¡Aye, yie Illini!

Great gad-zooks! Pop the Champaign!

Once we get a couple of obvious puns out of the system, what's there to say about the Rose Bowl matchup between USC and Illinois?

College football doesn't have a playoff like basketball, just the BCS. In this version of the "big dance," it feels like USC got stuck with the ugly girl.

Don't get me wrong. Illinois has a great personality. We like the Illini as, say, an early season out-of-conference matchup. But are they really the right choice for America's perennial prom king?

In a year of rather homely choices, the Illini were, well, available.

Ohio State, which would have been the logical matchup, was asked to the BCS national championship -- a game with more money and probably a fancier car. LSU would have been an awesome choice, but same problem there.

Georgia was looking pretty attractive, but got grounded. Even though the Rose Bowl had first choice of a replacement team (since Ohio State got stolen away), apparently there's a rule against selecting the second-place BCS team from the conference of the other bowl that had its first choice stolen. In other words, the Sugar Bowl lost LSU so it would have been really unfair to take away Georgia, too.

Oklahoma had an automatic birth in the Fiesta Bowl. The Big-12 and Fiesta Bowl have been dating for a while.

That left Hawaii, Boston College, Kansas, Missouri, West Virginia and Illinois.

To preserve some semblance of tradition, the Rose Bowl chaperons stuck the Trojans with the Illini.

Pete Carroll always states that his #1 goal is to win the Pac-10 and go to the Rose Bowl. Mission accomplished. There's a lot to be proud of and a lot to be excited for. It's the big dance, after all. Don't think there'll be any problem getting up for this game.

But Carroll knows there was more on the line. He's been talking about the need for a playoff for over a week. He had the "revelation" that the BCS crowns the team with the most attractive season -- and he knows that despite a couple early black eyes, his team is looking pretty ... pretty damn good. It shouldn't be going on blind dates like this.

Yes, it's the Trojans' own fault for that first black eye against Stanford. Shoulda' known better than to fight with a broken hand. Yes, they're lucky that Oregon [QB Dennis Dixon] got hurt and can't dance.

But in such wild and crazy year of college football, it's gearing up for an anti-climactic finish. Win the Rose Bowl, and it's business as usual.

Of course, lose the Rose Bowl and it's a season that was almost salvaged.

Really, when you think about it, USC has nothing to gain and everything to lose in this game.

The Illini, on the other hand, are dancing in the streets tonight.

Comments

[jth]

Who is Illinois? Why not Georgia, or Missouri? But Illinois. These guys aren't even in the top 12, are they? The BCS people just don't want to face facts that USC is the best team in the country, so they give the Trojans a nobody to play in the Rose Bowl.

[JKoch]

First of all, the rule you state about Georgia was put there BY THE ROSE BOWL, to prevent one of the other BCS bowls from taking a Big Ten or Pac-10 team. So if you don't like the USC-Illinois match up, the only people to blame are the people on the Rose Bowl committee.

Second, in response to the first comment, Illinois is far from a nobody. Illinois may have been down the past few seasons, and may have an inconsistent history, but this is still the same program that produced the likes of Red Grange and Dick Butkus. It's a team with 4 national championships and 3 Rose Bowl titles.

And, more relevant, it's a team with a sure first- or second-round draft pick at running back named Rashard Mendenhall, a terrific freshman wideou named Rejus Benn, an increasingly-improving wideout named Jeff Cumberland, and a quarterback getting more and more consistent every week named Juice Williams. I expect you'll remember those names, win or lose. We've also got a fullback who is a bruiser, and an offensive line that allowed the fourth-fewest sacks in the nation.

And on defense, this team features a one of the best linebackers in the country in J Leman, a very strong corner in Vontae Davis, three hard-hitting safeties, and a defensive line that is very good at stopping the run.

Go ahead and think USC is getting a nobody. I hope your team thinks they're getting a nobody. Illinois is a team that has no fear and has beaten 3 ranked opponents this year, including #1 Ohio State at their place. And this isn't a typical three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust Big Ten team. This is a team who has the ability to play power football and the speed to run right by you.

[Gerrrg]

I seriously doubt that anyone thinks Illinois is a nobody, but it's just that Illinois sure seems like a Cinderella team, and no one really wants to go up against Cinderella - no upside to beating up on Cinderella, but a lot of downside to losing to a Cinderella.

