It was all Treat for the Illini!

On a Halloween day that stayed about as nice out as a fan could have hoped for, Ron Zook's Fighting Illini got a long overdue victory. Rich Rodriguez's team started the year out hot and were ranked at one point in the season. The last five or so games haven't been so great however. The Wolverines have lost 4 of those games, and the lone win came against lowly Delaware State. Here are my key points on what took place today as the Illini earned their first Big Ten win of the year.

Michigan entered today's game leading the Big Ten in rushing yards per game (219.4), rushing touchdowns (22), and yards per carry (5.1). The Illini defense held them today to 113 yards, 1 rushing touchdown, and only 2.6 yards per carry. That's a big accomplishment as the Illini entered the game last in the conference against the run.

Illinois controlled the clock in the first quarter, and I think it helped a lot. 9:30 of the first 15 minutes of the game, the Illini had the ball. All year we have been on our toes immediately on defense, then we simply wear ourselves out. Today, the second quarter wasn't as good for the offense, and I think it says a lot about the team that they kept fighting. It would have been easy for the guys to give up once Michigan scored three straight times unanswered on a touchdown and two field goals while Illinois goes 3 and out three straight times.

I would have liked to see the play calling stay aggressive after the first Illini touchdown. There was one time where the Illini got a 10 yard holding call on first down, then went running back up middle, quarterback up middle, sacked on third and about 17. Right after that, the Illini got the ball with about 1:35 left in the first half. The fans wanted to try and march down the field, but the coaching staff again kept things very simple and safe.

The play of the game was easily the amazing tackle from Terry Hawthorne as he chased down Michigan's Roy Roundtree. Forcier danced out of the pocket like he loves to do, and the result was a well placed ball on a deep slant route over the middle. Roundtree seemed to have a sure touchdown until Hawthorne turned on the after burners and pulled the receiver down from behind. The defense then gave us a taste of what most were hoping they would do all year as they won the battle at the line of scrimmage four straight times and got a stop.

Mikel Leshoure is separating himself from the other backs in this system. I know that Jason Ford's yards per carry average is better, but when I see Leshoure run he never fails to impress me with his effort. I remember the last guy to wear number 5 as a running back here, and Mike looked a lot like him today. His legs don't stop pushing until he goes down, and he has been much better about holding onto the football. I even noticed a few plays where he picked up a blitz and did a nice job of keeping in front of him.

Michigan Quarterback Tate Forcier reminds me a lot of Juice his freshman year. Forcier is a better passer than Juice was, but the similarities show up when plays break down. Forcier is a pretty good scrambler, but he often tries to make something out of nothing and ends up making a questionable decision. Also, when he does scramble, he holds the ball way too far from his body. At one point in my game blog I commented that he was getting sloppy with ball security, and he proceeded to fumble on the very next play.

Illinois did a great job at not shooting themselves in the foot. Coming into play, Illinois was the worst team in the Big Ten when it came to penalties, and they only got whistled 4 times for 36 yards... A big improvement from their average of 7 penalties for a loss of 63.4 yards.

Illinois Vs. Michigan. Halloween 2009.

So here we are moments before kick off. Illinois is hoping to stop the bleeding against a Michigan team who has shown signs of wearing down in past weeks. The question today is will it be Trick or Treat for Illini nation?
The score is 31-13 with 9 minutes left. I'm about to head down to the field, but I will have post game notes when the game is over... Here's to an llini holding on!

Jason Ford just fumbled inside the 10, and that isn't going to win him much extra playing time with Leshoure playing as well as he has.

The Juice is loose! I haven't seen Williams play this relaxed all season. He is running all over the place now that the long ball is back in play, and the defense can't stack the box.

Well what do you know... next play Forcier fumbles...

Tate Forcier is starting to look the way he has in some previous weeks near the end of the game... he is becoming very sloopy with he ball.

That's the end of the third quarter, and so far this game has been trick over treat... Don't get me wrong, it's a treat to be ahead, but the change in attitude of both the players and the play calling had me tricked in the first half. It's nice to have that feeling again where you are nervous heading into a fourth quarter.

The Illini offense has looked in the second half the way we thought they would all year. The play calling has been aggressive, and the offensive line has really done a better job at blocking after a few straight weeks of looking like swiss cheese.

Terry Hawthone is having a hell of a game. He ran down the would be 77 yard touchdown and just made a great play on 3rd down to force a punt.

The touchdown pass to London Davis makes this a 21-13 Illinois lead.

Juice with the long ball! This offense has woken up, or this Wolverine defense has gone to sleep... I don't know which it is, but even the play calling has looked more aggressive. Three passes and a big Leshoure run did most of the damage.

Mikel Leshoure is reading this isn't he? Since my comment about him not having a big day but working hard... 2 carries for over 100 yards... that's getting your average up!

Momentum? Illinois. A goal line stance, a 99 yard drive, and a three and out to follow it. This drive now becomes extremely important. We don't NEED points, but we really can't have a turnover or anything to get Michigan fired up.

Remember when I said Mikel Leshoure wasn't having a big game? Well the 70 yard run moments after that statement has me retracting my statement.

Mikel Leshoure isn't having a huge game, but I love seeing him fight for every extra yard. This guys is hard to bring down with one man because he uses his leg strength to drive forward.

The Illini defense just showed something we haven't seen in a while, and that's winning the battle up front. The Wolverines had the ball first and goal on the 2, and it took fourth and one to get the ball in... but on review Brandon Minor's elbow was down short, and the Illini get the ball at the one. What a great stand!

Tate Forcier is proving my point about making something happen on every play. The line broke down, and he tried to scramble but forgot to keep the ball close to his body. The Wolverines recovered, and on the next play Forcier hit his receiver over the middle for a 75 yard pick up.

Halftime. Illinois is very much in this game, but it's not just going to come to us. There are some adjustments to be made, but the biggest thing is that the offense needs to be let loose while the defense continues to get stops.

First play QB run. Second play option run. Third play sack. I think it's safe to say we got conservative... Safe... get it?

There is 1:39 left in the first half, and Michigan just hit another field goal. The score is 13-7, and I'm interested to see what the offense will look like here to close the half. Do we go for it, or do we get conservative?

The Illini as a team take poor angles to the football on defense. I have seen three times this game where a guy is pursuing the ball carrier and gets shaken pretty easily because they weren't taking the right angle.

Illinois is doing what most fans have complained about all year. There was a penalty for holding on first down, and the play calling got very conservative after that.

