Football is, above everything else, a game.

No matter how many times you lose, and no matter how down you get, you can always take comfort in the fact that football is just a game. And games, by their very nature, are fun.

As the Illini football season closes in on its last two games, it is easy to look at the team’s losing record and to cringe. It is easy to think of the lopsided losses and to focus on the team’s continued inability to produce a Big Ten victory.

It’s tough to remember the moments of humor in a somber season.

But they have been there.

And the Daily Illini photo staff has tried to capture some of those moments.

We smiled at these images – and hopefully, so will you.