Illini Football 2025
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the national
- the Front Range
This whole exchange gave me a laugh. But seriously, we are coming.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
I don’t know if I’m more excited that we’re picked to potentially upset Ohio St or that if Washington beats us, that would be considered an upset.
You get a free bowl of soup when you buy that hat
Illini in Italy
- Illini HQ, Florida Panhandle
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
And that was a winning lottery ticket you held, my friend.My first semester on campus. I thought Illini football had always been that good.
I showed up the following fall and, while we had a good season, clouds had gathered.
BTW.. HT on the In Bruge GIF. An absolute gem.
Try to imagine how exciting this season was for the Alumni just a few years ahead of you, like me. I enjoyed the college football experience my first year in 1976 under Blackman. Then suffered through 3 years of Moeller. That includes attending the 0-0 game against Northwestern. The hiring of Neale Stoner and Mike White was a risky move, considering the 1960's slush fund. That brief window was fun, but IMO, Illinois dodged a serious bullet with that administration/coach combo.My first semester on campus. I thought Illini football had always been that good.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
The bullet found the torso in '84 with sanctions and that was the beginning of the end of White and Stoner. The decline in roster quality from '84 to '87 was steep, though we had Mel Agee, Derrick Brownlow and Moe Gardner as freshmen on our DL that final season, and a red-shirted frosh Howard Griffith. And Mackovic's resurrection of the Illini DNR patient in '88-'90 was something to behold. Am glad I stuck around for grad school.
One of the best game day decisions I ever made was to give up my ticket and the drive up 57 with friends to see the Illini @ NW in Dyche Stadium the weekend before Thanksgiving '87 during my senior year, in what was White's swan song. A 28-10 loss in driving 40-degree rain on the lake, capping a 3-7-1 season. Yuck. I stayed in Champaign and finished a paper. Much more pleasant.
We're entering the sunny Bielema uplands, friends. Rejoice.
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This is the first football era in my 50 years as an Illini where I believe we will experience sustained competitive success. Glad I am still on board.
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
Brief shining moments of Illini football in my life time
1982 First bowl game in 20 years - Liberty Bowl
1984 B10 Champs Rose Bowl
1990 Citrus Bowl 10-2 2nd in B10
2002 B10 Champs Sugar Bowl
2008 Rose Bowl
2024 Citrus Bowl
I live in SoCal and want to watch Illini to go to Jan 1 Rose Bowl. 2008 was not fun. I am 62 so hurry up Brett!
1982 First bowl game in 20 years - Liberty Bowl
1984 B10 Champs Rose Bowl
1990 Citrus Bowl 10-2 2nd in B10
2002 B10 Champs Sugar Bowl
2008 Rose Bowl
2024 Citrus Bowl
I live in SoCal and want to watch Illini to go to Jan 1 Rose Bowl. 2008 was not fun. I am 62 so hurry up Brett!
Basically Mike White without the baggage. Also, White never seemed to be a fit, which is why it worked so well (gave opponents fits with his very non-traditional-Big Ten system and approach), and sanctions or no he would eventually end up back on the west coast. Bielema, on the other hand, is about as Big Ten/midwest as you can get. He looks like a guy who would be driving a hay baler if he wasn't a major conference fball coach.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Hah! On board and enjoying the view from the top deck!
What a time to be an Illini! My condolences for your having been present at the 0-0 NW game in '78. That would have put me off college football for life.
Trust me, we had fun! But, not for the right reasons
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
At some point several years ago I posted a photo on Loyalty from the '79 or '80 Illio showing an aerial shot of Memorial Stadium during a game the preceding September. The photo included IMPE. I joked that it seemed there were not too many more people in the stadium than at the outdoor IMPE pool.Trust me, we had fun! But, not for the right reasons
Our season seats were on the East Balcony. But it was so damn hot we moved down to open seats in Main with shade. I can proudly say that I was in the stands to see John Paddock throw for 500 yards, Howard Griffith rush for 8 TDs, and attended arguably the worst football game ever played. There have been good articles written about, the attached really provides some great background (although it's a little clitchy with the wrting). BTW, I probably know who took that Illio picture.
Forty years ago, Illinois and Northwestern played the worst football game of all time
The Pointless Game turns 40
www.offtackleempire.com
Nah, white would’ve stayed. Between his west coast gigs in college and the nfl I believe he is most proud of what he was able to do at Illinois. Even has some ‘what coulda been’ sentiments. As far as roster drop off, except for Jeff George macovic won with white’s players who were by then upperclassmen.
And the ‘baggage’ was horsesh*t. At worst it was no different than any other coach/team at the time. I’d argue it was a severe case of selective enforcement with penalties disproportionate to allegations
Edit to end on a positive… BB is great. Go Illini
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Actually, be be accurate, I did think briefly we were in good shape under Mackovic. But, he was clearly always looking for something better.
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
We'll never know, but his entire life and career has been on the west coast... except for his Illini years sandwiched in the middle. Also, he was fired by Cal in '77 due to alleged recruiting violations. Though I do think Bo applied whatever influence he could to take him and Illinois down. Regardless, I'm grateful he took the Illini gig, and for the memorable teams he assembled.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
IIRC 'Cats HC Rick Venturi had been an assistant for Moeller the preceding season (Moeller's first.) (I just read the article and I see that, much to Moeller's chagrin, he was the OC!! No wonder we couldn't score that day!)Our season seats were on the East Balcony. But it was so damn hot we moved down to open seats in Main with shade. I can proudly say that I was in the stands to see John Paddock throw for 500 yards, Howard Griffith rush for 8 TDs, and attended arguably the worst football game ever played. There have been good articles written about, the attached really provides some great background (although it's a little clitchy with the wrting). BTW, I probably know who took that Illio picture.
Forty years ago, Illinois and Northwestern played the worst football game of all time
The Pointless Game turns 40
Those NW teams were among the worst in modern power conference college football history. (I define "modern" as anything after I was born and "ancient" as anything occurring beforehand!)
There was idle talk in the early '80s about kicking NW out of the BT because it was so bad. I just looked it up: in 1976-80 (five seasons) NW went 3-51-1. Oh, the ignominy that we were the lone tie and one of their three wins.
What an absolute train wreck of a game. We amassed 300 yards of offense and couldn't even manage a FG.
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In 3 years under Moeller we were 2-13-2 at home.
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