Rose Bowl: Illinois Fighting Illini vs USC Trojans Live Thread

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(Edited 01/01/08 5:13PM by CHansen)

USC cheerleaders >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> . . . >>>>>> UI cheerleaders.

That may not be fair, because USC's cheerleaders are probably the hottest in the nation, but they just showed shots of each squad back-to-back, and the differences were glaring.

552 days ago

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good luck Illini fans- you still have a chance to beg for mercy though!! LOL

552 days ago

CMAC

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That catch was CRAZY.

552 days ago

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and so the BLOWOUT BEGINS!!!!! 7-0 already

552 days ago

suedon70

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wow, the bloodbath begins.........

552 days ago

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14-0 USC through 6 1/2 minutes of gameplay; sounds about right.

Awesome jump into the endzone by the guy who scored the TD. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was well worth it.

552 days ago

suedon70

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C'mon Zooker!!!! Unleash the Juice!!!

552 days ago

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WOW!!! SIMPLY AMAZING!!! Does Illinios even have a defense?? LOL 14-0 with 8:30 still left in the 1st........ Illinois better score EVERYTIME the have the ball from now on because its obvious that USC is planning on doing just that.

552 days ago

soonerfan150

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vindog wrote:

Well I hate that the Rose Bowl had to put a team that doesn't deserve to go, like Illinois, I just had a feeling this would happen. Just because the tradition is Big 10 vs. Pac-10. PUT A BETTER TEAM THAN ILLINOIS!!!!!

552 days ago

MrNFL

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USC's second TD shouldn't have counted, he did that penalized flip before he got into the endzone.

552 days ago

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soonerfan150 wrote:

agreed!! how about a top 10 ranked team like #8 Kansas for instance who didnt even get a BCS Game?????

552 days ago

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wow, the Illini actually made a great play there. lets see if they can score now.

552 days ago

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vindog wrote:

wow, the Illini actually made a great play there. lets see if they can score now.

oops, guess not!!!! a 45 yard INT return leads to ZERO points LOL

552 days ago

soonerfan150

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vindog wrote:

agreed!! how about a top 10 ranked team like #8 Kansas for instance who didnt even get a BCS Game?????

KU is in a BCS game, they're in the Orange Bowl.

552 days ago

kantwistaye

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vindog wrote:

My bad, I meant Missouri who played in the Cotton Bowl. Its sad that a top 10 team doesnt get to play in a BCS bowl. instead they put #13 in the Rose Bowl- how pathetic!!

Or since we're never going to get a playoff we could just go back to the old format. We'd have a OSU/USC showdown today instead, which I think would be a whole lot of fun to watch.

552 days ago

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I don't think a whole lot of UI's offense generally (Juice is horribly, horribly overrated), but damn, USC's defense is looking awesome today.

552 days ago

kantwistaye

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When Juice is on (which unfortunately for OSU happened against them), the Illinois offense is very good. But if he's off, its all Mendenhall.

552 days ago

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kantwistaye wrote:

When Juice is on (which unfortunately for OSU happened against them), the Illinois offense is very good. But if he's off, its all Mendenhall.

Yeah, to call Juice inconsistent would be an understatement. 4 of his 13 TD's this year came at OSU, yet they can only manage 6 points against freaking Iowa.

I am a really big fan of Mendenhall and Benn, but Juice is just not consistently good, and it kills UI when he is off.

552 days ago

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Wow, was Neuheisel just mocking the offensive playcalling for UI? That's hilarious.

552 days ago

IlliniBob72

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vindog wrote:

21-0!!! I do believe that this game is just about over ladies and gentlemen. Unless the Illini can generate some kind of offense and actually stop the Trojans on D , they will NEVER get out of this hole.

What are you talking about, "actually stop the Trojans on D"? You have been watching the game, right? They've been stopping them pretty consistently since the opening 8 minutes.

552 days ago

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I watched the whole 1st half and I still have NO idea what Ron Zook is doing with the play calling. He insists on running that option play that has worked once for 5 yards. Zook better make some half-time adjustments if he wants ANY chance in this game if there is any chance left. Im not quite sure Illinois is going to win this game, but they need to at least get it together in the 2nd half and not get embarrassed.

552 days ago

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Mendenhall is the man. That was some serious speed.

552 days ago

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Maybe that Led Zeppelin song actually worked. LOL Thank God, we might actually get to see a game now- I was actually falling asleep. I'm awake now. 21-10

552 days ago

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There we go.... some OFFENSE! The 1st time Zook passed on 1st down and look what happend on 2nd down? TD Mendenhall. 21-10 this game is far from over but Illinois better keep it up.