Tavon Wilson just made a huge third down stop in the end zone. These are the types of things that need to happen if Illinois is going to win this game. The defense may have given up points, but they look much better than they did on Michigan's first drive. Something to take away from this is the fact that we got Michigan to
4th down twice that drive, the first time was just called off due to a face mask.

Tate Forcier needs to learn to throw the ball away. He reminds me a lot of Juice Williams his first couple of years because of the fact that he tries to make a play on every snap.

Here is something good to take away from the first quarter... Illinois dominated the time of possession holding the ball for nine and a half minutes... The Illini haven't done that all year.

Illinois has been great with penalties so far in this game, but something to think about is the importance of making plays when they are there. Juice had Rejus Benn wide open inside the ten, but the pass came out funny and was well short of its target. The final result was a missed field goal by Matt Eller and no points for the Illini.

Junior Hemingway back to return a punt for Michigan. Rich Rodriguez sent guys to block the punt, and Santella put off a low line drive. When Hemingway ran up to catch it he stumbled a little, and the muffed kick was recovered by Illinois' Zach Becker.

Carlos Brown walks into the end zone from two yards out, and this game is tied at
7. The defense sure didn't show much that looked like it was working against the UM offense.

Michigan has done what they needed to do so far. Illinois opened up with a big drive, and Tate Forcier has done the same thing back. Forcier looks good when he is forced out of the pocket.

This crowd seems to be having a lot of fun today. The weather is as nice as you could have asked for, and the game started out with a bang. I hope this energy rubs off onto the defense... A big first half would go a long way towards a win. The Illini have come out of halftime with little to play for this season.

I loved the play call that got into the end zone. Rejus Benn is the type of guy who will do anything to get that extra yard, and this time it included diving head first into the end zone over two Michigan defenders. The Wolverines had no answer for the Illini on that drive.

Leshoure is turning into a starting back in a back by committee system.

Juice Williams looks great so far on this drive. He is hitting the short passes in stride, and that's been very effective.

Juice runs again. There have been a lot of people calling for more designed Quarterback runs, and today they are working early.

Illinois opens the game with the run. Not surprising. After a run up the middle went nowhere, Juice keeps an option after a great fake pitch. Big gain on the ground for Juice.

Michigan wins the coin toss, and Illinois will get the ball first. I normally like having the ball in the second half, but if Juice can come out here early and get a good drive going, maybe it will fire up the defense early. This team has given up a lot of points in the first half of football games.

Illinois Vs. Missouri Southern.

And so it begins... Another chapter of Illinois basketball is about to be written, and it comes at a time when Illini fans need it most. With the football team not living up to expectations, Illini nation is looking to Bruce Weber to cure their victory ills. Missouri Southern head coach Robert Corn comes into the Assembly Hall tonight with 21 years of experience as the leader of the Lions. In 1999, Corn won the Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year award.



It appears that coach Weber is content with letting his bench guys finish the game for the most part. I still haven't seen Stan Simpson

Apparently I deleted most of the second half blog... So we'll pick it up with 9:58 left in the game.

At halftime, the Illini look pretty good, but the amount of turnovers needs to go down.

This is a great showing around the 1:30 mark remaining in the first half. Illinois forced turnovers, and the result was 5 quick points.

Illinois has 13 turnovers already in the game, and I know it's the first one of the year, but I have to assume Weber was hoping that number would be a little closer to 8 or 10 for the half. The fact that the Illini only have 6 assists only compounds things.

What was an 18 point lead has now shrunken to 8 after Illinois turnovers allowed some quick baskets by MOSO.

You have to hand it to Head Coach Corn. He get's extremely fired up, and you can tell that it rubs off on his players. Yelling, moving up and down the sideline, running out to give high fives during a timeout...

Brandon Paul loves to take the ball to the hole just like his freshman teammate Richardson. They have both gotten free throw opportunities because MOSO can't keep up.

Illinois has started to get a little sloppy with the ball and lazy on defense. MOSO is getting a lot of looks from 3 when the ball goes under the basket and then is kicked back out.

I spoke too soon. MOSO junior Skylar Bowlin scores on his own rebound, and the drought it over.

It is now 8 minutes into the game, and MOSO has not scored a basket. 19-1 Illini...

Bill Cole had the chance for a lay up, but instead he tried to pass it off and it went out of bounds. It's hard to fault guys for wanting to share the rock, but it shows you why the freshman shooting aggressively is going to either push the big men into stepping up, or it is going to help them pass them by.

Richardson picks up his first foul as he tries a little too hard for a steal.

Brandon Paul is not afraid to pull the trigger. Even though he missed, it is nice seeing guys take shots when they are open.

DJ Richardson just showed the Orange and Blue fans two things. He is going to take it to the hole... which he did very well, and he is going to make freshman mistakes... two traveling calls.

The lack of speed for MOSO is earning the Illini a number of garbage fouls.

The Illini are trusting freshman DJ Richardson with a big role defensively. Arguably the best player for the Lions is 6'1" senior Mariun Price and Richardson has drawn the task of guarding him.

This size advantage is not the only obvious thing about this match up. The Illini are clearly the more athletic unit.

McCamey needs to shoot when he's open. To start the game he had a wide open opportunity and passed it up. The upgrade to his speed is obvious though. At the 2 minute mark he picked up a trash foul because he started to blow by his man bringing it over half court.

Missouri Southern is not a big team. Out of the starters, only McCamey would not be the tallest player for the Lions. 6'5" is as tall as they get to start the game.

Purdue Game Blog

We're about 30 minutes from kick-off here at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana as Illinois gets ready to take on Purdue. There is barely anyone here at this point. I don't blame a lot of them for having a lack of interest in a 2-5 team taking on a 1-5 team, but I thought perhaps after the big win over Ohio State, the Boilermaker fans would come out to support their team.

Jacob Charest and Juice Williams both taking a lot of snaps in the pre-game. Charest looked pretty good but overthrew his guy a few times... a sign of jitters maybe? I can't blame him.

25 minutes until kick-off, and Illinois leaves the field for the locker room.

Purdue just rolled out their signature "World's Largest" drum. It's big... but I have to believe that there is a bigger one out there... Blue Man Group?

Questions for today's game... How will Tyler Sands play in his first start for the offensive line? How early will Jacob Charest get into the game, and how will he handle his playing time? Will the passing game get going on a team that is giving up more yards through the air than Illinois? How will the secondary look without Hardeman? Is anyone going to show up??

9 minutes.

The temp is 46 degrees, wind chill of 40. Winds gusting up to 20 MPH.

Illinois will receive the kick.

