11/11/2006 against Purdue. Was visiting over Columbus weekend as a high school senior from Washington DC. Took the guided tour of campus then went to the game after with my grandpa. Totally separate topic but maybe interesting to some here, my grandpa was a season ticket holder (basketball and football both) since he was student in the 1940s (taking a break to serve in WW2) until his death last month at 95. He served on the athletic board of directors for a time during the late 70s through late 80s. He almost never missed a game, until this past season when at 95 he was no longer physically able (only thing stopping him), through the good times or the bad he was Illini through and through. Truly great man. https://business.illinois.edu/news/college/2016/02/in-memoriam-gerald-brighton-accountancy-professor-and-public-servant/
Anyway the game itself was freezing cold, miserable, and we lost. I ended up coming to Illinois anyway and going to as many games as I possibly could with my grandpa and will bleed orange and blue until the day I die.
11/11/2006 against Purdue. Was visiting over Columbus weekend as a high school senior from Washington DC. Took the guided tour of campus then went to the game after with my grandpa. Totally separate topic but maybe interesting to some here, my grandpa was a season ticket holder (basketball and football both) since he was student in the 1940s (taking a break to serve in WW2) until his death last month at 95. He served on the athletic board of directors for a time during the late 70s through late 80s. He almost never missed a game, until this past season when at 95 he was no longer physically able (only thing stopping him), through the good times or the bad he was Illini through and through. Truly great man. https://business.illinois.edu/news/...ton-accountancy-professor-and-public-servant/
Anyway the game itself was freezing cold, miserable, and we lost. I ended up coming to Illinois anyway and going to as many games as I possibly could with my grandpa and will bleed orange and blue until the day I die.
I was at the Pitt game in 82 as well. I actually felt like the stadium swayed a bit at one point, the crowd was so intense. But then, Eason threw the interception that totally changed the outcome. The crowd went utterly silent as that big lineman ran 95 yards for a td. All you could hear was the Pitt sideline going crazy. Here's a link.
http://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/26/sports/pitt-overcomes-illinois-by-20-3.html
Now that brings back a difficult memory from the east balcony. Felt like I could get down there and tackle him he was running so slow.
Wasn't it raining at that game? It was a fun one if I remember correctly.
My first game was the 16-10 loss to Michigan in 1982. I remember my 9 year old self watching as the Illini got to the goal line with a chance to win...and then extreme disappointment.
Thanks, OP, for making me re-watch this:
[YOUTUBE]WGlNrZVrG2s[/YOUTUBE]
Yes If I remember it hit right at halftime, severe storm. It felt like the temp drop 20-30 degrees in the 2nd half. A lot of people left and went to their cars. Being 17 and stupid I stayed out in the rain. Watched the 2nd half down on the field, there was really no one around to stop me.
You guys are all children. October, 1963. Butkus at ML, Bob Trumpe at TE, Grabowski at FB.
I've seen a lot of Illini football but the fall of 83 was best, It was like basketball 2005 from one end of the state to the other.
In Nov of 83, AD Neil Stoner got a bill from Northwestern for $1,580 to cover the cost of a new goalpost. Illinois students had torn their's down after the game, carried through the streets of Evanston (I saw that) and I heard later tried to throw it in Lake Michigan.
I want JW to get a bill like that some day
My freshman year. September 15, 1990. Illinois 23, Colorado 22. One of the top five game-day atmospheres of my entire life. Unbelievably loud.
I can't remember that well. But I remember them stomping Dan Marino and Pitt. I also remember stomping Iowa when they were #1 (I think Chuck Long was QB)
Edit: Did we lose that game?(Pitt) I don't remember that. But just read others say we lost. I only remember beating them bad. Oh Well.