[JKoch]

Well, it certainly doesn't bug me if people do think Illinois is a nobody. I would really call Illinois a Cinderella either -- this is a team that has beaten #21, #5 and #1, and is the only team in the country to take down two top 5 teams. And with all due respect to Arkansas, Illinois didn't need overtime to beat #1 at their place.

In all honesty, this team finally started to realize its full potential in the fourth quarter of the 9th game of the season. Juice Williams has improved by leaps and bounds since the only bad loss of the year (Iowa). The other two losses Illinois has are the Missouri (in a game where Juice got hurt and a RS Freshman QB who had never taken an in-game snap had to play virtually the entire game) and Michigan. Against Missouri, our RS Frosh QB turned it over 4 times - including a 100 yard fumble return and an INT in the end zone with 51 seconds left. Against Michigan, the team self-destructed with 10 penalties for 107 yards...and were still in the game until a muffed punt (and that returned is no longer returning punts.)

To me, a Cinderella is a team lucky to be where they are. Illinois is fortunate things worked out for them, but they were also one touchdown-called-back (Iowa) from locking up the Rose Bowl anyway.

[Gerrrg]

I'd like to remind Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin that scheduling a D-II team does not qualify you as tough, no matter how many points you score against them.

If you're gonna make an argument that you're a good team, you should at least play teams from the Mid-American League, with such powerhouses as Kent State, Akron, Eastern, Middle and most importantly, Central Michigan.

-smack down-

[MJ]

The Rose Bowl is an absolute joke! You and your crusty old organizers of the so called "granddaddy" (HAHAHAHA) need to get with the times and understand that college football is not about tradition and you getting paid more and more money. Its about the fans and the game of college football and this bowl game is a farce! How on earth can you pass up a USC/Georgia game? How can you pick a 3 loss Illinois team? How can you look yourself in the mirror at night and think that its ok to pick them? Wait, I know, you all are 80 years old, still use rotary telephones and stick those dentures in water every night and have no clue that its not the 1960's anymore. When you all are dead and people younger can make decisions for today and not yesterday and actually do whats good for the game we will all have a better world. The Rose Bowl and everyone associated w/ the game should do us all a favor and go out back and shoot yourselves now! Oh, and take your butt buddy Jim Delhaney w/ you!

[Rohan Venkat]

I agree, but maybe it's to do with the punditry. Basing my knowledge of the season from what's being talked about, all the other teams in the BCS Bowls were the ones that had at some point or the other had a chance for the National Title.

Illinois is not a nobody, but 'SC at least seems to deserve someone who was equal as a contender in the run up to the Title game.

Of course, the perils of basing one's knowledge of the game on what's in the media are a little obvious, although slightly less perilous in a sport where the reporting of the media actually influences how things turn out, through the polls.

[JKoch]

I can't speak for the other 10 teams in our league, but Illinois' played 2 BCS teams, a bowl-bound MAC team and then the D-1AA team, Western Illinois. Let's call WIU equal to Idaho. Let's call Syracuse equal to Notre Dame (and Syracuse did at least beat Louisville). Missouri was certainly better than Nebraska. And trust me, I'd rather play another conference game, but Ball State might be equal to Washington.

And to MJ: What part of "The Rose Bowl could not select Georgia" do you not understand? The "Rose Bowl Rule," implemented by the Rose Bowl to prevent a Big Ten or Pac-10 team from going to another bowl bit them. With LSU in the title game, Georgia had first rights to Georgia because of the SEC tie. And they were not giving up Georgia knowing they were getting stuck with Hawaii. And, with the exception of the USC/Texas title game (which the Rose Bowl had no say in), Big XII teams bring nothing to the Rose Bowl. OU/WSU is the lowest attended ever, and Texas/Michigan received lower ratings than when Purdue was in the Rose Bowl.

And to Rohan Venkat, let's just assume you would have preferred Georgia, which, as stated, was unavailable. Georgia won their final six games, and the best team they beat was #11 Florida. Illinois won their final four games and beat #1 Ohio State at the Horseshoe along the way. They are just as hot as Georgia, and have a young-but-very-talented team that's finally starting to realize its potential. I'm going to assume you haven't seen Illinois play and give you the benefit of the doubt. Illinois is not getting blown out by USC. The Illini may not win, but this will not be a blood bath. Illinois is not Michigan, and it's not built in the same mode as Michigan. Illinois has the speed to keep up on offense, and has gotten very good at hiding the holes in the defense.

