I really didn't think Illinois had a chance in this game. True, the loss of a head coach was a wash, since that happened to both teams. But Illinois also lost their leading runner, and some of the assistant coaches announced just a few days ago they might boycott the game because their two-year contracts turned out to be one-year deals, after all. Hell, the Zookster had to intercede between them and the AD to settle that one.
But an INT run back for a TD and a nice grab of a misplaced pass late in the game put Illinois up by 13 with too little time for UCLA to comeback, though they did get a late TD to make it closer. Nice win by Illinois to even the B1G's record at 2-2 so far. I hadn't realized that the Illini never had won bowl games in consecutive years before.
UCLA is 1-4 vs. the B1G in bowls since the 1993 season. The only win was a 6-3 barn-burner over NU six years ago.
But an INT run back for a TD and a nice grab of a misplaced pass late in the game put Illinois up by 13 with too little time for UCLA to comeback, though they did get a late TD to make it closer. Nice win by Illinois to even the B1G's record at 2-2 so far. I hadn't realized that the Illini never had won bowl games in consecutive years before.
UCLA is 1-4 vs. the B1G in bowls since the 1993 season. The only win was a 6-3 barn-burner over NU six years ago.
