Illini headed to Rose Bowl
 

Illini headed to Rose Bowl
Will face Southern California on New Year's Day
By Terry Bannon

Tribune staff reporter

6:56 PM CST, December 2, 2007

Illinois' Rose Bowl drought is over.

Following the biggest one-year turnaround in school history, the Illini were selected Sunday to meet Southern California in the nation's most historic bowl game on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.

Illinois ended its regular season two weeks ago at 9-3 and climbed in the BCS ratings as other teams stumbled at the of their seasons. Southern California clinched the Pac-10's automatic BCS berth by wrapping up the league title with Saturday's victory over UCLA.

The Trojans will be a heavy favorite over the Illini, who began the season just hoping to contend for any bowl after going 2-10 in Ron Zook's second season in 2006.

Southern California began the season as the No. 1 team in the country, but fell out of national championship contention with a stunning home loss to lowly Stanford.

The Illini moved into Rose Bowl contention Saturday when No. 1 Missouri and No. 2 West Virginia both lost, opening up a spot in the BCS national championship game for Big Ten champ Ohio State.

It will be the Illini's first Rose Bowl appearance since Jan. 2, 1984, when they lost 45-9 to UCLA.

It's Illinois' first bowl game since the 2001 season, when they played LSU in the Sugar Bowl and lost 47-34.

They will get beat by 30+. The Big Ten will be lucky to get 2 wins this bowl season.

Purdue could beat Central Michigan
Penn St. could beat Texas A&M

Other than that, the Big 10 is going to get crushed.

that's all we need. An Irish fan talking trash.

I'll take the 30+ points
you wanna put your money where your keyboard is?

ror!



If the BigTen wins just ONE game that will be one more than the BigNoodle has won in ten years.

Pretty funny, isn't it? I am surprised that Notre Dame didn't petition the NCAA to make a rule change for them to get into a bowl game, and even more surprised that they didn't finish in the Top 25. I simply cannot stand how the media kisses their asses each and every year. There isn't a team I root against more than the Irish...

good for you, would you like a cookie or a bozo badge?

you wanna bet the Big 10 ends up with a losing record this bowl season???? Didn't think so.

It will be the Illini's first Rose Bowl appearance since Jan. 2, 1984, when they lost 45-9 to UCLA.


USC 45 Illinois 9............sounds about right

The Michigan game looks like a good one.

I am not sure if I should follow this up with "Sticks and Stones" or "I know you are but what am I?"

How about, "I'm rubber, you're glue, whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you"?

I never claimed the Big 10 would have a winning record this bowl season.

You don't want to back up that 30+ claim.

I'll take Illinois and the 30 1/2 points.

at least they're IN a bowl game. win or lose, they got there. unlike some.

I guess this will be the game that will show how strong or weak the Pac 10 was this year. The Rose Bowl is my favorite game to watch. Pac 10 vs. Big 10

How about "get your squee-gee and your Windex away from my car or I'll run your broken down, Notre Dame loving ass over".

Illini headed ti Rose Bowl
 

How about "get your squee-gee and your Windex away from my car or I'll run your broken down, Notre Dame loving ass over."

I heard if you post the same message twice, you have a better chance of getting your message acrossed.

I heard if you post the same message twice, you have a better chance of getting your message acrossed.

But the stupid make themselves clearly heard with just one post.

Hawaii Will Get Blown Out By The Dawgs!!