OT Illini in the Rose Bowl

In the fall of 1946 the Big Ten and the conference now called
the Pac 10 agreed that their champions would meet each other
annually in the oldest and best Bowl in the land, the Rose Bowl,
the granddaddy of them all. In the first Rose Bowl under the
new agreement on January 1, 1947 the Illini crushed UCLA 45-14.

The 1952 Rose Bowl between the Illini and Stanford is notable
for being the first ever college football game on national TV.
Well that and the Illini coming back from a 7-6 halftime deficit
to trounce Stanford 40-7.

In the 1964 game the Illini middle linebacker led the defense in
allowing Washington only one TD in a 17-7 win for Illinois. That
middle linebacker was Dick Butkus.

The Illini's only Rose Bowl loss came in 1984 when UCLA stopped
the Jack Trudeau led Illini 45-9.

So now comes the 2008 Rose Bowl between USC and the Illini.
(Just between you and me, I'd bet on USC. ;-) But I'll be
rooting for the improbable upset !!

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
. net...

The Illini's only Rose Bowl loss came in 1984 when UCLA stopped
the Jack Trudeau led Illini 45-9.
Ken Fortenberry

Amazing story behind that. I think the Illini was 10-1 going into that game,
and was the favorite over the Bruins 6-4-1. Rick Neuheisel (WHO) QB for
UCLA ended up the MVP. Didn't hear much of him after his college career,
other than a tutor for Troy Aikman.
-tom

On Dec 3, 12:10 pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
So now comes the 2008 Rose Bowl between USC and the Illini.
(Just between you and me, I'd bet on USC. ;-) But I'll be
rooting for the improbable upset !!

If this college football season has shown anything, it's that being a
higher-ranked team is anything but a guarantee of victory. It's been
fun watching a parade of #1's falling to "lesser" opponents.

Joe F.

On Dec 3, 12:10 pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

But I'll be rooting for the improbable upset !!

For the life of me, I don't understand why they keep letting these Big
10 schools take up space in the big bowl games. Shouldn't they play in
Division II where they belong?

Wayne
(if LSU doesn't get healthy in five weeks, I might regret this
statement)

"Tom Nakashima" wrote:
Rick Neuheisel (WHO) QB for UCLA ended up the MVP. Didn't hear much of
him after his college career, other than a tutor for Troy Aikman.

Wasn't he still at the helm when scandal rocked the CU Buffs?

"Charlie Wilson" wrote in message
. ..

"Tom Nakashima" wrote:
Rick Neuheisel (WHO) QB for UCLA ended up the MVP. Didn't hear much of
him after his college career, other than a tutor for Troy Aikman.

Wasn't he still at the helm when scandal rocked the CU Buffs?

Something like that,
Worst trouble with the U of WA for NCAA B-ball tournament pools,
but somehow collected $4.5 million in a wrong-doing settlement.

When with CU, they paid him over 1/2 million ($630k), + $1.5 million dollar
home, plus compensation from TV, radio, and merchandise companies.
Not bad for the 2nd youngest coach in Division 1-A
-tom

rb608 wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
So now comes the 2008 Rose Bowl between USC and the Illini.
(Just between you and me, I'd bet on USC. ;-) But I'll be
rooting for the improbable upset !!

If this college football season has shown anything, it's that being a
higher-ranked team is anything but a guarantee of victory. It's been
fun watching a parade of #1's falling to "lesser" opponents.

Yeah, and how about all the #2's losing to *unranked* opponents.
Having the BCS #2 ranking was worse than the _Sports Illustrated_
cover curse.

Still, an Illini victory over USC is improbable at best. But the
friggin' bookies will make Illinois just a 4 point underdog. Which
just goes to show why I can never win a football bet with that
goddamn law ... ur ... dear friend of mine from North Cackalacky.
Even when the powder blue pussies suck the big one they somehow
manage to get beatable point spreads.

Anyway, we're goin' to the Rose Bowl, UNC is sitting at home *and*
I don't owe no football booze to nobody. Nyah, nyah, nyah.

--
Ken Fortenberry

"Wayne Knight" wrote in message
...
On Dec 3, 12:10 pm, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:

But I'll be rooting for the improbable upset !!

For the life of me, I don't understand why they keep letting these Big
10 schools take up space in the big bowl games.

Shouldn't they play in
Division II where they belong?

No, there's too much talent in the FCS--translated--they're scared to death
of schools like Appstate!

Op

Wayne
(if LSU doesn't get healthy in five weeks, I might regret this
statement)