Game Thread Illinois 28, Ohio State 21 (final)

[23Skidoo]

So I just verified I'll be screwed with the crap10 ASsU - fUCkLA game and I'm pissed.
Live in CO and I get stuck with Texas teams all year... live in Seattle and I get stuck with Cali teams all year. Regional scheduling sucks.

I'm going to go bitch to real people who don't care now.:bicker:

 

[BB73]

So I just verified I'll be screwed with the crap10 ASsU - fUCkLA game and I'm pissed.
Live in CO and I get stuck with Texas teams all year... live in Seattle and I get stuck with Cali teams all year. Regional scheduling sucks.

I'm going to go bitch to real people who don't care now.:bicker:

Aren't they putting the tOSU game on ESPN in most of other areas that get another ABC regional broadcast in the 3:30 Eastern time-slot?

That's what I saw on a website with national TV schedules today, and it's why I placed ABC/ESPN in the thread title.

 

[MD Buckeye]

Aren't they putting the tOSU game on ESPN in most of other areas that get another ABC regional broadcast in the 3:30 Eastern time-slot?

That's what I saw on a website with national TV schedules today, and it's why I placed ABC/ESPN in the thread title.

That's correct. No matter where you live, you can watch the tOSU game on ABC or ESPN.

 

[23Skidoo]

That's correct. No matter where you live, you can watch the tOSU game on ABC or ESPN.

Well that's good to know... now I just have to get house-mates to actually get cable. Or maybe I'll just buy it myself like the internet and being an asshole about it.

 

[daveeb]

I decided to take a look at the only one of the Illinois games I was unable to watch this year: The Missouri game.

Missouri, #6 in the BCS, with only loss against Oklahoma, should have 2 losses.

Here is the story of the game.

The critical thing that occurred in that game was the injury to Juice Williams. Missouri cornerback Hardy Ricks had a helmet to helmet hit on Juice, and he had to leave the game.

In comes Eddie McGee, this crazy turnover machine.

On the goal line, McGee fumbles the ball. Returned 100 yards for a touchdown.

Illinois gets the ball back, and, they once again fumble. Boom, touchdown Missouri off the fumble.

Illinois gets the ball back and they, you guessed it, fumbled the ball, deep in their own territory. 23-6 Missouri at the half. 17 of their points came off turnovers, off 3 fumbles in back to back to back possessions.

Something Illinois and Ohio State fans can relate to.

Anyway, here comes second half. Mendenhall touchdown 23-13. Daniel drives the Tigers down the field for a touchdown. 30-13. Illinois gets the ball back, and is forced to punt the ball away. It is, unfortunately, returned for a touchdown by Missouri.

37-13 Missouri at this point.

Illinois gets the ball back and Turnover McGee gets a rushing touchdown. 37-20 Tigers. Missouri fumbles at their own 41, and the Illini recover the ball. McGee throws a 41 yard strike, and the game is now 37-27 Tigers.

Later on, Illinois has to punt the ball. Fumbled punt by Missouri at their own 11. Recovered by Illinois, rushing touchdown Mendenhall. 37-34 Tigers. Field goal Missouri. 40-34 Tigers.

Illinois has the ball. They are within striking distance. But, the legend of Turnover McGee continues.

Illinois is into Missouri territory. McGee throws downfield, and it is intercepted by Missouri. Missouri drives, and misses a field goal.

Illinois has the ball back at their own 30. They are driving downfield. McGee throws to the endzone, but it is picked off at the 1.

End of game. Missouri is now 8-1 (Oklahoma). Illinois is now 7-3 (Missouri, Iowa, Michigan).

Illinois could easily be 9-1 right now. In the Iowa game, the Illini were driving in Iowa territory and, you guessed it, McGee interception. McGee came in after a Williams fumble in the 4th quarter.

They almost knocked off who is now the #6 team in the BCS, but lost because of turnovers. They got upset at Iowa because of turnovers. A part of their loss against TSUN was turnovers, and Michigan finally being healthy.

Shut down the run, get to Juice Williams and, eventually, Eddie McGee. Boom, Illinois is down for the count. 37-12 Ohio State (A lot of times this year, Illinois has been held to a field goal on drives).

 

[Gothmog8]

The Legend of Turnover McGee

I hope that is the subtitle to this week's victory.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

OSU recalls 2006 Illinois comeback Hartline says confident team got lazy; 'a different game this year'
By George M. Thomas Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
COLUMBUS: Last year's game against the University of Illinois Fighting Illini proved to be a trap the Ohio State Buckeyes barely escaped.
Up 17-0 at halftime, OSU saw Illinois scream back to get within seven, in the process holding the Buckeyes to lows in points, total yards and passing yards to that point in the season, and providing their first real test.
''I thought they played very physical, and I thought we had some things that we could have executed better, and we were doing pretty well for a little bit, and then we hit a point in time where we lost the momentum,'' coach Jim Tressel said. ''And a lot of times, especially when we go to somebody else's stadium, when the momentum shifts, it's hard to get it back.''



Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Buckeyes got the message

Illini's upset bid last year a lesson learned

Wednesday, November 07, 2007 Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus -- Maybe the Illinois student section had it right. At the conclusion of Ohio State's 17-10 win at Illinois last season, those Illini fans started an "Overrated" chant more than two months before Ohio State's 27-point loss in the national championship game.
What was seen as the Buckeyes' first true test in their 10th game -- that win was their first by less than 17 points -- might have been the beginning of the end. The overconfidence players and coaches now admit to leading up to the Florida game first manifested itself against the Illini.
"I think we just got lazy, to be honest," OSU receiver Brian Hartline said Tuesday. "Illinois wasn't a big powerhouse and we were getting too complacent and confident at that point of the year and they caught us.




Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Tressel: Illini our priority, not Michigan
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
By Todd Porter
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS No matter how many hooks were thrown in the water or at the podium in front of Jim Tressel, he wasn?t biting. At least not on the ones baited with meat-chicken as they like to say here, in the heart of Ohio, where Tressel could run for office.

Ohio State doesn?t play Michigan for 10 more days, but questions about the Wolverines came Tressel?s way Tuesday.

But the Buckeyes? coach is consuming himself with unranked Illinois and the Illibuck trophy that goes to the winner of Saturday?s game.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Blade

Buckeyes focused on improved Illini
Offense one of the best in conference

By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER

COLUMBUS - With one game remaining before another season-ending Big Ten championship tilt with rival Michigan, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is not overly concerned about keeping his team's attention on the immediate business at hand. Michigan will still be there in 10 days, but for now, Illinois has to be the Buckeyes' state of mind. The Illini are loaded with offensive weapons, and with just two losses are the team in the Big Ten closest to the Big Two in the standings. Tressel said the top-ranked Buckeyes are preoccupied with Illinois, but only in a preparatory mode. The next three days will determine their readiness factor at kickoff on Saturday afternoon in Ohio Stadium.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Lima

Few surprises so far
Jim Naveau | [email protected] - 11.07.2007

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]COLUMBUS ? At 54, Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel seems about the right age to be musing about how quickly time passes.
At 20, with his 21st birthday coming up in two weeks on Thanksgiving Day, OSU sophomore wide receiver Brian Hartline would seem a bit young to be doing the same thing.
But both Hartline and Tressel say the biggest surprise ? the only surprise they were willing to acknowledge for OSU this fall ? is that the season has seemed to go by in the blink of an eye.
Outsiders might find it surprising that No. 1 Ohio State (10-0, 6-0 Big Ten) is unbeaten going into its game against Illinois (7-3, 4-2 Big Ten) on Saturday at Ohio Stadium after having to replace standouts like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez. Or that the Buckeyes are two wins away from returning to the BCS national title game for the second year in a row and the third time in six years.

Cont...
[/FONT]

 

[osugrad21]

MJ

Fighting Illini surprise still fresh in Buckeyes' minds
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
11/07/2007




COLUMBUS -- Ohio State entered the fourth quarter last year against Illinois holding a comfortable 17-0 lead. On a dreary and bleak night in Champaign, the Buckeyes were just trying to collect win No. 10, get out of the cold, get on the plane and get back home.


By the end of the game, they were scrambling to recover an onside kick to preserve a 17-10 victory and survive a scare from what was considered one of the worst teams in the country.

As the No. 1 team prepares for another encounter with the Illini, memories of last year's fourth-quarter rally remain fresh in their minds.

''I think we were just lazy, to be honest,'' receiver Brian Hartline said. ''Sometimes the Illinois name can get you. They were never a big powerhouse, we got a little complacent last year and confident at that point in the year. They caught us sleeping and we couldn't snap out of it.''

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Reda nearing scoring mark

By Stu Durando
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH​

11/07/2007

University of Illinois place kicker Jason Reda.
(Stephen Haas/Lee News Services)

The start of Jason Reda's senior season was awfully quiet. The Illinois kicker stood idle on the sideline without a field-goal attempt through two games.

Now that he's made up for lost time, making 13 of 14 attempts as well as 33 of 34 extra points, things are still quiet. That's because Reda isn't talking to the media, reportedly out of fear of a jinx.

"If that's what he feels, then please don't talk to him," coach Ron Zook said.

The Lou Groza Award candidate has accounted for 247 career points and needs 16 more to become the school's all-time leading scorer. He needs six more field goals to become the career leader. Both records are held by Chris White, who played from 1983 to '85.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Leman haunting Tressel's nightmares

Big Ten Insider

Matthew Murray

Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: Sports


One only has to watch the highlights of last week's game against Wisconsin (7-3, 3-3 Big Ten) to find proof of the fact that Ohio State is not to be ignored. With P.J. Hill out with an ankle injury, the Wisconsin rushing offense ground to a shocking halt - managing only 12 yards on 37 carries. But, as always, coach Jim Tressel was mum on his team's success.

"We played a great Big Ten team and played to the best of our ability," Tressel said.

The reason being? The old ball coach is already looking toward this week's game against the Fightin' Illini (7-3, 4-2).

"They've got a great blend of personalities and talents and they play the game fast," Tressel said.

Once again, Tressel had nothing but laudatory comments to bestow on his opponent. His "kill-them-with-kindness" approach has worked for him so far and he was never short of praise when speaking to the abilities of Illinois' best defensive player, lineback J Leman.

"On defense, it seems that number 47 makes every tackle. You never knew, watching him last year, whether (Illinois) was ahead or behind in a game," Tressel said. "It's not to diminish any of their other kids, but that kid jumps out at you."

But Ohio State has an offensive weapon to combat Leman.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Tressel on Illinois: 'They've got home run hitters'

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 2:50 PM
By Tim May


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH



The last time Ohio State and Illinois hooked up, things did not go swimmingly for the Buckeyes. They won, but only 17-10 in the 10th game of last year's regular-season run at No.1 in the polls.
"We didn't seem to be in sync (offensively)," OSU coach Jim Tressel said today, reflecting on that game at Illinois in which the Buckeyes were outscored 10-0 in the second half. "But to their credit, they knocked us out of sync."



Cont...