Rejus Benn with a great kick-off return out to the 38... tackled by the kicker.

Illinois is already doing what it does best this year... not executing like a winning team. The first set of plays are scripted... how do you break the huddle with 12 men on the second play?

Santella with a 51 yard punt... is it time to give this kid most improved player yet?

Illinois with a sack early by Josh Brent. The Illini have not gotten to quarterbacks all year, so it's a good sign to get a sack early. Doug Pilcher created that play for Brent.

I know the Illini gave up a big first down there, but I did like how the defense was faking the blitz pre-snap. That's something I have been wanting to see all year. Our defense is too often exactly what it looks like when the ball is snapped.

Illinois needs to get some first downs here. The offense was not the problem last drive, the penalties were. I think we are going to come out looking for points here... Juice still in.

Justin Green gets a carry in the first quarter. First first-half carry of his career.

Mikel Leshoure breaks a 65+ yarder, and the Illini score on the following play with a run right up the gut from senior Daniel Dufrene.

Illini score after a 6 play, 80 yard drive... Leshoure's large gain after the pitch is being called a pass or a forward pitch.

Jaycen Taylor rushes for 44 yards, and just that fast the Boilermakers tie this game up. All four of Purdue's first downs are on the ground.

Illinois caught Purdue blitzing, and the play action run worked perfectly.

In every press box that I go to, they repeat over and over that there is no cheering in the press box... They announced it here, but no one on the Purdue side seems to care... The is by far the most cheering I've ever heard during a game in the box.

Illinois is doing well in some areas such as gaining over 9 yards per play on offense, but the 3 offensive penalties for -25 yards need to stop.

On those plays where Purdue only needs a couple, they love lining up like they are going to go right up the gut and then counter to the outside.

Ralph Bolden has been kind of silent the last couple of weeks for Purdue, but the running back gets his 5th touchdown of the season here in the second quarter.

14-7 Purdue.

Jacob Charest in the game.

I know that Garrett Edwards misses his tackles sometimes, but he also is one of the only players who occasionally gets close to making something big happen. That is the second time this year that Edwards almost came up with an INT, and this defense doesn't get many of those.

Joey Elliot does a really nice job of making his short passes. The ball comes out crisp, but isn't thrown too hard.

After another Purdue TD, the score sits at 21-7. Charest is still in, and this team needs to answer. They just ran a trick play with Eddie Mcgee, and it worked, but we can't rely on that. There is a serious lack of consistency with this offense.

Hooman just caught his second pass in a row. I don't think that's happened all year. The TE needs to be a bigger part of the offense.

Charest to Hubie Graham, and, once again, the TE is in the action.

With 18 seconds left on the clock, Illinois really needs to get into the end zone. A field goal will certainly help, but this team hasn't had much momentum going into halftimes this season.

Matt Eller misses the 23 yard attempt, and that momentum that I was talking about a second ago is nowhere to be found. Not a good way to end the first half.

Purdue hasn't rushed for this many yards in an opening half all year except for the season opener against Toledo.

Halftime Good and the Bad
Good: Mikel Leshoure's 96 first half rushing yards.
Bad: Juice Williams 3-8 with a pick.
Good: Jacob Charest almost throws a touchdown during his second drive.
Bad: Purdue is rushing for 7.1 yards per carry.
Good: QB Joey Elliot has thrown for 54 yards.
Bad: QB Joey Elliot has rushed for 54 yards.
Good: Illinois has 42 yards per punt.
Bad: Illinois has 55 yards on 6 penalties.
Good: The defense got a first quarter sack.
Bad: The defense hasn't really been much of an issue in Purdue's backfield.

4 minutes until the second half, and I have to wonder what Zook had to say at the half. His team was ready to strike and came up empty. It will be very important for the Illini to not give up points on this opening drive by Purdue.

I finally asked for something and got it! Illinois opens the half with a defensive stop. Now imagine if we had scored 7 and then come out with the stop. This sideline would be going crazy. Illinois needs another quick moral boost. A touchdown should do nicely.

Jack Ramsey is earning some playing time right here. The punt return was as good as he possibly could have performed it, and that catch makes a nice first down gain.

Another penalty... This team is hard to watch if you are a big fan of consistency and discipline.

Mikel Leshoure just earned himself some Matto Points for all those Illini basketball fans. The play itself was absolutely stuffed, but the hard driving legs kept the running back going enough to pick up the important fourth down conversion.

Touchdown Illini! I can't say that that drive was all that consistant, but Leshoure is looking great, and points were put on the board... I know I've said this, but if you score going into halftime... well I think this would be a silent stadium.

Leshoure now has 13 carries for 122 yards.

47,039 is the announced attendance.

Terry Hawthorne was in on that 3rd down stop, and thank god he held his assignment and didn't fall for Elliot's eye fake. The Purdue QB could have run for 15 yards if it weren't for the talented freshman.

Ian Thomas with the stop after the pass completion. He got up a little shaken but jogged off quickly under his own power.

Purdue has woken up the passing game. Really the bulk of the offense has been on the ground, but I have a feeling that they are just waiting to take a couple of shots down field.

When the announcement was made that the ruling on the field stood, no touchdown, a large amount of the Purdue student sections cheered, and then became kind of silent when they realized that that was a bad thing.

Illinois is looking good on the trick plays including Eddie McGee. Twice they have worked for first downs.

Jack Ramsey is having the best game of his short career. The freshman has been all over the field.

One team has 310 yards, and one has 317 after 3 quarters. There hasn't been a ton of great defense in this one.

Santella sure doesn't have the prettiest ball off his foot, but he's been very effective none the less. 51 yards.

Russell Ellington made a great play right there. If the WR had broken his one armed tackle, it would have been a big play for Purdue.

More and More that missed field goal before the half is looking like it might come back to haunt us. Let's hope for the sake of Matt Eller's confidence that that doesn't happen.

Jacob Charest back in at quarterback. I'm a little surprised that this didn't happen sooner. There's nothing like going out for your first real playing action when you need 10 points in 10 minutes.

Illinois at Indiana Game Blog

Indiana started this game smart. Nothing the Hoosiers did was risky, but it was effective. The Illini were not able to get pressure on quarterback Ben Chappell, and it hurt us. There was a pass that was dropped, and it really skidded the momentum, but Indiana was moving the ball.

Juice to start at QB. The first pass was a quick 5 yard screen play followed by a quick shot up the middle by Leshoure.

Illinois is looking to get something going consistantly, but so far each play has gotten exactly what it was designed to get or nothing. This tells me that we are excecuting out gameplan but not dominating physically yet.

