"A Season on the Stink"
DETROIT -- You didn't have to kick the tires or check under the hood to suspect this Motor City meeting with Western Michigan was going to be a clunker for Illinois. And that's the way it went.
Unable to make lemonade out of a lemon, the Illini were corralled 23-17 Saturday by the Broncos, who were better in every way.
And now, Illinois (5-5), which had designs on putting together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in 18 years, needs to beat Ohio State on Saturday to have a chance to accomplish that goal at Northwestern on Nov. 22.
''It's a battle, but these guys have to decide what they want, too,'' coach Ron Zook said. ''I told the seniors, 'You're going to determine what type of legacy you leave here.' These next 14 days are going to be crucial. We're going to find out what we're made of in the next 14 days.''
Western Michigan (8-2) converted Juice Williams' two interceptions into 14 points and led 20-7 at the half. The Illini, who got nothing from the Broncos' lone turnover, tried to come back. They fell short, however, when Williams was decked as he threw over the middle to Arrelious Benn on fourth-and-10 at the Broncos' 18-yard line with 48 seconds left.
''I got drilled,'' Williams said. ''That's a very difficult throw when you've got a guy right in front of you trying to take your head off.''
That kind of summed up the day for the Illini, who already have found out they're not made of the stuff they and many outsiders expected.
''I was thinking we were going to be a better team than we were last year, and we were going to do better things,'' said Benn, who caught seven balls for 111 yards. ''We just haven't been able to get it done.''
With Daniel Dufrene, Jason Ford and Troy Pollard combining for 37 yards on 16 carries, the running game again was a wing and a prayer. Williams completed 20 of 45 passes for 328 yards and a touchdown but was sacked twice and hurried a bunch more, including on both interceptions. Illinois' offensive line, notably senior Xavier Fulton (shoulder), was banged up and too young to spring the runners or protect Williams.
The defense also was messy, allowing Western Michigan quarterback Tim Hiller to complete 28 of 40 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. Hiller's grandfather, Dan Sabino, the center on Illinois' 1952 Rose Bowl team, was in the crowd as Jamarko Simmons caught 11 passes for 174 yards, giving the Mid-American Conference school the best pass-and-catch combo in the game.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/1269020,CST-SPT-ill09.article
