Big Game Hunting: It’s time for Lovie Smith and the Illini to end their misery against Iowa

You ready to get a little dramatic? Let’s get a little dramatic.

No. 24 Iowa (-13½) at Illinois (2:30 p.m., FS1, 890-AM) is the most important game for Lovie Smith since he took over as coach of the Illini before the 2016 season.

Based on his 17-37 record at the school, Smith could be reasonably charged with going nowhere, coming up empty, failing to lead a struggling program out of the abyss. Accurate? Maybe it’s still too soon to render a judgment. But reasonable? Oh, yeah.

But the Illini (2-3) and their 62-year-old coach aren’t done with each other yet. And Iowa — which has tormented Smith like no other opponent — is the chance Smith needs to actually build on the landmark upset of Wisconsin and the .500 regular season he managed in 2019.

Any guesses how badly the Illini have been outscored by the Hawkeyes (4-2) in the four head-to-head games Smith has coached? Grab hold of something, people. Sit down if you can. Avert your eyes if necessary. The answer is — holy Galloping Ghost — 155-26.

Two years ago in Champaign, Smith’s team was humiliated 63-0 in the no-doubt-about-it low point of the coach’s post-NFL career. Last year, it got a lot better for the Illini with a 19-10 loss in Iowa City. But quarterback Brandon Peters was knocked out of that game with a hit that probably should’ve been ruled targeting, and Smith was mighty ticked off about it.

“It doesn’t take an awful lot for us to get fired up about playing the Hawkeyes,” he said this week.

On the subject of the aforementioned “Ghost,” long-ago great Red Grange, the Illini will wear their “Gray Ghost” uniforms for a Homecoming game in a mostly empty Memorial Stadium. They wore the same grays to beat Wisconsin last year, so there’s that.

But Smith is all about takeaways, not threads, and his defense came up with five turnovers last time out in a 41-23 win at Nebraska and has six interceptions over its last two games. Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras, who has thrown five INTs to go with a modest four touchdowns, is ripe for the picking.

This is Iowa, not Ohio State, Alabama or the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s time for the Illini to end one of these matchups with helmets held high in celebration. Go gray-zy, folks — a 23-21 upset.

OTHER WEEK 14 PICKS

No. 3 Ohio State (-23½) at Michigan State (11 a.m., Ch. 7): Isn’t this spread too big considering the Spartans were good enough to spoil Northwestern’s perfect record last weekend in the very same Spartan Stadium? Then again, the Buckeyes are in extreme impress-the-playoff-committee mode. Go Bucks, 45-17.

No. 5 Texas A&M (-5½) at Auburn (11 a.m., ESPN): The Aggies have the better quarterback, offensive line and defense. (Gee, is that all?) Auburn is always a threat at Jordan-Hare, but something’s really off with these Tigers. Gig ’Em, 31-10.

Toledo (-9) at Northern Illinois (11 a.m., ESPN3, 560-AM): All NIU did against the Rockets over the last decade was go 8-2. Alas, it’s a new decade. Huskies with another double-digit defeat.

Syracuse (+33½) at No. 2 Notre Dame (1:30 p.m., Ch. 5, 1000-AM): Anybody else remember when Orange coach Dino Babers was the toast of the college game a couple of years back? Irish keep rolling, 42-14.

No. 10 Indiana (+14) at No. 18 Wisconsin (2:30 p.m., Ch. 7): Is Jack Tuttle ready for this? The Hoosiers QB steps in for Michael Penix Jr., who is lost for the season with a torn ACL. Badgers by only a touchdown.

No. 8 BYU (-10) at No. 14 Coastal Carolina (4:30 p.m., ESPNU): The national media see unbeaten BYU as the real deal. Similar belief in unbeaten Coastal doesn’t seem to exist. Where’s the love for the Sun Belt? ESPN’s “GameDay” presence will make this lots of fun to watch. BYU, 34-26.

No. 4 Clemson (-21½) at Virginia Tech (6:30 p.m., Ch. 7): There’s only one hitch in the Hokies’ upset giddyup — they’re not particularly good at football anymore. Tigers, 52-20.

No. 1 Alabama (-29) at LSU (7 p.m., Ch. 2): Man, this matchup is so much fun when it’s, you know, fun. Roll Tide, 45-7.

My favorite favorite: Missouri (-1½) vs. Arkansas (11 p.m., SEC Network): Tigers make it five straight “Ws” in the Battle Line rivalry.

My favorite underdog: Tennessee (+17½) vs. No. 6 Florida (2:30 p.m., Ch. 2): Vols have yet another date with heartbreak, but at least they keep it kind of close.

Last week: 5-2 straight-up, 4-3 vs. the spread.

Season to date: 33-16 straight-up, 26-22-1 vs. the spread.