Illinois forced to punt, and Santella's improvement continues. Almost downed right outside the goalline, the punt travels 50 yards for a touchback.

Indiana's front is really winning the battle in the trench. So far our defensive line is not pressuring IU, and it shows. Chappell has time to go through his progressions and find the open man... If there is no one open, Chappell has been able to get 3 or 4 yards running every time.

After a big play, Illinois will play D in the red zone for the first time today, and a second down false start will help. Dere Hicks just made a nice play, and now it is third down for the Hoosiers.

That was the first time today Illinois has gotten pressure on the Hoosier Quarterback, and the result was a big time third down hurry. In the end, their inability to get anything on that third down was the difference between a made and missed field goal... It remains 0-0.

Illinois has been killed this year with the time of posession. You can't expect a defense to stay rested when they are on the field 11:30 of the first 15 minutes.

A.J. Jenkins just did what Illinois can't do. After a great play where we got what we have been missing all year (a pass that leads the WR), and ruined it by shooshing the crowd for a 15 yarder.

The Illini offense showed life which is encouraging, but there was still no play to play continuity.

As this game has gone on (10:26 left in 2nd quarter), Illinois is doing a much better job of disrupting the Hoosier pocket.

Donsay Hardeman just left the game for the Illini on a strether. His facemask was removed with his helmet still on his head. Donsay had a previous neck injury, so they are taking every precaution.

Indiana finally breaks the drought with a field goal on their third attempt. This game hasn't been all that sloppy, but neither team really seems to have that extra gear that it takes to drive the whole field. Field position has played a big part of this game, and so far neither team has gotten to start in a great spot.

A.J. Jenkins with a nice catch. I love these big plays, but they are only here and there... Let's get a run game going.

And there it is. Illinois three times in a row has gone up the middle and gotten good yards. This is exactly what the offense has missed all year. Illinois opens up the run game and what follows? A deep ball placed perfectly into the end zone... 7-3 Illinois.

Turnover! Illinois has been looking for special teams to be special all year and while they were good enough to cause the turnover, they weren't good enough to put up 3 points on a 37 yard field goal. The other thing about that drive was that it once again took barely anytime. Most teams would look to hold the ball until the other team has to change its gameplan specifically to play the clock.

The IU two minute drill has looked good. Illinois is taking away the sidelines, but so far the Hoosiers are dumping the ball over the middle and moving upfield 8 to 10 yards at a time.

Illinois had Indiana stuck at 3rd and eight but could not stop the Hoosier offense. The play was going to either go for 3 yards and nothing else, or there was going to be a broken tackle and a big big gain. Those plays are designed to isolate a defender and force him to tackle well.

With the second half about to start, Illinois prepares to receive the kick off. Just a quick update on the injured Donsay Hardeman... They are running tests now, but the good news is that he is moving his limbs.

26 yard kick return by Rejus Benn.

The Illini offense was moving decently, but once again there was no continuity. One good play here, a bad play or two, another good one... We are really struggling to put anything together that will keep defenses on their toes.

Indiana is forcing Illinois to guess, and that's giving them time to make plays happen when it looks like there is nothing there. Getting to the quarterback is such a big key for this Illini team.

When nothing seems to be going your way, things often get worse. After Illinois records their first sack of the game, a botched pooch punt by IU drops very short, hitting an Illini player in the leg and giving the football back to the Hoosiers.

Wow. Indiana gets to about the 10 yard line and faces a fourth and 1. The play by IU sets up perfectly and looked to be a sure firstdown if not touchdown... but the Hoosier slips before he can turn the corner, and the ball goes to the Illini.

Illinois and Indiana are in a battle for who wants it less. I keep watching these two teams get themselves in position to make things happen only for everything to fall apart because of a dumb penalty, a dropped pass...

Juice Williams hit Rejus Benn over the middle for a huge gain. Illinois has to prove themselves inside the redzone... wait... as I write this, Juice fumbles and gives the ball to IU.

End of the third quarter, and this game just isn't getting any prettier. Illinois has been carless with the football while playing with sense of urgency. At this point there is still time to turn it around, but that's simply due to the fact that Indiana isn't doing anything special.

Big Ten Bowl Game Announced

Park Ridge, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference unveiled its new postseason lineup for the 2010-13 college football seasons, with six Big Ten bowl games set to be featured annually on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, including five contests on Jan. 1. The conference office announced four-year bowl extensions with the Capital One, Outback and Insight and new four-year bowl agreements with the Konica Minolta Gator, Texas and Dallas Football Classic. The Big Ten is already in the midst of an eight-year extension with the Rose Bowl through the 2013 season. This new Big Ten bowl lineup will run concurrently with the latest Bowl Championship Series contract.

The Big Ten's 2010-13 bowl lineup will begin in late December with the Texas Bowl, followed by six more postseason contests played over an estimated 26-hour period on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The Insight Bowl will be played at night on Dec. 31, followed by five more conference bowl games over a roughly nine-hour period on Jan. 1, including the Dallas Football Classic, Capital One Bowl, Outback Bowl, Gator Bowl and Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi.

"We are excited to announce our bowl lineup for the 2010-13 seasons, with seven outstanding destinations in Arizona, California, Florida and Texas, which will allow us to showcase our programs in six different New Year's Eve and New Year's Day games," said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. "Big Ten student-athletes, coaches and fans can now look forward to rewarding trips to Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Tempe, Houston and Dallas, along with the conference's traditional trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. With the number of Big Ten alumni in these states, this bowl lineup is a natural fit and should provide some compelling matchups on the field. We look forward to continuing our bowl relationships with the Rose, Capital One, Outback and Insight, and are pleased to add bowl agreements with the Konica Minolta Gator, Texas and Dallas Football Classic in 2010."

The Capital One Bowl first entered into an agreement with the Big Ten for the 1992 campaign and the conference has sent a team to Orlando, Fla., in each of the last 17 seasons, marking the conference's second-longest bowl agreement behind the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten has won four of the last five New Year's Day matchups, which are held at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.

The Outback Bowl's association with the Big Ten began in 1993 and will extend through the 2013 campaign with games held at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The Big Ten has been victorious in two of the last three New Year's Day games, including wins by Iowa in 2009 and Penn State in 2007.

After becoming the Big Ten's first Arizona bowl game tie-in in 2006, the Insight Bowl will remain a part of the conference's postseason lineup. Representatives from the Big Ten and Big 12 will continue to meet in the annual game held at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., through the 2013 season. Previously known as the Copper Bowl from its inception in 1989 through 1996, Big Ten teams are 2-3 in this event with victories by Indiana in 1991 and Wisconsin in 1996.

