By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Here we go again.

For the fourth week in a row, I’m predicting a victory for the struggling Iowa football team.

But in this case, it has more to do with Illinois as the opponent than with Iowa, which has lost three games in row, all of which I predicted an Iowa victory.

No disrespect to 4-6 Illinois, but if Iowa is anything close to being what it was perceived to be a month ago, then it should win Saturday’s game at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill.

Illinois has some talented players, especially on offense, but not enough to be considered a legitimate threat against a respectable team.

Illinois is ranked last in the Big Ten in total defense, rushing defense, passing defense and scoring defense, and that pretty much covers everything on defense.

If ever there was a time to get tight end Noah Fant involved in the offense, Saturday’s game against the defensively-challenged Fighting Illini would be it.

An Iowa victory, coupled with Fant having a significant role on offense, would offer some temporary relief from two maddening storylines.

The Iowa players have had to readjust their goals now that Northwestern has clinched the Big Ten West Division title, but there still is a lot at stake.

Iowa could have a total collapse and finish 6-7 or it could get on a mini roll and finish 9-4.

A 9-4 record is not what fans envisioned after the Hawkeyes started 6-1, but it would sure beat finishing 6-7 or 7-6, or even 8-5.

“First thing is how do we move forward as a football team right now, what's there left to play for, and I've always felt like anything in sports, I mentioned the other night we prepare pretty much year-round,” said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. “You only get 12 opportunities guaranteed, so every game is special. We've got two scheduled and they're important to us.

“I know they are for our opponents, also, and it really goes down to two things for a football team or anybody when you face disappointment. You're either going to pull together or you're going to divide or you're going to fight and compete or you're going to surrender. There really aren't options in either one of those choices.”

All four of Iowa’s losses have come by a combined 23 points and were against teams that you could find some justification for why Iowa lost.

That would not be the case should Iowa lose to lowly Illinois. There would be no justification for losing to this Illinois team, even on the road, unless, of course, Iowa is experiencing a full-scale collapse.

A loss to Illinois would be disastrous on a number of fronts, from a perception standpoint, from a record standpoint and from a bowl game standpoint.

It would give the perception that Iowa is beyond repair.

Look for Iowa establish the run and then use play action to provide balance on offense.

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley has struggled with consistency, but he often feasts on poor defenses, and that's because he usually has time in the pocket and the support of a productive running game against poor defenses.

Stanley can be dangerous when the circumstances work to his advantage, unlike lthe Northwestern game last Saturday.

The Wildcats loaded the box and often blitzed on first down during the 14-10 victory.

That approach helped to stymie the Iowa running game, which only produced 64 yards on 22 carries, and just 17 yards in the second half.

Iowa tried to compensate by having Stanley attempt 41 passes, but the offense still only produced one touchdown.

“I wouldn’t say it was a matter of us not being able to run,” Stanley said. “I think it was us just doing what the defense was giving us. A lot of those throws that I had, those were options to run it or throw it.”

Northwestern is vastly superior to Illinois on defense, so again, the circumstances on Saturday should be favorable for Stanley to lead the offense.

Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz should try to get Fant involved early in the offense in order to eliminate that growing controversy, but also because Fant deserves it.

Fant is a matchup nightmare for defenses, especially one as inadequate as the Illinois defense.

Iowa shouldn’t lose to this Illinois team under any circumstance.

You couldn’t say that about Iowa’s previous three opponents, but you can say it about Illinois, which has yet to gain much traction under third-year head coach Lovie Smith..

None of Iowa’s four losses this season were inexcusable, but a loss to Illinois certainly would be.

Prediction: Iowa 38, Illinois 24

Iowa vs. Illinois

When: 2:30 p.m., Saturday

Where: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Ill.

TV: Big Ten Network

Series: Iowa trails the all-time series 33-38-2, but has won 12 of the last 15 meetings, nine of the last 10 and four in a row. Iowa is 14-20 all-time in games played in Champaign, but has won the last two visits.