No 22 Illinois will trek to Chicago’s Wrigley Field this weekend to face off against a fired-up in-state rival Northwestern. The Lincoln trophy will be on line in a crazy ego fight. The Illinois is coming fresh off a dominant win over Rutgers and has their aura heightened ahead of tackling the Wildcats who had a crushing 50-6  blow from Michigan. Bret Bielema and the team will certainly look to continue their winning streak and make it a first-ever nine-win season since 2007. They are also eying a spot in the Citrus Bowl. Will their fortune support their high-flying drive? Well, we don’t know about the fate, but the weather will possibly do them a favor.

You can expect a very icy cold day on the north side of Chicago. The temperatures should be around 7 degrees during the kickoff and stay in the low to mid-20s for the rest of the game. The heavy wind can send a chill down your spine. Be packed in your best hoodies and jackets and be pumped up for a tantalizing Chicago afternoon.

But the bad part is the extreme weather forecast is not any good news for the players. We all are aware of how freezing cold can affect teams and players and restrict their muscle movement to some extent. If they don’t take proper precautions and be extra-hydrated, it will certainly take a toll on their overall performance and the scoreboard. The stern warning from Spice B-ts calls for attention. ”It should be a struggle to score points here. Especially if we can avoid ST and defensive TDs.”

Coaches of the two powerhouses must have pre-analyzed the situation and crafted a plan for how to beat the odds, but the volatility of tumultuous weather of late November still keeps fans on their edge unless and until the time runs out and the scoreboard flashes the outcome. The showdown will see a very contradictory effect of sheer geographical cold and collective warm runs in the fans’ blood to balance out a boiling rivalry week. Regardless, coach Bret Bielema’s dazzling memory doesn’t let him fear the frigid Wrigley Field.

Bret Bielema has a very special memory attached to Wrigley field

Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema will certainly dip his feet inside the Friendly Confines for the first time as football head coach, but that doesn’t mean he is not familiar with the place. ”This is going into Year 17 coming up. And I’ve been able to do a lot of really cool things from bowl experiences, going to Hawaii and seeing Pearl Harbor, and things that I couldn’t even imagine at one point,” reminisced the head coach, recalling his memories of the place.

“I got to meet a lot of people. I’ve been able to meet presidents. I’ve been able to rub elbows with some of the best in the business. But to sing the seventh inning stretch at Wrigley Field for a Cubs game is truly one of the highlights of my non-football career. That’s pretty awesome,” Bielema scouted through his illustrious memory book.

Nostalgia is infectious. You can’t just turn the book off after reading a page. If you revisit, you have to drag one after another memory. The Illinois HC added to his relish, reminiscing how scared he was while leaning out from the Wrigley Field press box. ”The guy’s handing me cue cards to sing along. I said, ‘Buddy, I’ve been singing this since I was 5. I’m all right with the words. I’m not all right with the railing not being here’,” Bielema said to Whole Hog Sports.

Well, while Bielema is busy being nostalgic, it remains to be seen how the ever-familiar Wrigley field treats the guest coach on Saturday.