This Saturday night’s football opener is without a doubt the most locally hyped non-televised sporting event in the modern era.

After a week of preparation, anticipation and media attention, at 6 p.m. on Saturday they’re going play a football game. So throughout all the pomp and circumstance, there’s one factor being missed. Like any playground fight, this game is more important to the bully wearing orange than the smaller nerd kid wearing blue and gray, who always gets his lunch money taken.

Illinois is trying to change the “basketball school” culture and quickly. Bruce Weber could run for mayor of Champaign and win in a walk. To do that, second-year head coach Ron Zook has tweaked the schedule a bit.

In his smoke-and-mirrors coaching career, Zook is 6-1 against directional and I-AA schools (Middle Tennessee, South Carolina, Northwestern and Florida A&M). I’ve been waiting an entire summer to use that stat.

His career coaching record otherwise is 20-22. In 2006, he’s pegged the Panthers, Rutgers (the historical doormat of the Big East), Syracuse (0-11 last year) and Ohio (when you can’t beat up the Buckeyes, is this like beating up the little brother?).

Since 2003, the Illini have four I-A wins, Eastern has one.

This may be the best opportunity the Panther program has to defend themselves against the bigger, badder monster just down the road. They are catching the big boys from the Big Ten at the right time.

A Panthers upset would be the answer to the question of what happens if a tree falls in the forest and 60,000 people are there to see it? Complete chaos, that’s what.

Zook suddenly becomes firmly planted on the hot seat and will immediately need to use the red emergency phone inside his office.

“Hello, this Ron Zook up at Illinois, I’m in need of assistance. There are people dressed in orange that want me out of town.”

“Sorry Ron, we tried to help you in Gainesville and now you’re on your own.”

On the other hand, a 40-point victory over Eastern establishes the obvious.

Illinois is the dominant school and Zook will be able to use the “great way to start the season” line along with breathing a sigh of relief.

The most likely scenario is the Panthers will compete for the first three quarters but ultimately lose due to lack of overall depth.

During the game, Illini faithful will start to look around and ask, “Why aren’t we dominating them?”

Nobody is going to judge Eastern for its performance other than themselves. The Panthers won’t lose or gain any recruits because of the game. Newer facilities, bigger market and higher priority means kids are always going to choose Illinois over EIU. On the other hand, all eyes will be on year two of the Zook era. The Panthers need to show up and Illinois needs to make them regret they did.

Like a district attorney trying to convict, the burden to show improvement for Zook is greater than a normal college football opener. Illini must win and must win big.

“We aren’t where we have to be, but we are much improved, and I can’t wait until Saturday just to see where we are,” Zook said.

Otherwise, they’ve set up a situation for many more questions to be asked than the number of answers their head coach is looking for.