Minutes after last Saturday’s 67-65 triple-overtime loss at Michigan, Nathan Scheelhaase’s head was spinning from the game — but his mind was already on this week’s Minnesota game.

“We have our last home game coming up, and it’ll be senior day,” the redshirt freshman said after the loss. “I know for myself, Eddie (McGee) has been a person that has been a mentor to me, it would be just great to send him out with a win in his last home game.”

“That’s what I’m going to be focused on all this week,” Scheelhaase continued. “I know what he’s done for this program in general, and it’s the least I can do to prepare my butt off this week and play my heart out when it comes to Saturday.”

After Scheelhaase was knocked to the ground on the failed two-point conversion attempt last week that ended last Saturday’s game, it was the senior receiver McGee who went over to help Scheelhaase to his feet and help him to the sideline.

“It’s been great having him as a leader, in the huddle,” Scheelhaase said. “I’ll definitely miss that next year, and not having him around in general. My locker is right next to his, and I see him everyday. I’m going to enjoy these last few weeks with him, and I’m going to play my heart out.”

McGee will be one of 13 Illinois seniors that will be playing in their final home game this Saturday. The class has seen it all, from 2007’s Rose Bowl season to last year’s disappointing 3-9 campaign.

“They have meant a lot more to this program maybe than what people think,” Illinois head coach Ron Zook said. “Maybe people down the road will realize what they did mean. In terms of the groove, so to speak, and holding people together and what they stood for. They have kind of been through it all, they’ve been through the good and the bad, and kind of been the glue to the whole thing.”

Zook pointed out the relationship between McGee and Scheelhaase as a major factor behind the team’s success this season.

McGee, who came to Illinois as a quarterback, was expected to be Juice Williams’ replacement at the position after Williams graduated last season. But McGee moved to receiver, and Scheelhaase was named the team’s starting signal caller.

“I think it was probably important, not only to Nathan, but to this football team that everyone saw that Nathan had Eddie’s endorsement,” Zook said. “Eddie was all for it. And to me, that was a big thing, and Eddie did that on his own.”

“He was the first guy that got behind Nathan,” Zook added. “Any time that Nathan has had any, not necessarily struggles, but things haven’t gone exactly the way he’d like them to go, Eddie would be the first guy there.”

The seniors will be recognized before their final game at Memorial Stadium, and some are already concerned with the emotions that may follow.

“I know my mom’s going to cry,” senior linebacker Nate Bussey said. “Whenever I see my mom cry, it always makes me emotional.”

The team is hoping the season will end on a high note for the seniors, as a win against Minnesota will clinch a bowl game for the first time since 2007.

“A lot of ups and downs, but if it was easy, then everybody would do it,” senior defensive end Clay Nurse said. “But for how hard as it was and all the disappointments that we’ve had, it makes it that much more enjoyable when you have success. It’s definitely something you cherish.”

Nurse, who is from Beltsville, Md., said he first knew he wanted to attend the University when he met Washington, D.C., native McGee at the airport. The two were then high school recruits on their way to their official visit in Champaign.

“He was a cool guy and he was the type of guy that I would love to have as a teammate,” Nurse said. “Combining that with everybody I met on my visit here, that just sold it for me.”

Nurse said the focus remains on winning the rest of the schedule and enjoying the remaining time with his team and fellow seniors.

“We survived,” Nurse said with a laugh. “A lot of guys aren’t as fortunate to finish their college careers where they started. I think we’re a couple of the lucky ones.”