They will give USC everything they want and more.

[MJ]

Koch...Illinois lost not once, not twice but THREE times, more than any other team in the BCS bowls and lost to a team that actually won half of their conference in Missouri. Everyone keeps screaming about the title game HAVING to have a conference championship, if thats the case why not the other 4 BCS bowls? At the very least Missouri should be in this game and not Illinois. Why? Oh, I don't know, b/c maybe THEY BEAT YOU and WON their division and has only 2 loses!! That by itself disqualifies Illinois, or should anyway...but thats for logical people, we are dealing w/ Rose Bowl officials here so its like dealing w/ a wooden door. The Big 10, or 11 or what ever it is these days, (Its still to this day blows me away that a conference w/ 11 teams still calls themselves a conference w/ only 10. Denial is always the hardest part) is weak, it has been weak the entire year. And you bring up all these teams you played, but outside of an overrated Ohio St. team who has beaten no one all year, Illinois hasen't beaten anyone either. You are in the Rose Bowl so enjoy. But seriously, quit trying to bring up all these points b/c anyone who knows a friggin thing about college football knows the only reason Illinois is in this game is b/c you happen to be in a conference that has an affiliate to a bowl game that would rather have a 3 loss team to preserve some stupid traditional thing than to give it to team that would be a better matchup or a more deseriving team that has 1 less loss from a conference that plays much tougher teams both in and out of conference.

[Rohan Venkat]

I understand, and hey, if It's a good game, we're all going to enjoy the football.

I guess us 'SC fans are just crabby about a crappy sport system that has screwed us over in the past, not that we weren't responsible for where we are.

[JKoch]

Fair points. Ohio State may not have played anyone in the non-conference, but I challenge you to look at USC. I'm sorry, Idaho, Notre Dame and Nebraska are no more impressive than Youngstown State, Akron and Washington. Who, exactly, did USC play? The whole schedule argument is moot because nobody plays anyone in the non-conference anymore. Games like OSU/Texas from the last two years are the exception and not the norm. And no, you don't get any sympathy points for playing a Notre Dame team that was horrible and a Nebraska team that was equally horrible.

And as for Missouri, yes, they got hosed. Illinois had nothing to do with them getting hosed though. The Orange Bowl decided, for whatever reason, to take Kansas. You talk about the old crusty Rose Bowl people...they're smart enough to remember history. Big XII teams have brought the lowest attendance (OU/WSU is the lowest attended Rose Bowl ever) and lowest ratings to the Rose Bowl. And you want to talk about a team with no history, look at Missouri. I am well aware they beat us, but the Big XII provides absolutely nothing to the Rose Bowl. And I'll tell you, if they weren't going to watch for Texas and they weren't going to show for Oklahoma, you have no idea how much Missouri doesn't bring to the table.

Blame the Orange Bowl, not the Rose Bowl for Mizzou not getting in.

And I'm not going to deny that Illinois being from the Big Ten didn't help. It's still a smart business decision for the Rose Bowl in terms of money (Illinois will travel and heavily) and ratings (the Chicago market will be all over this game).

[JKoch]

Rohan...you will enjoy the football. As I've said, Illinois may not win. In fact, they'll probably have to play a near perfect game to win. But this is going to be a more exciting Rose Bowl game than one involving Michigan's incredibly boring offense.

Illinois has a tremendous backfield with Juice Williams at QB, Rashard Mendenhall at RB and Russ Weil at FB. Juice is practically perfect in the read option. Don't take this the wrong way, but Mendenhall is very similar to Reggie Bush in ability (please do not get me wrong, Reggie Bush was a very special player. Mendenhall is not Reggie Bush.) Mendenhall is valuable in the passing game. He also has terrific power and can carry the pile. And he's got the speed and quickness to make people miss. And Russ Weil is a tremendous blocking fullback.

