I was around for '83, '89, '90, and '01. In each of those seasons it was clear by the first weekend in October that the team had something special. '07 was nice but had some October stumbles (Michigan, Iowa.) And '11, of course, went from 6-0 to a dumpster fire by early November (the sword of Damocles always seemed to be hanging over the Zooker's teams.)
I don't know if I'm just getting old and grumpy, but since the Indinia game I keep telling myself that this team is overachieving and isn't comparable to those earlier teams. Then Wisconsin raised my eyebrows. And Iowa was a rock fight gut check. All the while I kept telling myself that if they handled Minnesota in mid-October I'd feel differently.
And I do. There's something happening here, as Stephen Stills once sang. But what it is ain't exactly clear / There's Chase Brown and our D with a gun over there / Tellin' me (and opponents) that we got to beware.
Here are the best Illini starts since the epic 1963 season Rose Bowl champions:
1963: 5-0-1
1982: 5-2
1983: 10-1
1989: 7-1
1990: 6-1
2001: 10-1
2011: 6-1
2022: 6-1
This fall is tied with 2011 and 1990 for the third best start in 59 seasons since the '63 team. If the boys win in Lincoln in two weeks they'll be tied with '89 for the second best start.
Third best. Maybe, two weeks from now, second best. 59 seasons. I'm 56. I can't get my head around this.
There's something happening here.