The Illinois football team lost a heartbreaker to Iowa on Saturday and with that they have also lost their national ranking. The Illini dropped from number 18 in the Associated Press poll to 28th – the same place they were after beating Penn State. Illini guard Martin O’Donnell says he hopes the team takes the loss the right way.

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“There’s a lot of pain in that locker room after the game,” O’Donnell said. “I know that soon that pain is going to turn into anger and that’s the kind of thing that need to fuel us for the rest of the season.”

The Illini will have to come out ready for Saturday’s contest under the lights against No. 24 Michigan. The contest with the Wolverines is at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Memorial Stadium and can be seen on ABC.

Even with the loss to Iowa…Ron Zook’s facelift of the football program has brought him some financial security. The Executive committee of the board of trustees will vote on giving Zook a contract extension that will run through 2013. If the order is approved – and it is expected to be – Zook’s annual salary will jump to $1.3 million.