Illinois 20, Penn State 18 9OT Postgame

#129      
The thing that irked me personally about Bielema's comments was not just the whiplash from bringing all the super seniors back and doing our best to be as good as we can to the language of tanking and years of meaninglessness, but because this is so clearly not that kind of team! We've been right in these games, and goodness knows that's a different Year 1 experience than we're used to.

So it's so encouraging to see us still grinding for every inch out there. The culture that builds will be far, far more valuable than giving unearned reps to lesser freshmen out of some galaxy brained idea of the future.

Proud day to be an Illini, our kids fought down to the edges of their fingernails in that game.

Just keep chopping that wood.
I think the lowest point (for me) was Iowa 63-0. How could Red Grange/George Halas/Dick Butkus’s team stoop that low. A legendary school like ours should never be that low again. We will be low again, I assume, but we should never be there again. Well, until I die, then I don’t care what y’all do.
 
#130      
We just witnessed 10 consecutive mised 2 pt conversions for the first, and maybe only (?), time ever. And I loved every second of it!
You shouldn't use your empty beer bottles to keep track of these things. Actually there were only 6 consecutive missed 2 pt conversions (5th-7th OTs).
 
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#131      

DeonThomas

South Carolina
I think the best part of this game is how much we dominated this game on both sides of the ball. That Penn St offense couldn't get much going the entire game against this defense. Fortunately our offense did exactly what they needed to do. Move the chains and hold the ball so the defense isn't on the field the entire game.

Even if we had lost this game I would walked away feeling very optimistic. If we can just play every game like this and stay in every game I will be happy. Luckily we have been in 6 of our 8 games so far which is all I ask for.
I wasn't really in the mood for a MORAL VICTORY.
 
#134      
As Penn State slides down the banister of life, they'll always remember this Illini team as a huge splinter in their ....rear. The amazing part is that we won despite having fewer pass completions and less passing yardage than you see by an average 5th grade peewee league team.
 
#140      
Sorry if I'm repeating anything that others have but I just had to give my thoughts on all this...

Barnhart and O'Donnell were great to listen to on the radio today, especially as the overtimes kept going on and on.

And for some historical perspective, today is the first time Illinois has beaten a top 10 ranked team on the road as an unranked team since 1999 when they won at Michigan (in fact 22 years ago to the day). And yes there is a YouTube video of that game:

 
#142      

BillyBob1

Champaign
The cbs people just said coming up a very hard to watch 9 OT game highlights.
 
#146      

aiwpfan

Springfield, Il
Sorry if I'm repeating anything that others have but I just had to give my thoughts on all this...

Barnhart and O'Donnell were great to listen to on the radio today, especially as the overtimes kept going on and on.

And for some historical perspective, today is the first time Illinois has beaten a top 10 ranked team on the road as an unranked team since 1999 when they won at Michigan (in fact 22 years ago to the day). And yes there is a YouTube video of that game:
I was at that game. What a blast.
 
#148      
The cbs people just said coming up a very hard to watch 9 OT game highlights.
Yeah I’ve seen that narrative in some of the early national reporting, which had focused more on the OT rule than on the amazing drama and the outcome. They’ve called it a ”comical” 9OT game, etc. Would they call it comical if it was Alabama-LSU in 9 OT? No, they’d call it “dramatic” or “thrilling” or “epic.” Why would a sports reporter outside of Happy Valley characterize these highlights as “hard to watch?”

Sometimes I wonder if these Nancies even like sports.
 
#149      
As Penn State slides down the banister of life, they'll always remember this Illini team as a huge splinter in their ....rear. The amazing part is that we won despite having fewer pass completions and less passing yardage than you see by an average 5th grade peewee league team.
Several seasons back Penn State gave us daggers a few years in a row on the basketball court. Payback 🗡️