinois' 99-yard drive against Michigan with one of its own. Nothing more deflating for a crowd than an opposing offense getting away from the end zone. That was the case here. The crowd is almost still, other than the band.

Sure enough, Mike Kafka just threw a long pass to Andrew Brewer for 52 yards. Garrett Edwards brought him down. The next play went to Zeke Markshausen to the 1. And Kafka went the final yard.

An 11-point lead for the Wildcats is going to seem like 40 the way the Illinois offense is playing.

***

Northwestern 7, Illinois 3, 10:40 in the third quarter:

For those wondering if Illinois would make a change at quarterback today, the answer is yes. Eddie McGee is going in for Jacob Charest, who still has his helmet on. We'll have to see if this is temporary. That's my guess.

Juice Williams doesn't look like he'll be playing today. He doesn't have his helmet nearby and his left leg is heavily wrapped.

With McGee in the lineup, the Wildcats will count on a heavy dose of running. Since they prepared for Williams, it won't be a big change for their defense.

Of course, if McGee doesn't hang onto the ball, he'll be on the sidelines lickety-split (Loren Tate term).

***

Northwestern 7, Illlinois 3, halftime:

My quick impressions after one of the most offensive first halves I've seen in a while:

-- Jacob Charest must be feeling the pressure of his first start. He doesn't look as good as he did a week ago against Minnesota. The interception to end the first half won't make the coaches happy, but with Juice Williams likely unable to play, there aren't many options.

-- Look for more running from the Illini in the second half. Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford have been effective. They will get the ball a lot after the break.

-- The Illinois defense ran out of gas at the end of the first half. In hindsight, running the clock down might have made more sense than trying to get the ball down the field. The coaches might look back at the decision as the reason they were eliminated from bowl consideration.

-- The teams aren't likely to stop the after-the-play stuff until the officials throw a flag. And this crew hasn't shown much of a willingness to step in. While you like the idea, a flag or two early in the second half might go a long way in cleaning up the game.

-- Sure he's sore, but the Illini have to find a way to get the ball to Arrelious Benn in the second half.

-- As traditions go, Dad's Day is pretty cool. Of course, what do you do for an encore after being King Dad?

***

Illinois 3, Northwestern 0, 1:07 in the second quarter:

It seems like the Wildcats can complete the short-range passes pretty much at any time. They are picking on Tavon Wilson, who just got called for holding.

Mike Kafka is a much better passer, on first look, than Persa.

Ron Zook is going nuts on the sidelines after the officials didn't call Kafka for intentional grounding. Zook seems to have a point, because Kafka didn't appear to be outside the tackle box and there was no receiver in the area where the ball was thrown.

Weird choice to go for it on fourth down by the Wildcats. Not a good call, in our opinion.

***

Illinois 3, Northwestern 0, 5:50 in the second quarter:

Mike Kafka is out of the game, replaced by Dan Persa. He showed that he can run, gaining 13 yards on second-down play. But a run on third down got stuffed.

Northwestern punter Stefan Demos is punting a lot better into the wind. He just nailed a 47-yarder. Illinois made it worse when Jarred Fayson got called for an illegal block after putting his hand up for a fair catch. The Illini should all be given rule books during their week off.

After a good start, Jacob Charest has missed on eight consecutive passes. He had a couple of drops and some of the throws were with a lot of pressure on. Illinois can't win today unless he becomes more consistent.

The good news for Charest is that Arrelious Benn is back on the field. And Jason Ford is running like he did at Minnesota.

***

Illinois 3, Northwestern 0, 9:11 in the second quarter:

What is going on in the Big Ten? Though it's early, Indiana leads Penn State 10-0 at State College. The Hoosiers have won in State College, oh, never. A win moves the Hoosiers within one game of bowl eligibility.

An even bigger shocker is going on in Minneapolis, where I-AA South Dakota State leads Minnesota 10-6. The Tim Brewster regime got rocked last week by the loss to Illinois, but this one would be devastating.

Purdue leads Michigan State. Next week's Indiana-Purdue game could be for bowl eligibility.

Michigan led Wisconsin early, but the Badgers have bounced back to take the lead. Hard to imagine Rich Rodriguez's staggering team winning that one.

Arrelious Benn just came up limping after being interfered with and is coming off the field.

Some trickeration by Mike Schultz, who has Eddie McGee throw a pass after taking the ball from Jacob Charest. When you need to win every game to get bowl eligible, might as well empty the playbook. How about the "Triple Lindy"? Oh, sorry, that's a dive.

***

Illinois 3, Northwestern 0, 11:58 in second quarter:

Nothing more popular than the backup kicker. Derek Dimke just nailed a 30-yard field goal that would have been good from 50. Way high up the net.

Temper, temper. There has been a lot of chippy play early in the game. These two teams don't like each other.

Mikel Leshoure has 54 yards on eight carries. Jacob Charest showed he can run a bit too, with a 12-yard gain on the drive.

