Illini Sports Blog

We fumble. They score. We still win. What?

Continuing the theme of "things my friends text me that capture the moment and make a perfect postgame breakdown post title", that text from my friend Carter wins for this week.

We're getting ready to run out the clock and on the first play, Jason Ford fumbles. Every human being on earth who has followed Illini football for even 10 games knew exactly what would happen. Northwestern would score with a few seconds left, their players would run over to celebrate with the Purple People, and the stair tower ramps filled with thousands of dejected fans would fall silent again.

My first experience with the silent stair tower was also a Northwestern homecoming game. 1992. We led 26-6 late in the third quarter. Northwestern mounts a comeback behind wide receiver Lee Gissendaner and quarterback Len Williams. With every Illini fan on their feet and screaming, Williams hits Gissendaner for a touchdown with, get this, 13 seconds remaining. The extra point goes through, and Northwestern wins 27-26.

alioneye.com

Filed under: Illini Football, Northwestern Wildcats
Follow IllinoisLoyalty on Twitter