Now the pressure is off.

At times during the 2012 season, the Illini tried to do too much, and it ended up costing them yards on penalties or muffed punt returns and shanked punts.

It doesn’t matter what the Illinois football team does Saturday against Minnesota, or during the rest of the season — it cannot make a bowl game. And Illinois head coach Tim Beckman believes that makes the game all the more important. 

“Well every game is a bowl game for us now,” Beckman said. 

He said he had no problems motivating the Illini and his team’s morale has stayed the same. The Illini must now find something to play for during the rest of the season. 

This week it may be easy — it’s Dad’s Day. The fathers of the football players will be honored as usual during the game, and seniors will be able to go out on the field with their fathers.

Illinois is also honoring veterans; the players will wear camouflage T-shirts during warm-ups.  

“This game is not just about (the Illini),” Beckman said. “It’s about two very important parts of our lives.”

The Illini may play for pride, but the program still hasn’t won a Big Ten game in more than a year.

A strong finish for Illinois can help build for the future and give the players returning next year some positives headed into offseason.

“The main goal of getting to a bowl game isn’t there,” quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase said. “So what’s your next step? In my mind that’s just to get better. That’s going to help us in moving forward as a team, and that’s what going to help us as a program moving forward.”

Illinois may play for the seniors, some of whom could be playing in their last high-level football games these next three weeks.

“I want these seniors to win in the worst way,” Beckman said. “They need to experience it, they need to experience what’s it like to win in the Big Ten.”

Beckman is facing a familiar opponent in Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill, who, like Beckman, got his start in the Mid-American Conference. Beckman called the Golden Gophers a classic “Jerry Kill football team,” a scrappy team that fights just like Beckman says their head coach does everyday of his life. Kill has battled with diseases and seizures throughout his time as a head coach.

Illinois also has the challenge of stopping wide receiver MarQueis Gray, Minnesota’s explosive playmaker that they like to move around the field. Beckman said the 6-foot-4, 245-pound wide receiver could create matchup problems for the Illini, and it will be important for Illinois to identify early where he is on the field.

Losing to woeful 2-9 Minnesota was the final game of the Illini’s six-game losing streak and arguably the low point last year. Gray had a huge game against the Illini last season, with 167 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He also threw for another score.

“It’s another tough challenge,” defensive back Ashante Williams said. “He’s a guy that they want to get the ball in his hands in the open field and can make guys miss and create big plays for the offenses.”

Beckman said his team is still working and practicing as hard as it always has for the chance to get better during the final quarter of the season. He says the team has become like a family after being together all year.

“It’s definitely not a fun year by any means or any stretch of the imagination,” Beckman said. “But it’s definitely been a learning year.”

Jamal can be reached at [email protected] and @JamalCollier.