Eddie McGee is a receiver/decoy today. And Juice Williams is a spectator. Makes sense to keep him off the field with next Saturday off before the trip to Cincinnati.

***

Illinois 0, Northwestern 0, end of the the first quarter:

Watching Arby Fields run for the Wildcats is making us hungry.

The Illinois defense is doing exactly what Ron Zook wants, not allowing big plays and bowing up (Zook for stuffing an offense) when they move inside Illinois territory.

Northwestern's two missed field goals can't make Pat Fitzgerald happy. But it isn't like clanging a 24-yarder.

No signs of Michael Hoomawanui in uniform. Hubie Graham is definitely not in uniform. That will limit what Illinois can do some in terms of two-tight end packages.

Mikel Leshoure is earning his carries back. After the game, he'll be delivering hams and turkeys to two homeless shelters.

Charest was 4 of 7 in the first quarter for 25 yards. He was a bit shaky on the third drive, but looks good with Leshoure driving the team down the field.

***

Illinois 0, Northwestern 0, 6:05 left in the first quarter:

Jack Ramsey is on the sidelines trying to get loosened up. Not sure what happened to him, but it looks like he is testing a sore leg. He made a good catch on the last drive.

Northwestern had a chance to keep its drive going just now, but Zeke Markshausen dropped a pass. That wouldn't have happened last year with Eric Peterman and pals.

Jacob Charest is 4 of 5 so far for 25 yards. He looks calm and cool.

Both Mikel Leshoure and Jason Ford were on the field for the bulk of the last drive. That might be the plan for the entire game.

The crowd has filled out. The place looks full except for a couple or rows right behind the benches. On a perfect day weather-wise, why not come to the stadium?

***

Illinois 0, Northwestern 0, 10:01 in the first quarter:

Northwestern must have gone to the Illinois punting camps during the summer. Nothing like shanking a 12-yarder to start the game. The Wildcats are the worst punting team in the Big Ten.

No sign of Michael Hoomanawanui. Jeff Cumberland is starting at tight end.

Don't think we'll see Matt Eller on the next field goal try after missing a short one. Derek Dimke is warming up in the bullpen.

Jacob Charest looks like Jeff George on his second drive. OK, that might be a stretch. Maybe Scott Weaver. Or Johnny Johnson. But solid

For those of you who don't have ESPN Classic on your cable system, copy editor Mike Goebel said it is coming in great on ESPN360. For the link, click here.

***

Illinois 0, Northwestern 0, 14:20 in first quarter:

Well, the starting quarterback is no longer a mystery. Wearing an orange jersey, Jacob Charest is making his first college start. Juice Williams doesn't have his helmet on and is wearing a headset. We're guessing he doesn't get into the game unless it's an extreme emergency.

Northwestern reportedly prepared for both Williams and Charest during practice.

***

One minute before kickoff:

Predictions from some of the newspaper reporters covering the game:
Stu Durando
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Illinois 28-24

John Supinie
Gatehouse News Service
Illinois 24-23

Mark Tupper
Decatur Herald & Review
Illinois 24-20

Shannon Ryan
Chicago Tribune
NU 24-13

Bob Asmussen
The News-Gazette
NU 32-28

Loren Tate
Calls it a tie

Jeff Huth
The News-Gazette

NU 24-21

***

15 minutes before kickoff:

As the play-by-play voice of Northwestern football and men's basketball, Dave Eanet no doubt talks to Wildcats athletic director Jim Phillips more than any member of the media.

That gives Eanet a particular insight into what Phillips, an Illinois graduate, regards as the AD's top priorities and biggest challenges.
One of those challenges, says Eanet, is using his salesman skills to position NU football into the best bowl possible.

"Jim's a guy that's dynamic enough to keep the Northwestern brand out there," said Eanet, a 1977 NU graduate and in his 20th year of calling Wildcats games. "And I think that's one of his goals -- When the bowl selection process comes around, not to have Northwestern leapfrogged by other programs which may have more tradition in one area or another, or bigger attendance or whatever."

Another of Phillips' priorities is to raise Wildcats basketball to the same level of competitive success that football generally has enjoyed since the breakthrough 1995 Rose Bowl season. Since '95, the Wildcats have won three league Big Ten titles, traveled to six bowls and are bowl eligible again. In contrast, NU basketball never has reached the NCAA tournament.

"That's been a big priority," Eanet said. "Football's had a lot of success. ... That was something people said never could happen at Northwestern. So now, can you get the other sports on that kind of a level, too?"
Also high on Phillips' to-do list is getting more fans in the seats at NU home football games. This season, a 6-4 Wildcats team ranks last in the Big Ten in average attendance at 22,864.

One issue facing Phillips, Eanet says, is the poor attendance for nonconference home games. One contributing factor: because NU operates on a quarterly academic calendar, the school's students typically have yet to arrive on campus before the third home game. That pulls down the overall average, although NU still has work to do on attracting more fans to home conference games, too.