And then with the receivers, Illinois has a tremendous freshman named Arrelious Benn who has drawn double teams all year long. He's starting to get more open thanks to the emergence of converted TE Jeff Cumberland, who has terrific speed and jumping ability. He sometimes has the case of the dropsies, but he's a very capable receiver.

Illinois is an exciting football team. You're going to enjoy this game.

[Bobak]

Judging by these responses, it appears the people of small-town Illinois have access to the internet and a lot of free time...

Who knew?

[JKoch]

Bobak...way to bring something productive to the conversation. You really burned me with that "small-town Illinois" comment. *rolls eyes*

[PK-IN-THE-MESA]

JKoch I have always liked rose bowl tradition and happy to see a big-10 team here, but i really feel you need to take a look at the best linebackers in college. Oh you will on 1/1/08

[Dawg]

The Rose Bowl committee, in an effort to secure the longevity and continued success of the Rose Bowl "tradition," should be more focused on creating the best possible environment - including ensuring a lot of fans will be there and the QUALITY of the game, than ensuring that a down and out, patsy conference gets a team on the billing. This year is a joke. Not picking Georgia - who besides their recent hotstreak has some of the most committed fans in the country - is a missed opportunity of huge proportions. The Rose Bowl committee should be ashamed. What a pathetic match up, and what a let down for the fans who would have come there in droves (whether they had a ticket or not) to see the game.

[JKoch]

A couple of things:

To PK-IN-THE-MESA: You have some terrific linebackers. I think you will be impressed with the play of J Leman. He's not the fastest middle linebacker you'll ever see, and yet somehow, he's in on just about every play.

And to Dawg: The Rose Bowl could not take Georgia. The Sugar Bowl would have had to give up the SEC tie after LSU went to the title game. They were not giving up Georgia. You have to get it out of your mind that Georgia was available. They were not available to go to Pasadena.

['SC Dave]

I may be one of the few USC fans who thinks the Rose Bowl matchup is a decent one. Sure, it would have been nice to play Ohio State, and sure, it would have been even better to be in the national championship game. However, when you lose two games, you get what you get. If you go undefeated and don't get in the title game, then you can whine and complain. Otherwise, just shut up and play. Frankly, we're lucky to have won the Pac-10 again this year. Illinois is a good team that had some quality wins this year. Are they the most exciting team in the NCAA? No, but I think they'll bring their "A" game to Pasadena. Do I think they will beat USC? No, since I never expect USC to lose to anyone. But I am looking forward to the game. Fight On, Trojans!

[Gerrrg]

We sometimes get into discussions that Stanford and ND are no better than Youngstown, Kent State.

Well that's not the issue.

The issue is, if you want respect, you don't start by scheduling teams from D-II and the bottom rung of the D-I. And don't go arguing that the WAC is at the bottom, because a lot of teams don't like to play against BSU and Hawaii. Michigan State, after all, paid Hawaii to cancel their game this year.

Ohio State, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin didn't assume that much RISK by scheduling a MAC or D-II team. USC always assumes a greater RISK by annually scheduling ND or even a Nebraska. At the time of scheduling, there is no way of knowing that a Cornhusker team would be bad. The next 3 years, USC will play Virginia, Hawaii, ND, Ohio State and San Jose State. Who will Illinois play? Missouri (kudos), Eastern Illinois, Louisiana Lafayette, and 5 open dates. Let's hope that Illinois will schedule some teams from the SEC and Big-12, eh?

[jth]

I don't mean to hurt none of you Illinois people's feelings. Hey, maybe you guys have a decent team, who knows. But we deserve to play at least a Georgia or Oklahoma. Its not your fault. This is the BCS's doings. Because we're on all cylinders now. We'd beat-up a Georgia or Oklahoma and it would lessen the LSU-Ohio State game. Have people asking and maybe even having split national champions again. Therefore, they gave us an Illinois. We beat them lets say 35-10 and everybody goes home happy. The Illinois people for being able to get out of the snow for a week and tha BCS people for negating controversy.

[jth]

BTW, for anybody who has the answer: The Illinois nickname is 'Fighting Illini'. What is an Illini?