The Big Ten will return to the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl for the first time in nearly two decades, giving the conference a third Florida postseason game to conclude the 2010 through 2013 seasons. Matching teams from the Big Ten and SEC, the Gator Bowl will be held on New Year's Day at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Big Ten has appeared in five Gator Bowls, beginning with a narrow loss by Ohio State after the 1978 campaign and capped by a Michigan triumph over Mississippi following the 1990 season.

The Big Ten will continue to play postseason football in the state of Texas with a pair of games beginning after the 2010 campaign. The Big Ten will make its first appearance in the Texas Bowl in December of 2010 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas. One of the country's newest postseason games, the first Texas Bowl took place in 2006 and will match a Big Ten and Big 12 program beginning in 2010. A Big Ten school has played a bowl contest in the state of Texas in every season since 1995.

The Big Ten's second postseason game in Texas will be the Dallas Football Classic, which will debut following the 2010 campaign with teams from the Big Ten and Conference USA. The Dallas Football Classic will mark the conference's fifth New Year's Day game and will be played in Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

Information and photos courtesy of Illinois DIA

Illinois Vs. Michigan State Game Blog

Cutting into the action a little late due to internet trouble, we pick up the game with 11:37 left in the first quarter. Michigan drove down the field with the help of some Illini penalties and missed third down opportunities. Glann Winston on the carry for the Spartans. 7-0 MSU.

I said earlier this week that the Illini had to play with their heads to win this game, and that drive didn't live up to my expectations.

Already the Illini look lost on offense. Before the first play, WR Chris James ran on and off the field twice not knowing if he was supposed to be on the field.

The Spartan player down is Trevor Anderson.

Anthony Santella booms a 51 yard punt with great hangtime. These are the little things that help a team after going three and out on offense. The Spartans will start inside their 20 and have a long field ahead of them.

Michigan State is killing Illinois through the air but what's worse is that they are 100% controlling the clock.

Michigan State does it again on the ground. 13 plays 81 yards, 6:24 minutes. These are the kind of drives Michigan State loves. Traditional MSU football pounds the ball and controls the clock. That drive took a lot out of our guys physically and emotionally with the two fourth down conversions.

Eddie McGee is throwing some strikes. It would be nice if the offensive line could give him a little more time, but so far so good for number 10.

After a penalty and a sack Illinois is forced to punt. MSU will start inside the 10.

Kirk Cousins hooks up with Blair White, and Evan Frierson causes a fumble. After a review of the play, however, it was called an incompletion.

MSU was driving again at their own pace until they shot themselves in the foot with two 15 yarders. It would have been a great time for Illinois to get some momentum, but this offense just can't stay on the field. 3 and out for the Illini.

Fumble! And this one will stand... great right? Well not when you don't move the ball. Illinois looks just terrible on offense, and the defense has spent A LOT of time on the field. I could see this game breaking open soon if we can't make something happen.

Well after the first half, this game isn't close. The 17-0 score is too close. We should be down 24, but this game isn't over. Illinoi needs to put more pressure on Nichol.

Interview with Sean Scherer of SpartanTailgate.com

This Michigan State squad is coming off of a huge overtime win against rival Michigan. The win comes after MSU dropped three straight games of 2, 3, and 8 points. What does it say about this team... the fact that they were able to keep fighting after losing some close ones?

First and foremost, I think it means the most to the defense. The fact that they were able to pull out a game that they really needed to win. For a guy like Chris L. Rucker (corner back), who some say has struggled this year, for him to stay in it and get that game winning interception... for the whole defense as a team to stay strong all four quarters and overtime... it's a big confidence booster. For the offense, they've been clicking on offense all year, but they really established themselves with true Michigan State football running. They didn't have a passing touchdown last week, but they ran the football, controlled the tempo of the game, and really played hard as a team.

Speaking of the running game, Michigan State has some good young running backs, but how do you replace 390 carries when a guy like Javon Ringer goes to the NFL? I think most people look at the 390 and think it's a misprint because that's just so many hits to take in a season.

When I think of Javon last year, the first thing that comes to mind is the calmness that he brought to the huddle. When he stepped in and the team knew he was getting the ball, they trusted that he was going to make things happen with their help. They really rallied around him.

And the running backs this year?

There were some concerns but coming into this season, I did not question one bit that someone would step up. Michigan State has a stable of running backs. The true freshman Larry Caper looks like he could be a phenominal rusher. The sophomore Glenn Winston has some carries, redshirt freshman Caulton Ray is developing, and the senior leadership comes from A.J. Jimmerson. Now finding the best back to fit this system as the number one guy is going to take some time, but I have no question that Michigan State has the talent at the RB position to carry them enough to get the run established this season... This offense doesn't need a guy to carry the ball 390 times, and, truthfully, there's no one on this team at that level yet. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years one of these guys has developed into a guy that can take on a huge load, but not yet.

You mentioned that the calmness in the huddle was due to Javon Ringer's presence. Who has stepped up this year as that leader who people can look up to?

Blair White has been that guy, no question. And, to be honest, it's his work ethic. This guy gives 110% all of the time, and he does the little things that help others be successful. Just look at Caper's game winning touchdown run against Michigan. White was able to get off of his block and get up field to block for him, leaving him 11 yards to the end zone and no one in his way. I know Caper's run won the game, but looking at it as a team, that was a great play by White.

White is a very good wide receiver without having the ability to do things like run in the low 4.4's. How has he been able to become so effective?

White does the litte things well. He is the best route runner that Michigan State has had on the team in a while. He's been able to seperate himself because of that ability because the quarterback always knows where he is going to be. He is great at catching the ball underneath when the defense blitzes.

Michigan State's passing game has been surprising a lot of people this year. Kirk Cousins has stepped up into the role of leader and done a great job of moving the ball, and he is only the second sophomore captian in MSU's 113 years of football. How has he done in this role at an age when guys are often still looking up to the upper classmen?

If you came into the season as a Michigan State follower, you knew the offense was going to be a more pass heavy attack than we are used to in previous years. In the spring game, both quarterbacks had like 300 passing yards and 4 touchdowns. As for Cousins, he already has that calmness... it's unlike any other sophomore quarterback I've been around. When you talk to him, you know you're talking to a leader. You know you are talking to a captian. When he gets to the huddle he always understands what he needs to do, and he's willing to do it.

