For weeks now, Ron Zook has been telling his underperforming Illini that their backs are against the wall.

Even if they weren’t three weeks ago, they certainly are now.

Illinois’ dwindling postseason hopes rest entirely upon this weekend’s trip to take on Northwestern in the final game of the regular season. A win on Saturday would give the Illini (5-6, 3-4 Big Ten) bowl eligibility and help them avoid a losing record following last year’s Rose Bowl appearance. The last team to have a losing record after a Rose Bowl appearance was Michigan in 1965.

“I think that’s what makes this game so big. That’s obviously a critical thing,” Zook said.

A victory would also turn around the recent struggles of the Illini, who lost two games in a row for the first time all season after last week’s loss to Ohio State.

“Everybody’s trying to do their best job on the field,” defensive lineman Will Davis said. “It’s the little things that really hurt us, like tackling, things like that. They became big things.”

But even with a win, the Illini won’t be assured of a bowl appearance. That decision rests with the various bowl committees, who decide which teams to invite based not only on performance, but also fan base size and television markets. However, if the projections hold true, six wins may send Illinois back to Detroit for the Motor City Bowl.

It would be a bittersweet return for the Illini, who lost to Western Michigan at Ford Field two weeks ago.

“I’m not sure anyone who’s in our situation wouldn’t be excited about going to some type of bowl, whether it’s Detroit or anywhere else,” quarterback Juice Williams said. “It’s still a bowl game.”

The Wildcats (8-3, 4-3) know the Illini’s situation all too well. Last season, they won six games, but a season-ending loss to Illinois kept Northwestern from receiving a bowl bid because eight other Big Ten teams had already notched seven or more wins.

This year, however, thanks to a 5-0 start to the season, the Wildcats will be making a bowl appearance and can flip the script this weekend by denying the Illini a berth of their own.

“It’s kind of funny, because the team situations have kind of reversed roles from last year, and now, it’s going to be important that we go out there and play the kind of game that we’re capable of playing,” Zook said.

In order to play spoiler against Illinois, the Wildcats will need to overcome the injuries that have plagued their season. Their first two choices at running back, Tyrell Sutton and Omar Conteh, are out for the season, while quarterback C.J. Bacher, a big reason for Northwestern’s early-season success, will get his second straight start after missing two games with a hamstring injury.

Bacher’s backup, Mike Kafka, suffered a concussion last week against Michigan, although head coach Pat Fitzgerald said both players would be ready Saturday. In contrast to Bacher’s classic pocket-passer style, Kafka provides more of a running threat and tallied an eye-popping 217 yards on the ground against Minnesota earlier this season.

“We’ve got a pretty good situation, and both guys are healthy and ready to compete,” Fitzgerald said.

With their hopes of a 13th game on the line, the Illini seniors have no intention of making an afternoon at Ryan Field their final game for the Orange and Blue.

“I know it’s going to be a tough game for both of us because it’s a rivalry game, but basically, for us it’s a must-win,” Davis said.