With one game still on the schedule, Illinois football is heading into this weekend looking to take advantage of one last opportunity to put a complete game together.

“I told the team that we owe it to our fans and we owe it to our seniors to go out there and play our best game,” head coach Ron Zook said Tuesday. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but we need to go out there, put all three phases together, and play our best game.”

Illinois travels to Evanston tomorrow to play Northwestern in an evenly matched contest that is less about an in-state rivalry than about clawing out of the Big Ten basement.

The Illini and Wildcats are both 1-6 in Big Ten play, sharing last place with Michigan State. Both teams have struggled throughout the season, although Illinois has come close to victory far more regularly than Northwestern has.

But that isn’t comforting the Illini team.

“If you look back on our record, it doesn’t really show how good of a season we’ve had,” said cornerback Vontae Davis after Saturday’s loss to Purdue. “This feeling of losing, I’m not used to that feeling. Eventually we’re going to prove ourselves. Eventually we’ll show how good of a football team we are.”

For Illinois to leave with a win, all three phases of the game will need to be intact. That will require big production from members of every class at every position; the Illini have struggled all season to piece together solid performances from offense, defense and special teams.

Offensively, establishing the rushing game will be the difference between a mediocre game and meaningful one. Freshman quarterback Juice Williams and senior running back Pierre Thomas have been offensive producers for Illinois; if these two run well on Saturday, the offense should be in good shape.

Defensively, Illinois expects good games from junior linebacker J Leman and defensive end Derek Walker. Leman leads the Big Ten in tackles and ranks fourth nationally, while Walker leads the Illini with 5.5 sacks this season.

“J can make all the calls, get people lined up,” Zook said. “He’s a guy who studies the game.”

Illinois’ special teams has struggled all year, but should see continued improvement with Thomas returning kick-offs for the second game. Thomas broke the school record for career kick-off return yardage in last weekend’s loss to Purdue, and will attempt to pad his lead this weekend.

“We all know he’s a special guy who’s going to be missed,” Zook said.

Illinois’ players and coaches say they want a win so seniors like Thomas can graduate on a positive note.

They say the dozen or so Illini who will not return are deserving of a final victory to cap their careers.

But they also say the returning players are hoping for a victory, too.

With more than nine months between Saturday’s game and the next time Illinois takes the field, the returnees say closing 2006 on a high note will offer an extra punch of incentive during the long offseason of weight training and conditioning.

“We’re basically talking to everybody, making sure everybody’s coming out and playing strong,” defensive end Will Davis said. “We’ve got to keep everybody focused this week and make sure we finish strong.”