Looking at the defense, the run defense statistics are great. MSU is giving up less than 3 yards per carry, less than 100 yards per game, and has allowed only two ground touchdowns all season. Is this team really that hard to run on?

Well, I think you need to look at the teams that Michigan State has played. Montana State, Notre Dame, Central Michigan, Michigan this year... they all love to throw the ball. I go back to the Wisconsin game this year, and it's hard for me really to believe in the numbers. We gave up a lot of decent sized runs that we shouldn't have. Wisconson's really the only team that we have played that likes to run the ball, and John Clay was able to have a big day for the Badgers. When that happened, it really opened up the pass for them (Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien threw a career high 4 touchdowns). I know the run defense looks great on paper, but I know that the Spartans can do better than that.

Looking at All-American middle linebacker candidate Greg Jones... what does he bring to this defense? Would you say that what Blair White's leadership is to the offense, Greg Jones' leadership is to the defense?

Definitely. You go back two years ago when Greg came to MSU, and he started right away at outside linebacker. He excelled immediately. His freshman year the coaches really worked with him, and by this point he always knows where he is supposed to be and maybe more importantly, where everyone else is supposed to be. Last year he started the transition from outside to the middle. He kinda went back and forth, one game he would start at SAM (strong side linebacker), and some games he would start at MIKE (middle linebacker). His success at the MIKE position has been increased because of his knowledge of the defense from the outside position and his experience. He calls out the defensive audibles and does a great job of positioning his teammates. Watching the defense this year, there have been a lot of plays where everyone does what is expected of them; but one guy blows his assignment, and it leads to a big gain. With the Michigan State style of defense involving lots of blitzes, everyone in coverage needs to be where he is supposed to be.

Looking at the passing defense for MSU, I'm sure fans are expecting more (MSU ranks last in the Big Ten in opponent passing yards and touchdowns given up). Does this go along with what we discussed earlier about the number of pass heavy teams that MSU has faced?

No, not at all. Even though the run defense has good numbers, like I said, I think the defensive line is under performing. With the style of defense that we run, if you are not getting to the quarterback, good passers are going to carve you up all day. I don't think there's really anyone to blame... the whole unit needs to do a better job of putting pressure on the quarterback. The good part about this defense is that they seem to learn from their mistakes. Last week in the win over Michigan we were able to get pressure on (QB Tate) Forcier and move him in all directions out of the pocket. I'm hoping that that was the kind of spark that this defensive line needed to really get going.

How much talk has there been on the MSU side about the benching of Juice Williams? Does this drastically change the game plan in any way? Are there any concerns that it will lead to MSU players overlooking Illinois?

I really don't think it will change things much at all. When you look at a player like Juice, and you look at a player like Eddie, both have played. I guarantee you that the coaching staff knows Juice is going to step in and play, they know Eddie is going to play... they are both phenomenal athletes... they will game plan for them both in a very similar fashion, and I expect for them to game plan for them in the same package too. The Wildcat is becoming a popular offense in the NFL and NCAA. I wouldn't be surprised if the Illini threw out the wildcat early to try and confuse the defense similar to the way Michigan did and Notre Dame did. I could see Juice Williams being in there the first series... maybe not at quarterback, but at wide receiver, throw him in as a fullback... I mean Juice Williams is an athlete, and there is no way he is going to just sit on the bench in a Big Ten game like this. I remember in 2006 when Juice came up here, and he was the homecoming spoiler for the Spartans. I'm pretty sure the Spartans haven't forgotten about that.

Looking at the game this weekend, what are you looking for out of Michigan State besides a win in order to call it a success?

I'm really looking for them to establish the run game. I want to see Michigan State football where we're going to run the ball at you, and we're not going to stop. We're going to run at the A, B, and C gaps with some success at each one causing the defense to start guessing. I'm hoping this is the game where the run game really comes alive, and we can control the clock and tempo versus the Illini.

Who do you feel we should keep an eye out for?

My picks would be B.J. Cunningham on offense. I think he brings a lot to the table and is ready for a big day. On defense I would keep my eye on Chris Norman. Norman is a freshman linebacker who made his first career start against Notre Dame. Lastly, I hope to see Chris L. Rucker have a big day after the game changing interception against Michigan gave him confidence.

What is your prediction for this Saturday?

I look at this game, and I don't see it being won in the first two quarters. I look at Illinois and even though they are 1-3, they haven't lost to any cupcakes. I mean you have Ohio State and Penn State... look what they have done in the Big Ten the last few years, and then Missouri is one of the new big boys in college football. Michigan State obviously still has a shot at the Big Ten title at this point like anyone, so this is going to be a fight. I feel that Michigan State will come out on top, and I don't think the game will be a shoot out. My guess is that it will be closer to a 17-14 win than a 35-32 win. I really do think it could come down to a field goal at the end, so I will go with 17-14 MSU.

Getting to know the Spartans

Illinois will take on Michigan State this Saturday in what Illini fans hope will be a happy homecoming. After what some call a surprising move by head coach Ron Zook to Bench fourth year starter Juice Williams for back up quarterback Eddie McGee, there will be even more questions entering this match up than expected. The Illini have not played well against the Spartans recently although they did win the most recent clash, a 23-20 thriller in which Jason Reda nailed a 39 yard field goal with 6 seconds left in the game. That was the first time the Illini had beaten the boys in green since 1992, a 9 game losing streak. Juice Williams was a freshman, Pierre Thomas was the starter, and Detroit Lion Drew Stanton was slinging the skin for MSU. The starters have changed and so has the face of this football team. Last year if you played Michigan State, you had to expect Jevon Ringer to carry the ball on you 30 times. This year the passing offense has blossomed into a force. MSU is currently ranked first in the Big Ten for both passing yards (300.6 yards per game) and total offense (434.2 ypg). Here is a look at the key players that will be in Champaign for the 99th enstallment of Homecoming.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins Cousins is a guy who obviously has the confidence of his teammates and coaching staff being that he is only the second sophomore team captain in the 113 years of Spartan football. That seems like a pretty nice honor to me. The best part is that he hasn't let his team down. Coming into the season there was somewhat of a quarterback controversy between Cousins and fellow sophomore Keith Nichol. Nichol was a back-up at Oklahoma but when your the back up to a guy named Sam Bradford, it's easy to see why you might worry about playing time. Cousins had his best game of the season against Notre Dame when he completed 23 passes for 302 yards and also led the team with 75 rushing yards. Cousins is a mid-sixties completion passer and can has done a great job running the offense. After the departure of Drew Stanton to the NFL, MSU has struggled to find their new leader at the quarterback position but I feel that Cousins can end that disscussion.

