Where does Terry Hawthorne's touchdown-saving tackle rank?

At first, it seems like a beside-the-point question for a team that stands 2-6. If it's the start of something, though, the freshman cornerback might earn a place in Illini lore.

"We'll have to wait to see what the meaning of the play is," coach Ron Zook said. "There's no question that play turned the game around. As the season goes along, it may be a major, major play in the turning of our season."

Give a big assist to the replay official who reversed the ruling on the field that receiver Ray Roundtree had scored a touchdown that would have put Michigan on top 20-7 three plays into the third quarter. And give the rest of the Illini defense hearty pats on the back for making a four-play goal-line stand on the 1-yard line and one to Juice Williams for engineering a 99-yard touchdown drive that started Illinois on a 31-0 second half and a 38-13 victory.

But credit Hawthorne with giving Illinois a glimmer of hope.

The Illini, who were 27th in the preseason top-25 media voting, believe they are far more talented than their record. So do Big Ten coaches. And now, given this opportunity, the Illini are intent on demonstrating that by salvaging some things.

"You have to have hope," co-defensive coordinator Dan Disch said. "And hopefully, this gives us what we've needed the whole time, which is confidence. A lot of this [losing] has been a confidence issue."

A bowl trip, while mathematically possible, is not the point. Winning some games down the stretch is realistic, though. And that would provide some momentum for the embattled Zook, and give a lift on the all-important recruiting front.

It won't be easy. Each of the two remaining home opponents, Northwestern and Fresno State, has five wins and might come to Champaign with its bowl hopes on the line. There's also a trip to No. 4 Cincinnati, and wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall when Zook asks athletic director Ron Guenther to tell him again why that game is on the schedule.

But first, there's this week's trip to Minnesota, which also has five wins and is playing for its bowl resume. The Gophers are coached by 1983 Illini Rose Bowl captain Tim Brewster, who was interested in the Illinois job when Zook was hired, but lacked head coaching experience.

A year ago, Minnesota was a 12?-point underdog in Champaign, but stole Illinois' homecoming game 27-20 with a pair of gift touchdowns off turnovers despite being outgained 550-312 while Williams was setting a Memorial Stadium total-offense record.

This year, the Illini are a one-touchdown underdog against the Gophers.

Thanks to Hawthorne's heroics, though, the Illini will head north eager to take another challenge.