Nov. 11--CHAMPAIGN -- Illinois coach Tim Beckman is equating the fourth quarter of games to the team's fourth quarter of the season.
In this last stretch of do-or-die games, the Illini (4-5, 1-4 Big Ten) must give a last-ditch, everything-they-have effort. With only home games against Iowa and Penn State and a finale at Northwestern, the team must win two of three to become bowl eligible.
"We have played extremely well in the fourth quarter and we have got to continue that trend," Beckman said at his Monday news conference in Champaign. "We're in the fourth quarter right now of our season. For us to be successful and to reach the goals these seniors have put out in front of this football team, we've got to get to six."
A victory Saturday at home against Iowa (6-3, 3-2) would be a good place to start.
The Illini have a few reasons to feel optimistic:
-- The Hawkeyes are coming off a 51-14 loss to Minnesota, a team that Illinois beat.
-- The last time the Illini came off a bye week, they won their lone Big Ten game, defeating the Gophers 28-24 on Oc. 25.
-- Perhaps most importantly, quarterback Wes Lunt will return to his starting role.
Lunt, who has not played since an Oct. 4 loss to Purdue, has missed the last three games after a leg fracture. He said the injury actually dates back to the third game of the season, a loss on Sept. 13 at Washington, but he tried to ignore it.
"I thought it was a Charley horse," he said. "It just kept getting worse and worse. Definitely tried to play through it as much as possible, definitely a little denial with that."
After practicing in throwing drills last week, Lunt is eager to more fully participate with teammates this week.
"I think (there is) a little bit of rust," offensive coordinator Bill Cubit said. "Throwing to trainers is not the same as throwing to wideouts. You're not as sharp as what you've been before but that's what the bye week is for."
At the time of his injury, Lunt ranked in the top 20 nationally in passing yards per game with 313.8, passing touchdowns with 13, passing yards with 1,569 and completion percentage with 66.5 percent.
His return could provide a confidence boost.
"Call it what it is," Cubit said. "The guy has a really good arm and he's really accurate. If I'm a wide receiver on the field, I'm feeling a little bit better."
With offensive guard Teddy Karras out for the season with a knee injury, the offensive line will need to protect Lunt better than it did Reilly O'Toole and Aaron Bailey in the Ohio State loss.
Joe Spencer and Michael Heitz are penciled in on the depth chart as equal right guard possible starters with Alex Hill listed at center as an alternate with Spencer. Offensive tackle Simon Cvijanovic is expected to return from an injury that sidelined him during the game in Columbus, Ohio.
For Lunt, returning is a good way to start off a strong finish.
"It feels really good," he said. "Feels like the first game again."
