CHAMPAIGN, Ill. _ Twenty-five minutes before kickoff, 57 fans sat in the student section of Memorial Stadium as winds blowing at 30 miles per hour whipped.
Illinois honored 24 seniors before Saturday's home finale against Iowa in front of a mostly empty stadium.
Students had left for their fall break. The temperature hovered around 36 degrees. And, of course, Illinois' season has been disappointing.
There was little reason for Illinois fans enthusiasm at the last home game of the season in Champaign as a small crowd under blankets and an overcast sky watched Illinois crumble 28-0 to Iowa.
Illinois offense had no spark, totaling only 198 yards which included only 61 yards on the ground.
Two takeaways in the first half kept Illinois in the game, down only 7-0 at halftime. But the Hawkeyes run game pounded away and Illinois gave them help with two second-half turnovers.
Quarterback Wes Lunt (19 of 41 passing for 137 yards) threw only his second pick of the season in the third quarter. Nate Echard fumbled a kickoff in the fourth quarter and Iowa scored five plays later for a 28-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown by Akrum Wadley in the closing minutes.
Hawkeyes running backs Wadley and LeShun Daniels combined for 241 total yards and three touchdowns. Daniels scored twice on 159 yards off 26 carries.
Illinois' defense held up in the first half, with the Hawkeyes only scoring on a Riley McCarron 55-yard punt return for the 7-0 lead. Daniels scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, and later scored again on a 50-yard touchdown scamper in which he stayed inbounds and on his feet after a hit by Jaylen Dunlap at the 10-yard line.
In the first half, Illini senior safety Dillan Cazley made his first career interception. Later in the second quarter, Tre Watson forced a fumble deep in Illini territory and Jamal Milan recovered.
But the Illini offense, which mustered only 105 total yards, including 28 rushing yards, in the first half couldn't turn those takeaways into scores.
Illinois seniors have had a tumultuous four seasons in Champaign. They've had three different head coaches and endured a coaching scandal that led to the firing of Tim Beckman before last season.
Lunt had said he hoped to approach his home finale with some perspective.
"It will be bittersweet," he said after the Wisconsin loss. "It's gone by really fast. I'm just looking forward to it. I think I'm just going to enjoy it."
The Illini close the regular season next weekend at Northwestern.
