What is the biggest win in Illinois history?

#26      

Illwinsagain

Illwinsagain
Cary, IL
Illwinsagain
ILL_INI said:
KoiDog, this is the problem when the basketball fans invade our football forum "safe space."

The remarkable thing about the 1983 season is that it was the only time, and will most likely be the only time, that a Big Ten team had beaten every other team in the conference. That you attended that many games while living in Colorado is also pretty remarkable.
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And did so in both Football and Basketball. It won't happen again, unless the B1G gets back down to 10.
 
#28      

FlyinIllini22

F
FlyinIllini22
Interesting the posts about beating NW in 2001. I remember that game wasn't well attended compared to other home games, and in the 4th quarter NW QB barely overthrew a wide open receiver who would have ran about 70 yards to go ahead. Beating Ohio St in 2007 was bigger for me because it was also a huge upset. For me EJ hitting the shot over Magic to beat Mich st, KB dunking all over the G Tech team to make the Flyin Illini number 1 followed by '05 team beating Wake Forest to become #1
 
#30      

NJILLINI

N
Castle Pines, Colorado
NJILLINI
bombayIllini said:
:mad:

1979. Illinois beat MSU 57-55.



I was there!! :)
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Me, too. Top row of C-section behind the basket on which EJ made his corner jumper. Amazing win followed by the bars and a light snow.

Later, a buddy and I were in Sunnycrest Shopping Center parking lot about 1:30am spinning donuts when Urbana's finest stopped us. Asked where we had been and we explained about the game. Wanted to know if we had been drinking and we said a couple. Then asked where we were headed and we explained to my parents' house about 10 blocks away. He said he would give us 15 minutes to drive home. If he saw us out after that, he'd stop us and give us a breathalyzer. He didn't.

Wouldn't happen today -- neither the outcome of the game nor the cop's actions! :giggle:
 
#32      

hooraybeer

hooraybeer
Pittsburgh, PA
hooraybeer
I'm 28, in my lifetime most memorable games i've attended were
BB: win over seton hall with corey bradford, the frankie williams show over iowa, win over UNC in ACC-B1G challenge Dee/Deron's freshman year in national title preview, buzzer beater Ekey at Iowa, Rayvonte winner over Mizzou, and BP43 games.
Football: night game win over ASU/Osweiler that felt like the start of something, Sugar Bowl/Rose bowl blow outs
 
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#33      

atlillini84

A
atlillini84
KoiDog said:
I think you have the wrong year. In 1983, we lost a total of two games -- the first against Mizzou in Columbia and the thrashing by UCLA in the Rose Bowl. In between we went 10-0 including big wins against Iowa at home (33-0), Michigan (again at home - 16 -6 with our final two points coming on a safety by Joe Miles of Evan Cooper on a punt return) and tOSU, also at home where we rallied on a late Thomas Rooks 21-yard TD run. That last one put us into the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1964. To me, that win over the Buckeyes might very well be both my favorite and best Illini victory in my lifetime.

I attended both losses that year and all three of the cited wins while living in Colorado. Has there been a year since where, home or away, we have beaten tOSU, UM and Iowa in the same season? Not many, if so.
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I was a senior in 1983 and saw all home football games including the Rose Bowl thrashing. Keep in mind, we tore down 11 goal posts in a single season including at least 1 in Evanston (NU game). That has to be a record. At the Michigan game, I have a photo of myself standing on the field about 15 yards from Bo screaming at him as the game clock wound down. Iowa was #5 or #6 and we thrashed them; game was over in the 1st half. One of the wildest games I've ever attended.
Thomas Rooks was in my basketball officiating class that semester. He attended class no more than twice and aced the class anyway. In basketball/1979, a HS friend called me with Section A tickets, when EJ beat Magic and Gregory Kelser at the buzzer. I think we made the front cover of SI and then promptly lost to OSU losing our upcoming #1 ranking.
 
#34      

IdahoIllini

I
IdahoIllini
2007 tOSU win for football, 2005 AZ comeback for b-ball. One sent us to the Rose Bowl and the other to the FF.

I’m sure historically there are bigger ones but these are the ones I remember that were monumental at the time.
 
#35      

PtownIllini8

P
PtownIllini8
KrushCow31 said:
I think historically the 1952 Rose Bowl win over #7 Stanford is my pick. It let us claim the national championship and it was the first nationally televised college game, which I think is cool. But it's also really sad/lame that I think that.
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That was my pick as well. Unfortunately I'm even too young to have seen that.

'05 comeback over Arizona still the biggest comeback (Time and lead considered) ever. I was fortunately enough at that game. Still unbelievable.
 
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#36      

Deleted member 645583

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Guest
Deleted member 645583
bert1991 said:
Elite 8 wins take your pick
1) '89 over Syracuse - I was on my way back from spring break and we pulled over to watch the game near St. Louis
2) '05 over Arizona - I was at that game with many friends so we had to break up into groups of 4 for seating purposes. None of us left even though it wasn't looking good. Will never have another live experience like that one. It was unbelievable..."off the charts" as BU likes to say.
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I love that Bill Murray moment. I still can't believe Illini came back; when I watch replay, I'm still watching the clock. Down double digits with so little time to play.
 
#37      

Deleted member 645583

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Guest
Deleted member 645583
SycIllini said:
1983 football at home vs Michigan. On our way to the Rose Bowl. I was still in high school and remember listening to the game on the radio at work. I remember it being the first time thinking of Illinois being an equal with Michigan and Ohio State that you would see on TV a lot of Saturday’s back then. Looking at pictures and video of the crowd in the stadium that day really shows what is possible here.

2005 Elite Eight vs Arizona was certainly most memorable basketball game for me. 1989 Elite Eight vs Syracuse has to be up there too. Two victories over Louisville (89 S16 & 05 F4) also stand out. Sad to remember when we stood toe to toe with top programs in the country and how far we seem from that now.

Should also mention 1979 Eddie Johnson jumper beating Magic Johnson and #1 Michigan St. I remember the highlight making the National nightly news the next day. I had watched the high school state tournament on that floor for several years so it was pretty impressive to see it on the national news.
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Re: 1979. I was in Connecticut. When Illini beat MSU, I thought "what the hell am I doing out here?" Returned to Illinois 3/80 to enjoy great Illini basketball during the 80s. Those were the days, my friend, we thought ...