Losing Coach on Saturday

No.

I think he can survive with a loss.  Look at the teams hes lost to this year.  They have a combined record of something like 23-3.  One hicup at the big house isn't going to kill him.  Their record is not really indicative of how they've played.  I'd bet they kill their bowl oppenent because of that.

Rod- Highly unlikey

Neither will get fired based solely on a loss.  There's 3 games after that and in regards to Zook he has a solid and youngish team and has made a big improvement over last years team.  You could make the same argument about Michigan (not the defense obviously), but the fans here just aren't as patient.

Double no. 

Zook will not be fired regardless of the outcome. He has a very young team and could be headed for big things in the future. They kept him after a 3 win season and even with the loss he will beat Minnesota and NW gving him 7 wins!! RR is in a must win scenario but even with a loss to the Illini he still has 3 games to save the seaon. It is going to come down to the end for both coaches not on one game.

Zook is safe unless they drop their last 4 games. Even if they lose to us, they should run the table. Minnesota is inept in every phase of the game, NW has a so-so offense and a suspect run defense, and Fresno got blown out by Ole Miss and Hawaii.

My guess is that this team plays with a sense of urgency, and for that reason might actually win. But if we see another product on the field like the one we saw at PSU, then the hole is probably too deep for RR to climb out of. Like the old saying goes (modified for the current state of UM Football), 'its not only if you lose, its how you play when you lose.' 

...to beat the Illini.

Coaches are very rarely fired 3/4ths of the way through the season, because realistically, who could replace him at that point, and what could the replacement do? Anyone you want is probably employed elsewhere, and won’t be available till after the season anyway.

Howeva, another loss the following week to Purdue and the expected debacles against Wisco and OSU could very well spell the end for RR.

The Zooker is probably safe either way.  The Illini have exceeded expectations this season, UM on the other hand...

At the end of the day, no matter what, Ron Zook looks great on a pair of water skis.

to save his job.

Illini look pretty good.

We definitely need a win.  I don't really see how Illinois needs a win.  They've bounced back pretty nicely.  It's about time we won a must-win game.

Rod needs a win, sadly it will have to come against Purdue.  Zook is safe.

Nope.