The Running Backs People don't realize what Javon Ringer was to this football team. In 2007, Illini fans will remember Rashard Mendenhall getting a large number of carries in each game, 262 carries on the season for 1,681 yards. In 2008, Ringer rushed for a very similar 1,637 yards, but it took him an astounding 390 carries... 2 more carries than Mendenhall had in his three year career. Replacing that would be almost impossible. That being said, the job of running back was a concern coming into the season for most MSU faithful. To this point, freshman Larry Caper, red-shirt freshman Caulton Ray, and sophomore Glenn Winston all have between 34 and 46 carries. Out of these three, the most impressive has been the one with the least experience. Larry Caper is leading the team with 36 rushing yards per game... not bad for a freshman but when the team is rushing for 133 yards per game you realize how much Ringer's 126 ypg. meant to the 08' offense. The overall result for the team has been positive though. Last year only Minnesota, Ohio State, and Michigan accumulated fewer yards per game. As I stated earlier, this year the offense is leading the Big Ten.

Wide Receiver Blair White White started his career at MSU as a walk-on and was awarded a scholarship before the start of the 2008 season. White currently ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 29 receptions and holds the same rank in receiving yards per game with just under 80. White isn't a burner but is very much like Ohio State's Dane Sanzenbacher with a little mor heigth. He is very dependable and runs his routes from start to finish with aggressiveness. Good hands and a decent frame give White the advantage on jump balls over shorter defensive backs. White isn't alone at the WR position however, sophomore B.J. Cunningham has also looked good this year. Another big frame at 6'2" 212 lbs., Cunningham isn't going to burn teams deep every game but he is going to win position battles. He showed his hands against Notre Dame this year with 7 catches and has been a part of the offense in every game this year. Not yet a game breaker, but Cunningham has been good for between 50 and 75 yards in every game this year.

Tight End Charlie Gantt Gantt is a junior starting for his scond straight year as the tight end. Some times overlooked due to the glorification of offensive stats as opposed to team production, Gantt is an excellent run blocker with an NFL body at 6'5" 250 lbs.. The numbers will tell you that he isn't much of a threat in the downfield passing game, but a 92 yard game against Indiana in 2008 tell you not to leave him uncovered.

Middle Linebacker Greg Jones Jones is the type of middle linebacker that Illinois had become accustomed to in J Leman and Brit Miller. Only a junior, Jones already has 265 career tackles which is good for 24th on the MSU all time list and his 28 tackles for loss put him at 11th in the books. This year he has been an absolute monster in the middle. His 60 tackles lead the Big Ten and are second in the nation for total tackles. Spartan's linebacker's coach Mike Tressel was quoted as saying, "He is an instinctive player with a great motor... a relentless competitor who never gives up on a play". Pre-season, Jones was named to the three most prestegious award watch lists for a linebacker, the Butkus (of course named after Illinois great Dick Butkus for the top college linebacker), the Lombardi (best college lineman), and the Nagurski (defensive player of the year). Three times this year the MLB has recorded 14 or more tackles in a game. I love this kid's motor. When you watch him play you are reminded of recent college guys like Patrick Willis of Ole' Miss and Aaron Curry of Wake Forrest. At 6'1" Jones isn't the tallest guy in the middle, but he isn't short either. His best attribute is his knowledge of the game and his play recognition which is second to none. I expect another 10+ tackle game for Jones this Saturday.

DT Jerel Worthy Worthy is one of those guys who flew under the radar a little bit, but it's not taking him long to make a name for himself. With offers from Cincinnati, Akron, Marshall, Ohio, and a Nebraska team who was losing ball games, Worthy wasn't expected by most to perform to this level this fast. My guess is that his size has something to do with his lack of high major offers. At only 6'2" 290 lbs., Worthy is shorter than most starting defensive tackles in the Big Ten. That hasn't slowed him down a bit though. To this point in the season, the red shirt freshman has 3.5 sacks which ranks him second in the Big Ten. He will enter Saturday's match up with a tackle for loss in four straight games. Keep your eye on this kid because he is a budding Big Ten star.

Homecoming #99

This Saturday, Illinois will take the field against the Spartans of Michigan State to battle in the Illini's 99th edition of the homecoming game.
The game has been sold out for a couple of weeks now and with Friday and Sunday calling for rain, Illini fans can only knock on wood that the forecast of party cloudy holds up. Either way I expect this to be a key game for Ron Zook's team. We will look at the game later today, but for now let's take a look at the Illinois Homecoming tradition.

The wording is a little bit confusing right? We are "one of" the first to hold the event, but the school who can really claim the first homecoming is up in the air. It can be concluded pretty solidly that Illinois is in the first five schools to celebrate the event. Michigan fans will tell you that they started inviting alumni back to campus for games in 1897, but the first documented use of the word "homecoming" is dated in 1916. Northern Illinois follows in the Wolverine footsteps, inviting alumni back since 1906, but first calling it homecoming in 1911. Indiana held an alumni "Gala Day" in 1909 and changed the name to homecoming the following year. Baylor University technically held the first official homecoming in 1909, but then waited six years to repeat the event. That brings us to Illinois. According to the Illinois DIA, "The University of Illinois boasts being one of the first universities to celebrate Homecoming, a tradition on almost every college campus. It was conceived in 1909 by students C.F. Williams and W. Elmer Ekblaw, members of the Shield and Trident senior society. They joined with another society, Phoenix, to organize the three-day event. The first homecoming celebrated on Illinois’ campus was on Oct. 15, 1910, which the Illini won 3-0 over Big Ten rival Chicago."

According to original Illinois homecoming organizer C.F. Williams, "The homecoming movement spread like wildfire in the years after 1910. Within the next several years, many other universities – Wisconsin and Missouri in 1911, Arizona in 1914, to name a few – launched their own homecomings." In 1930, Williams noted that “virtually every college in the land has since become vitally interested in Homecomings of one kind or another.” Williams described the homecoming idea as having been “contagious.”

I love homecoming because I think it embodies what college football is all about. People often characterize players as athletes, and forget that they are student athletes. NCAA football isn't like basketball where you are forced on campus for a year and then you can flee for the NBA. There are plenty of stories about basketball players taking classes for half a year, then blowing of the second semester because they are headed for big money in a few months. In football, the rule that you must be 3 years removed from high school to get drafted forces a player to be more of a part of the university. Players visit schools and they decide which one is the best for them over the next minimum of three years instead of who can get you to the NBA the fastest. I know basketball is an event at any school, but nothing compares to 60,000+ people meeting hours before a game to celebrate the school's unity. Fans and former players are able to come back and relive memories of younger times. There is something very youthful about a tailgate of adults all wearing the same color and spelling the word Illini in three letter cheers. I know a lot of people who will tailgate and have no tickets to the game, I have never seen that in basketball. Don't get me wrong, I love Illini Bball, but there is something about a homecoming game that is much more than football.

