Rose Bowl: USC 49, Illinois 17 (final)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Illinois won't be intimidated by USC, bowl setting

Illini see similarities between Rose Bowl and win at Ohio State.


By David Mercer | Of The Associated Press December 9, 2007 When Illinois runs out onto the lush green of the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, it'll be facing a hostile road crowd and playing a game few expect the Illini to win.

For quarterback Juice Williams, that sounds a lot like the Illini's trip to Ohio State. That trip last month ended with the 28-21 win over the top-ranked Buckeyes that punched Illinois' ticket to Pasadena.

''It's gonna be a similar environment to what it was in Columbus,'' Williams said. At Ohio State, ''it was almost like it was Illinois versus the entire state.''

Continued......

 

[Bucksfan4life]

How shocked would Mark May be if Illinois beat USC?

 

[Muck]

How shocked would Mark May be if Illinois beat USC?

He'll recover and confidently state that they're the most talented in the Big 10 and will proclaim them '08 Big 10 Champs (over the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes).

 

[matcar]

I wouldn't be suprised to see Illinois win this at all.

Oregon, Oregon St and ASU are the only 3 teams USC has beaten with a winning record. Against Oregon, Dixon had 233 yds of total offense and Stewart had 103 yards rushing. This USC team lost to Stanford, beat Washington by 3 and struggled with both Arizona and Cal.

Illinois strikes me as the kind of team too young and dumb to know they are supposed to be intimidated by USC. Talent wise there is no doubt in my mind they can hang.

I hope you're right, but I wouldn't put anything other than vbucks on it.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I wouldn't be suprised to see Illinois win this at all.

Oregon, Oregon St and ASU are the only 3 teams USC has beaten with a winning record. Against Oregon, Dixon had 233 yds of total offense and Stewart had 103 yards rushing. This USC team lost to Stanford, beat Washington by 3 and struggled with both Arizona and Cal.

Illinois strikes me as the kind of team too young and dumb to know they are supposed to be intimidated by USC. Talent wise there is no doubt in my mind they can hang.

Correction.. USC lost to Oregon.

 

[Captain Hindsight]

How shocked would Mark May be if Illinois beat USC?

Extremely shocked. Although he is one dumb motherfucker... It has always amazed me how an old, biased man that resembles a leprechaun with a lisp can look like a rocket scientist just by sitting next to this piece of shit.

 

[ScarletBlood31]

If Illinois can control the clock, just like they did against tOSU, and keep running the ball they can beat USC.



Just keep USC's offense off the field.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Correction.. USC lost to Oregon.

I should have said played I guess. They played 3 teams with a winning record and beat 2 of them.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

I should have said played I guess. They played 3 teams with a winning record and beat 2 of them.

Should tell Colin Cowherd that.... since he went on and on about how SC will play anyone anywhere...

 

[BB73]

Should tell Colin Cowherd that.... since he went on and on about how SC will play anyone anywhere...

Well, a team that plays 9 conference games, and plays at Nebraska and at Ntre Ame in 2 of their 3 non-conference games (it's not USC's fault they both sucked this year); and is playing a home-and-home ( [Mili] that's home-and-away, dammit! [/Mili] ) with tOSU in '08 and '09 isn't going to get grief from me about their scheduling.

But I agree that they're getting too much love from some media members this year, considering they only beat two teams with a winning record.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

I honestly see Illinois getting blown out in this one.

 

[SanAntonioBuck]

Illinois shirts for the Rose Bowl...

 

[sigshoota]

hahahaaha love the shirt. I'm actually picking Illinois to win this one, we know all too well what kind of atheletes they have and IMO USC is very overrated this year.

 

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Those are great shirts.

 

[MVillani1985]

Most people I've talked to have said that there's no way that Illinois can win this, but the way I see it, Illinois has won a lot of games they "weren't supposed to win", including a 28-21 victory over an Ohio State that spanked Penn State in Beaver Stadium. This has upset written all over it. The Illini have improved alot throughout the year, and throughout the past couple years. They're not the same team that Penn State blew out 63-10 in 2005 (Penn State was leading 56-3 at halftime, but decided not to throw a pass for the entire second half, the only second half Penn State touchdown was from a 77 yard interception return).

Of course, I don't think this will be a blowout, these two teams will play each other down to the wire. The game may even go into overtime. The final score will be something like 21-19 Illinois, or some other really close score. This will be one of those Rose Bowl games that will go down in the record books.