No fans mean no boost for an underdog Illinois squad
#illini Lovie Smith said there's no homefield advantage in college football this year.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 23, 2020
The architect of an upset is often a home crowd that gets behind the underdog team that hangs around and hangs around. Then belief and emotion sets in and the crowd gives the team the extra motivation and boost to pull off the upset.
In a COVID-19 world with only family in the stands, that’s not going to happen. Yes, parents can be loud — especially when yelling at little league umpires — but the Illini get no home-field advantage other than sleeping in their own beds and being a part of a routine.
That simply won’t be enough Saturday.
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