552 days ago

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Mendenhall is starting to "Vince Young" USC this half. Not a bad audition for the upcoming draft.

552 days ago

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. . . and as I typed that, the UI WR peed down his leg into the endzone.

552 days ago

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Wow. AWFUL throw by Juice on the INT. If USC scores here, it's pretty much over.

552 days ago

IlliniBob72

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vindog wrote:

this comment is for you IlliniBob72!!! Great DEFENSE the Illini are playing. thats 35 points now, exactly when is the defense going to show up. I guess my prediction of 41-17 is getting closer now. But there is still a quarter+ to play- so anything can happen i guess.

You stay classy, Vindog.

552 days ago

IlliniBob72

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vindog wrote:

i dont like rubbing anything in- so I'll apologize to you if thats what it sounded like. I was just reacting to your comment about Illinios playing good defense which obviously they are not doing. no harm intended.

The fact is that when you made that previous statement, they were in fact playing good defense. I believe it was 4 or 5 possessions in a row that USC did squat.

The Illini had all the momentum at the start of the 2nd half. Get on the board to end the 1st, then were in a position to make it a one score game. After that fumble, it just seems they had the life taken out of them. Then they come down with a chance to make it 35-17 and again, a fumble. Just the difference between a team that has played on the big stage before and one that hasn't. The Illini will learn from this.

552 days ago

Scott

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(Edited 01/01/08 8:33PM by Scott)
IlliniBob72 wrote:

The fact is that when you made that previous statement, they were in fact playing good defense. I believe it was 4 or 5 possessions in a row that USC did squat.

552 days ago

Scott

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IlliniBob72 wrote:

The fact is that when you made that previous statement, they were in fact playing good defense. I believe it was 4 or 5 possessions in a row that USC did squat.

That Jacob Willis fumble was definitely the turning point in this game. If he scores, it's 21-17 and anybody's ballgame. The one thing that seperates good teams from great teams is that they make there breaks. USC is great team and made there breaks in this game by forcing 4 crucial turnovers, especially the 2 fumbles inside the redzone. Those plays are what make great teams great. Illinois is a good team and they showed that they can play with the elite programs in college football. Now, they have to prove that consistently year to year in order to take that next step. The future is bright, I'll take 9-4 after how things have been since 2002.

552 days ago

ISUMatt

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What I dont like is all of the personal fouls and Unsportsmanlike Conducts that BOTH teams racked...Like Benn flipping the ball at the USC band down 49-10...Just stuff like that that makes a team look bad when either winning or losing big...But Id rather lose the Rose Bowl than win some meaningless Bowl like Independance Bowl

552 days ago

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Illinois didnt come to play today and they got what they deserved. Nonetheless, Illinois is VERY young. I really CANT name ONE key player that is leaving. Its tough for a young team to play in that environment against that type of team. I never thought they would get blown out, but they did and Vindog you were right im not going to sit here and try to put it in other ways. I said I wouldnt make any excuses if Illinois lost and I wont because we all know why they lost. Im simply looking forward to next season.

552 days ago

ISUMatt

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vindog wrote:

My bad, I meant Missouri who played in the Cotton Bowl. Its sad that a top 10 team doesnt get to play in a BCS bowl. instead they put #13 in the Rose Bowl- how pathetic!!

I figured an avid college football fan like yourself knew this already, but since you may have forgotten, Ill remind you of it...ONLY 2 TEAMS FROM 1 CONFERENCE ARE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN THE BCS GAMES...So lets look at the BIG XII:

1. Oklahoma

2. Kansas/Missouri

So Mr Vindog, Im sure its just a major oversight on your part, but either Kansas or Missouri could NOT be in a BCS game...Thats where Illinois became a large beneficiary...already had 2 SEC teams (LSU, Georgia), 2 Big XII, only 1 deserving Big East (West Virginia), cant be 2 PAC 10 since you cant play a conference foe in a Bowl Game, and 1 ACC team (Virginia Tech)...So you see the only 2 options were Illinois and Boston College and since BC had lost 3 of their last 5, I guess the choice was Illinois who had won 4 in a row and beat #1 OSU on the road...

So maybe this will help you realize that Illinois was a fine choice to play in the Rose Bowl (which loves the Big 10/Pac 10 matchup) even though USC is a far superior team...

552 days ago

Tron

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soonerfan150 wrote:

The Rose Bowl could have picked whomever they wanted (Georgia, or another at large team) they chose Illinois.

552 days ago