[JKoch]

Batch response:

First of all, Gerrrg, you should learn the difference between 1-AA and Division II. Illinois played a Division 1-AA team, not a Division II team. And to use your argument: At the time Illinois scheduled Syracuse, there was no way to know they'd be this bad. And also, comparing schedules: Illinois also played two BCS conference schools. We played Syracuse and Missouri. You played Notre Dame and Nebraska. And as four our future schedules, Illinois plays Missouri each of the next three seasons on a neutral field. We are playing our state schools - Eastern Illinois (1-AA playoffs this season), Southern Illinois (Final Four in 1-AA this year), and Illinois State. As for our other games, there was some talk, though I don't know how far it went, of a home-and-home with Virginia Tech. I don't disagree with you that Big Ten schedules are weak. A lot of us wish teams like Minnesota, Indiana and Purdue would schedule stronger. It makes our wins over them more impressive.

And to jth...you're not hurting my feelings. I do not expect any of you to care about Illinois football, though I suggest at least familiarizing yourself with the Illini because you will not win by 25. I know you guys think you deserve better, but you weren't getting Georgia or Oklahoma. They were locked in elsewhere. And, unfortunately for SC, there won't be a split champion this year, not with the Coaches and AP poll both ranking OSU and LSU 1-2.

And as for your question: "What is an Illini?" the answer is simple. There was a loose confederation of Illini Indian tribes that inhabited the land that is now Illinois. Now, an Illini is like a "Sooner" or "Volunteer" or "Hoosier" in that it's simply a resident of the state of Illinois. And a "Fighting Illini" has nothing to do with American Indians. The "Fighting" Illini is a tribute to University of Illinois students, staff and faculty who fought in World War I. Our beautiful football stadium, Memorial Stadium, is also dedicated to those UI students, staff and faculty who fought in World War I. The name of every UI-associated troop that died is carved into the columns in the colonnade along the East and West grandstands.

[PK-IN-THE-MESA]

USC-51 ILLI-10

[djinni]

What is about 'SC blogs that always attracts the losers without lives from rival schools to post on them? You don't see 'SC fans on the Bruin, or for that matter, the Illini blogs.

Dearest JKoch - is it "ch" as in "chair?" If so, my congratulations on such an appropriate nom-de-plume - real college football programs that schedule out-of-conference games do so many years in advance.

Nebraska is a school with a real and illustrious football heritage and no one anticipated their meltdown this year. Notre Dame is a traditional rival for USC - the series goes back 79 years - and it, too, has a far more illustrious history than this season would indicate. Idaho was scheduled because at the time the games were agreed, Nick Holt was the head coach there, and Pete Carroll was doing an old friend a favor as the game would bring Idaho TV exposure (and TV money). Holt, of course, is now a coach at 'SC, but the Trojans kept their word nonetheless. Because no matter how moronic the spin some midwestern state school types would like to put on it, Idaho is Division 1-A. NOT 1-AA. Nice try, but they teach logic and fact-finding out here on the Left Coast.

As for future scheduling, USC's non-conference games include Virginia and Ohio State. Not on neutral fields, either, but a home and away series. No, we're not playing a single 1-AA champ, sadly. But there might be a 1-A champ on the roster. Will that count?

I don't mind facing Illinois in the Rose Bowl. I could use a stress-free New Year's Day. And for the most part, Midwestern fans are so nice. They usually shut up and sit down sometime during the second quarter, and even start to leave during the third, making it that much easier to get out of the Rose Bowl stacked parking when the game and celebrating are over. So yay, Illini!

[JKoch]

Ah, well djinni, since you are so well-educated in fact finding, you would obviously know the difference between 1-AA and Division II, and how they are not close to being the same thing. I'm also sure that, in your tremendous left coast education, you realize that some of the better 1-AA teams are more talented than some of the worst 1-A teams, such as Idaho, perhaps. And I certainly don't hold it against you for trying to help out a friend. That's what we do, too. The problem is, there are only 3 1-A teams in Illinois and only 1 in neighboring Missouri. Certainly, you can talk about the "wasteland" that is the Midwest, but I'm only pointing out the facts. And I'm also pretty sure that teams such as Southern Illinois and Eastern Illinois could beat Idaho.

As for the question on the name, it's actually pronounced "Cook." And why do the "losers without lives" come to your blogs? Well, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought part of sports involved banter with other fans. You all are more than welcome to visit our main message board -- www.illiniboard.com. And, I will say it again, you all will be mighty uncomfortable on New Year's Day.