Illinois’ Bret Bielema talked big coming into the season. Now he’s got big work to do.

Illinois stumbled, bumbled and lost 23-20 at Indiana in Game 2 of last season. It’s not like it was surprising at the time; it was the Illini doing Illini things, an old story.

But then everything changed and, six wonderful Saturdays later, the Illini were 7-1, their defense was leading the nation in too many statistical categories to keep track of, running back Chase Brown was in the Heisman Trophy conversation and — anyone paying attention felt it — something real and potentially lasting was being built by second-year coach Bret Bielema.

So one would think Illinois is capable of getting its act together after surviving Toledo 30-28 in Week 1 and pretty much failing to show up Friday in a 34-23 loss at Kansas.

But there are reasons to question everything.

Brown is in the NFL, and the Illini don’t appear to have a conventional run game they can hang their hats on. Quarterback Luke Altmyer is their leading rusher, which might be fine if it were by design; it isn’t. If an experienced offensive line, supposed to be a strength, can’t assert itself against Toledo and Kansas, what’s going to happen against the Big Ten big boys?

More alarming, the defense — magnificent last season — has yet to show up. Did former coordinator Ryan Walters take all the secret sauce with him when he left to coach Purdue? 

And then there’s this: Going back to last November, the Illini have lost five of their last seven games. And it would be six of seven if not for a mind-bogglingly clutch fourth-down throw from Altmyer on the winning drive against Toledo.

“I have to do a much better job of getting our guys ready to play and having a plan that we can execute,” Bielema said.

Yep, there’s that.

And who’s next for the Illini? Penn State — a top-five opponent — Saturday in Champaign. A year ago, the Illini might have been more prepared for a test of that magnitude.

“This is a big week, right?” Bielema said. “It’s a big week for us as a program. We’ve got to eliminate the things that get you beat and put ourselves in a position to have success.”

It’s a big week for Bielema, too. The narrative he pushed all offseason was of a team that had been good enough to start 7-1 — and go from there — but didn’t take advantage. He certainly portrayed this season, the last with divisional play in the Big Ten, as one in which the Illini could win the West and get to their first conference championship game in Indianapolis.

“I didn’t come here to go 8-5,” he told the Sun-Times a couple of months ago, with an expletive mixed in for extra effect.

Right now, 8-5 doesn’t look so bad. As long as we’re questioning everything, we have to wonder: Is it even attainable?

THREE-DOT DASH

Northwestern’s 38-7 win against UTEP didn’t merely end a year-plus-long losing streak for the Wildcats. It raised a question: Might there actually be a few more successful Saturdays where that one came from?

But unless this team pulls off a big surprise at Duke next weekend, or until it beats a Big Ten foe, the dire forecasts remain well-founded. Only Howard on Oct. 7 looks like a certain “W.” …

Circle Sept. 23 on your calendars, because Notre Dame beating Ohio State that night isn’t a far-fetched possibility at all. The Irish were outstanding Saturday in their 45-24 victory at NC State. There isn’t a team on the schedule — OSU, USC, Clemson — they can’t beat. …

Alabama is dead. No, not really. But Texas toyed with the Crimson Tide in a 34-24 win in Tuscaloosa that put an exclamation point on the SEC West’s struggles. LSU was embarrassed by Florida State in Week 1. Texas A&M got rolled by Miami in Week 2. Auburn probably should have lost at lowly Cal in Week 2. This division everyone routinely calls the best in college football can take a backseat to the Big Ten East for now. …

The Cubs’ flop of a series against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field reminded us that making the playoffs is no sure thing and a late fadeout can happen to any team that isn’t truly elite. Heading into the weekend, a division banner didn’t seem like too much to hope for. Now, any wild-card spot will do. …

Cubs ace Justin Steele did Cy Young things Saturday, allowing one run in seven innings and lowering his ERA to 2.49. Even though he has yet to spend a day as the favorite to win the award, don’t think he can’t get there in the end. He’s hotter than any of the competition.

THIS YOU GOTTA SEE

Bills at Jets (7:15 p.m. Monday, ABC 7, Marquee): What a test out of the gate for new Jets QB Aaron Rodgers. By the way, Aaron: You practice in New Jersey and play games in New Jersey — even if you win this one, no, you don’t own New York.

Cubs at Rockies (2:10 p.m. Wednesday, Marquee): There’s nothing better than a win on getaway day. After this comes a needed day off, and then — wow — only 15 games to go.

Sky at Aces, Game 1 (9 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN2): The reward for sneaking into the playoffs is a first-round series against one of the most stacked teams in WNBA history. But, hey, that’s why they play the games, right?

ONLY BECAUSE YOU ASKED

From Frank, via email: “Can Soldier Field be converted into a baseball park? When the Bears 

move, it will be empty. Great location. What say you?”

I say I’m already twitching with discomfort about the traffic getting in and out of that place 81 times a year. No, thanks.

THE BOTTOM FIVE

Northwestern: Nice win, but a quick check of the secondary ticket market before Saturday’s game showed primo seats on the 50-yard line available for $4. That bang-up new stadium will pay for itself, will it not?

Northern Illinois: One week, the Huskies win at Power 5 Boston College. The next, they face-plant at home against Southern Illinois, becoming the first FBS school to lose to an FCS team this season. Nice consistency, fellas.

Detroit: Now that the Lions are the best team in the NFL, can we talk about the asteroid that’s on a path for Ford Field?

USA Basketball: Nothing says “too cool to care” like a bunch of NBA dudes losing to Canada in the bronze-medal game at the FIBA World Cup.  

Bears traffic: Some days, that whole Arlington Heights thing sounds a whole lot better than others.