"Generally, the attendance for the Big Ten games is maybe not where it should be and ultimately will be," Eanet said. "But I think it's a little more respectable than some of the really small crowds they get in early September or the last day of August."
Eanet said he is confident Phillips eventually will make progress in all those areas, based on what he accomplished in his previous job as Northern Illinois' AD.

"He got them into bowl games, hired the right coaches for that institution, did a lot from a facilities standpoint, Eanet said.

***

45 minutes before kickoff
Bob admits to being skeptical about whether Juice Williams (ankle) is available for today's game. That's still to be determined, but the senior QB was in uniform and on the field when the Illini came out for pregame warmups.

If Williams' injury does prevent him from playing, redshirt freshman Jacob Charest will make his first collegiate start.

Williams' left ankle is heavily taped and it appears the ankle is supported by a brace, but he is throwing passes during warmups.

Hard to tell how mobile he might be since he's just throwing passes.

***

1 hour before kickoff:
ESPN Classic analyst Jon Berger is broadcasting his first Big Ten game today. But he isn't unfamiliar with the league or Illinois.

Berger was a kicker at Ohio State in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He made two trips to Memorial Stadium with the Buckeyes, losing both times.

Berger, who did the Ball State-Northern Illinois game on Thursday, has watched plenty of video on the current Illini.

"This is a different team today," Berger said. "It's the tale of a team that has gone through a transformation. That transformation occurred against Michigan. I think they were really deflated after the Missouri game.

"At 1-6, you wondered if they were going to pack it in."

Berger doesn't know which Illinois team is going to show up, especially if Northwestern takes an early lead.

Berger doesn't think Juice Williams will start and thinks the Illini will play Jacob Charest, Williams and Eddie McGee.

"Mike Schultz, if you look at his history in games that matter, he gets aggressive," Berger said. "He'll do some things that are atypical. He'll do some things Northwestern hasn't seen."

Berger didn't go directly from the football field to the broadcast booth. After college, he spent a decade in the technology industry. At 32, he decided to try broadcasting and has worked for the Fox Sports Network, Mtn. and CSTV.

"I took a leap of faith," Berger said.

In his first year with ESPN, he doesn't know his next assignment.

"ESPN is the worldwide leader in sports," Berger said. "In my position, you go where they tell you to go."

***

1:20 before kickoff:
Jacob Charest is on the field, throwing passes, looking very much like the starter. On the Illinois depth chart, Juice Williams is still listed first for today's game. But we haven't seen him on the field yet.

While the Illinois quarterback situation is a bit cloudy, Northwestern's is clear. Starter Mike Kafka will play despite a sore hamstring. He won't be the runner that he is normally is. Backup Dan Persa injured his throwing hand, but it isn't broken and he is expected to play.

Don't see any jerseys on the Illini, but they are wearing white pants. Don't be surprised if the orange jerseys are trotted out again today.

The gates just opened and the crowd is expected to be close to capacity. But don't expect the place to fill up early. There are huge spaces available in the nearby parking lots. I'd say the Loyalty Circle lot, which is just to the west of the stadium, is one-fifth full. The Assembly Hall lots have plenty of spots, too.

***

1:40 before kickoff:
The players are starting to make their way to the field, specialists first. It's a sunny, crisp morning, but the temperatures are expected to climb into the 50s or low 60s. Kind of hard to argue that in mid-November.

I'm about 20 feet from the Land of Lincoln Trophy, which will be in the press box during the first half of today's game. It's more impressive in person than in photos, with a heavy base topped by a detailed version of Lincoln's stovepipe hat. Not an ax, but still OK.

At halftime, the trophy will be moved behind the north end zone near the Illinois student section. There is no grand plan to give the trophy away after the game. The winning team is expected to come over and retrieve, and probably parade it in front of its fans.

There is some confusion about today's game being on ESPN Classic. It is part of the Comcast, DirecTV and DISH services. If you check the channel right now, you'll see some classic "American Gladiators." That will be followed by classic bowling before the Illinois-Northwestern game.

***

2 hours before kickoff:

Welcome to another in-game story. I'm going to be with your the first hour, then Jeff Huth will take over until gametime.

Cincinnati survived another test Friday, coming back from a 14-7 deficit to beat West Virginia 24-21 at home.

What does it mean for Illinois? First, Ron Zook's team better start planning for a night game against the Bearcats on Nov. 27. The official announcement won't come out until Monday. There are three possible time slots and the Illinois-Cincinnati game is competing with Pitt-West Virginia and Boise State-Nevada. It's hard to imagine Pitt-West Virginia being the prime-time choice since both teams have lost. Boise State is undefeated, so that remains an option. But there a whole lot more television sets in Illinois and Ohio than in Idaho and Nevada.

Cincinnati played Nick Collaros and Tony Pike in Friday's game against West Virginia. It will be interesting to see who starts against Illinois.

Speaking of spectacles, did you see Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly arguing with one of his assistant coaches during the game? While that happens a lot more than you think in college football, it usually isn't so visible. The demonstration won't help Kelly when big-time openings come up after the season. Hard to imagine Notre Dame, for instance, being happy with that kind of sideline show.

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