This is why this loss sux sooo bad - no respect - AT ALL. This article, however, painful to read, is true (no one cares about the OSU-scUM match-up - not even anyone in the midwest). The only part of the story that is NOT true is the part where the Bucks are considered overrated.
The Illini did not beat us - we just didn't come to play. The problem though is that is not how the rest of the nation sees it. That kind of suxs as well. I knew we had something serious to prove when we were #1 for like 3-4 weeks and the headlines kept highlighting every other team in the top 25. My hope was that we had the opportunity to demolish LSU in the NC and shut everyone up about the SEC conference dominating ours. Now we have to go yet another year with that albatross around our necks. For those of you happy to play for the Rose Bowl, well I'm surprised that you are willing to accept that. Read the story and weep. If you become defensive, your head is deep in the sand.
"At long last, our national nightmare is over.
You made it abundantly clear over the past month, America. You did not want to see another Ohio State national-title appearance. Not because of some inherent aversion toward scarlet and gray (I hope), but because ? well, it just didn?t feel right.
No. 1 again? Really? After what happened against Florida? After possibly going the entire regular season without defeating a nationally respected opponent?
I remained somewhat skeptical of the Buckeyes myself, not because they weren?t a solid team, but because they weren?t being adequately tested by their schedule. Were they to meet an LSU or Oregon in New Orleans, the result would likely be similar to last year?s Florida beatdown -- not because those teams are inordinately better than Ohio State, but because the Buckeyes haven?t faced the type of speed during the regular season to prepare them for such an event. Mercifully -- as much for Ohio State?s sake as ours -- we no longer have to worry about that.
Speaking of speed, the Buckeyes had gone their first 10 games without facing a mobile quarterback the likes of Illinois? Juice Williams. The sophomore has been largely erratic all season, but watching him Saturday, you would have thought he was Dennis Dixon.
Williams walked into the sold-out Horseshoe and threw a career-high four touchdowns against the nation?s top-ranked defense. Those four scores, along with the defense?s three interceptions of Ohio State QB Todd Boeckman, gave Illinois the lead, but it was Williams? feet that gave the Illini the win. Four times on Illinois? game-sealing, eight-minute, 15-play drive, the Chicago native converted a third or fourth down with a run to wrap up the 28-21 stunner.
A quarterback comes of age. An oft-criticized coach, Ron Zook, earns a landmark victory. A tradition-starved program pulls off its first win over a No. 1 team since 1956. Of all teams, Illinois turns the national-title race upside down.
At this point, nothing about this season can possibly surprise me -- Ohio State is merely the ninth top-five team to lose to an unranked foe this fall -- but think about how quickly its complexion changed Saturday. Seven hours ago, we were looking toward another epic OSU-Michigan showdown between two teams with undefeated Big Ten records; the two rivals will still play for a conference title and Rose Bowl berth next week, but few outside the Midwest will care...."
