Nobody wants to be irrelevant, ignored or forgotten.

But after seven weeks, here sits the Illini football team as the most irrelevant, ignored and forgotten sports team in Champaign.

The Illini were once the Kings of Champaign. After another blowout loss Saturday — 49-14 courtesy of Michigan State — they're the No. 4 story in East Central Illinois. An announced crowd of 47,509 meandered over to Memorial Stadium. But there sure were an abundance of open seats — a trend that seems certain to grow for the final two home games.

C-U doesn't care about the Illini football team anymore. Fans want teams that win or at least give them hope. The Illini have provided nothing this year.

And Illini football fans have turned their allegiances to …

1). Cubs.

2). Illini basketball.

3). Northern Illinois football.

4). Illini football.

The World Series-bound Chicago Cubs have stolen the spotlight. Green Street turns into Clark and Addison during Cubs' playoff games. Green Street used to turn orange on Fridays and Saturdays of home football games. Now it's a light shade of royal blue and filled with cans of Old Style.

The men's basketball team has stolen the spotlight. Bruce Weber's first official practice begins Friday night with the annual Midnight Madness jamboree. Illini fans are already jamming at the prospects of another successful season on the hardwood.

The Illini have been ignored in favor of the Huskies. Northern Illinois has quickly asserted itself as the best college football team in Illinois this year. The No. 12 Huskies are 6-0 after a 37-point second-half scalded Central Michigan 40-24 on Saturday. Don't expect another non-conference match-up between Illinois and Northern any time soon (the Illini snuck past Northern 17-12 in 2001).

The Illini have been ignored because of their own disappointing performances. The Kings of Champaign are now the Kings of Comedy. How else do you explain another 30-plus point loss and a 1-6 start?

This week's excuse: fragile confidence.

"Our confidence is so fragile right now, when something bad happens we lose all our confidence," Illini head coach Ron Turner said. "We just have to keep fighting. I thought the guys prepared well and got off to a better start and all of a sudden, it just kind of collapsed."

At least the post-game interviews were void of the statements that have dogged the Illini's season-slump. There was no talk of "the little things" plaguing the Illini. There's nothing little about their last three losses.

38-20 to Wisconsin.

43-10 to Purdue.

49-14 to Michigan State.

Wisconsin and Purdue trampled the Illini on the ground in the last two weeks. Each stampeded to 300-plus yards rushing. Each showed the Illini can't stop the run.

Michigan State ground salt into an already gaping defensive wound on the Illini this week. The Spartans' supersonic aerial attack torched the Illini for 317 yards. The Illini can't stop the pass.

What can they do on defense? Perfect the three-point stance?

"It's tough when things don't go well early," junior receiver Mark Kornfeld said. "It's very tough to keep people's heads up and say 'hey it's going to be alright and we can bounce back from this.' That's something we're going to have to work really hard at."

Michigan State (6-1, 3-0) was a team in turmoil last fall. On Saturday, they clinched a bowl berth and looked like a poised Big Ten title contender. First-year head coach John L. Smith has restored the Spartans to respectability. He is confident. His team is confident. His team wins.

The Illini looked like the team in turmoil — befuddled at every turn. Illinois must win its final five games to clinch a bowl berth. Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa are up next. Good luck.

Those fans that haven't yet turned their back on the Illini and jumped on the Cubs, Illini basketball or Northern bandwagons, have turned their attention solely at Turner.

Turner has been and will remain — barring a remarkable rebuilding in confidence and talent before the season's end — the target of disgruntled fans.

His team may be irrelevant, but Turner's status for next year won't be forgotten.

Chris Neubauer is a senior in communications. He can be reached at sports@dailyillini.com.