The Golden Gophers travel to Champaign, Illinois this weekend to take on the No. 24 Fighting Illini. Minnesota will look to tap head coach Bret Bielema for the first team after nine straight losses to his Wisconsin and Illinois teams. Riding a three-game winning streak, the Gophers are now 5-3, and a win on Saturday could put them in contention for a fourth straight season.

Here are our staff’s score predictions.

After earning their third straight Big Ten victory, everything seems to be clicking at the right time for the Gophers. Illinois will enter this game with a bang, with leading receiver Pat Bryant and three cornerback contributors up in the air. Illinois has been solid all season, but I think Minnesota will catch up to them at the right time and get the Bret Bielema monkey off its back and pull off a dominant road win.

Illinois is a strong team and they are well coached, led by the man (Bielema) who owns Minnesota. I’ll go so far as to say that the Fighting Illini are probably the best team the Gophers will have played this season, but they will be without their No. 1 running back and their star wide receiver, Pat Bryant, is a real play . -time decision while he recovers from a concussion. My gut is that Illinois wins by a hair, but I’m feeling feisty so I’ll upset the Gophers.

Saturday’s game at No. 24 Illinois could be the game that defines the season for the Gophers. Minnesota, currently 5-3 and winners of three straight, would have a good shot at an eight-win season and a 6-3 record in conference play if it can come away with a win Saturday. That wouldn’t be insignificant in the first year of the expanded Big Ten. It won’t be an easy feat Saturday against an Illini team that features a standout quarterback in Luke Altmyer, who isn’t prone to mistakes, and a playmaking receiver in Pat Bryant, not to mention a solid defense.

But one of the U’s strengths is also its secondary, with veteran corners Justin Walley and Ethan Robinson and a rising star in freshman safety Koi Perich, who seems to come up with a game-changing play every week, no matter the circumstances. Max Brosmer is having his best game of the year for the U, and it feels like the Gophers are figuring things out on both sides of the ball. Minnesota has never beaten a Bret Bielema-led team, but there’s a first time for everything, and on Saturday PJ Fleck and the Gophers beat Bielema in Champaign.

It’s tempting to think Minnesota has turned the corner after three straight wins, especially considering how well Max Brosmer played against Maryland. But Illinois is ranked in the rankings for a reason and will be tough to beat in Champaign. Luke Altmyer has two wide receivers at his disposal and is looking to rebound after a tough game against Oregon. Defensively, Gabe Jacas and Xavier Scott are playmakers for the Illini. The Gophers may unfortunately have to drop a game this week.