CHAMPAIGN — For the second consecutive year, Illinois through four weeks is 2-2. The positives are even with the negatives, at least in the stat column that matters most.

The Illini hope the positives just continue longer into the season than they did last fall when they ended the season with 10 straight losses.

For the second straight year, Illinois beat two non-power five teams to start its schedule only to lose the following two games to South Florida and to a Big Ten foe (Nebraska last year and Penn State last week).

But the Illini lowered its margin of defeat to USF from 24 points last year to six points this season and took a lead on No. 10 Penn State in the third quarter, only to allow the Nittany Lions to score 42 unanswered points to end the game. Positive and negative.

“I think it’s pretty simple: we can’t give up big plays," Lovie Smith said after the game. "What was disappointing, until the collapse in the fourth quarter, good teams are going to get a few, it’s just giving up those long runs. That’s what’s tough to take.

"I’m so disappointed in the way we finished but there is so much football left to go. I think anybody that’s seen us the last couple weeks, you kinda see what we will be this year. Hopefully, it starts up next game.”

But after three quarters, Illinois trailed the No. 10 team by just four points. Outside of a 24-10 loss to No. 5 Wisconsin last season, Illinois wasn't competitive against ranked opponents last season. Progress?

“Perception a bit you look at the score," Smith said. "Reality is that it’s a close game in the third quarter, so we’re getting there. I think the players and we all know that. We’ll see that when we watch the video. But also we can see what it takes to get over that hump of not being close late and being able to eventually finish. Our guys will be able to do that. We have a group, they show up each day. You have to fight through adversity as you’re building. You don’t like to have games like this, but maybe that will speed up that growth a little bit.

“We have a chance to be a pretty good football team this year is what I’ve learned. We’ve seen signs. Hopefully next time we’ll go out and put it all together.”