For additional information, visit the Illinois Alumni History Page.

Penn State Runs to Higher Ground

Simple question, what do you do when your opponent rushes 40 times at 8.4 yards per carry? Answer: You Lose. The Nittany Lions took the field running and didn't look back. With Quarterback Daryll Clark and runningbacks Evan Royster and Stephon Green all having at least 80 yards rushing, the tone was set for a battle on the ground. Illinois seemed up to the challenge in the first half, but by the time the second rolled around, the boys from Penn State had worn down our defensive line. The first quarter only yielded 15 yards on the ground for PSU. By halftime, that number had risen to 97, still not terrible. But then the third and fourth quarters featured a running attack that couldn't be stopped. By the time the third quarter came to an end, Penn State had brought the rushing total from under 100 to over 240. Juice Williams out-gained his counterpart 344 yards to 258 yards of total offense, but with the running game working so well, it didn't seem to matter for Joe Pa's team. It wasn't just a chunk here and a chunk there either. Penn State had two rushing plays over 50 yards today, and until now their longest run of the season was 37 yards by Punter Andrew Dailey on a fake. After the game, Patrno had this to say about the rushing effort, "Obviously I was pleased, but I wish we could be more consistent at times. Earlier in the year we would do things well for a half, but this time we ran the ball fairly well the whole ball game. I was glad to see it. The kids were challenged. We were embarrassed last week because we didn't do that good of a job. But it was good to see."



Some Notes and Concerns:

Concerns People have been saying all year that the strength of the defense is the D-Line, but when this game started today Illinois had only 4 sacks on the season. They recorded none today so by my calculations, that's one sack per game and half of them came against Illinois State. To give you an idea of what that means... Illinois has allowed its quarterback to be sacked 13 times this year. That's worse than a 3 to 1 ratio against us.

People may be happy to see the two starting safeties lead the team in tackles, but not me. If these guys were just flying to the ball, it'd be one thing, but they have the tackles because the defensive line and the linebackers are allowing the plays to make it all the way to our last line of defense.

With the exception of Illinois State, the Illini have not scored a touchdown in the first 3 quarters of a game.

Not including Illinois state, Illinois is averaging under 8.7 points per game.


Notes

Juice Williams breaks Kurt Kittner's Illinois total offense record with over 8,880 yards. This also moves Willams into the top ten for total yards in Big Ten history.

Rejus Benn loves playing against PSU. In his three years with the Illini, Benn has put up 290 receiving yards for 96.7 yards per game.

Juice Threw his 45th career touchdown today when he connected with Jarred Fayson. Also, he recorded his 15th career rushing touchdown.

Red-shirt freshman Evan Frierson recorded his second fumble recovery in two games.

Check back later for more coverage.

Illinois Vs. Penn State Game Blog

Once again, IlliniBeat will be blogging live from Memorial Stadium to bring you all of the action as the Illini take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. Check back from now until after the game for updates!

Acting as captains for Illinois during the coin toss were Hardeman, Hooman, Block, and Pilcher. For PSU, we have Daryll Clark and Sean Lee. Illinois will receive.

Returning for Illinois are Benn and the Freshman Terry Hawethorne who now wears 12 and not 3.

Illinois had time on the first play to make a nice pass completion, but the accuracy wasn't there on the pass.

Juice hits Dufrene for a nice gain on the screen.

The offense looks like it is doing a great job of protecting Juice on the opening drive. I also notice that the offense has been using only 2 or 3 WR for the most part and not 4.

Cumberland just commited one of those penalties that you can't have. The Illini were about to make PSU start inside of their 8 yard line until the fair catch interference caused the 15 yarder.

The Illini defense helped Cumberland out, and the Nittany Lions go 3 and out. Fayson back to return.

Fayson is dangerous, but his decision making needs to be better. Twice now I have seen him fail to fair catch a punt only to watch it stop inside the 5. 66 yards punt for Jeremy Boone.

This could have been one of those times where Illinois crumbles and gives up great field position. Instead, Illinois is marching... something it hasn't done well all year. 3 here, 4 there, another 7 on this one... The Illini offense is built for big plays, so this is a great sign that it is moving pretty well on a good PSU defense.

Illinois lucked out on Santella's punt. It didn't have much hang time and was lucky to get an Illini bounce. We look decent on offense, but we still haven't opened up the passing as much as I'd like. Most of Juice's passes have been short dump off's.

Illinois is looking better on defense compared to previous weeks, but I would still like to see some more pressure on Clark. I understand that the defense is designed to keep everything infront of them and rely on good tackling, but I think opposing QB's have too much time. As I say that, Illinois gets great pressure on Clark and force a PSU punt.

Illinois just ran the Pistol offense. It can be pretty effective when run well. Indiana has been showcasing it this year and has done quite well with it.

There have been 838 coaching changes since Joe Paterno took over at PSU... that means 14 coaches every year for the 60 years he has been in carge.

Poor tackling does the Illini in on this drive. Stephon Green takes it up the middle 52 yards for the touchdown. PSU 7 Ill 0. I thought we were playing reletively well, but if you want to knock off a top 15 team, you need to minimize the big plays.

Terry Hawethorne returns the first kickoff of his career for 12 yards.

Great QB keeper by Juice. I was fooled in the press box. 12 yard gain.

There it is! Illinois goes deep for really the first time all year and hooks up for a 49 yard gain. The pass was not only a great play, but it also puts Juice Williams in front of Kurt Kittner for most offensive yards at Illinois with over 8,880!

With the second Quarter winding down and PSU in our territory, the ending to this half will be key. Hold them to 3 and maybe score yourself, then you go into half time scoring 2 of the last 3 points... Give up a touchdown, and it is hard to keep the motivation during halftime.

Chris Duvalt makes a nice catch over the middle to get Illinois out of the wrong end zone. After that there was a successful out route on the right and then the left sideline. The passing game has been looking good in the two minute drill.

Did Benn catch the ball? 3 seconds remain, and this is a big call. If it is a catch Illinois has a chance to score... If not, they will have to rely on a hail mary.

The play is called incomplete, and a hail mary almost turned into 7 points for PSU after the interception is returned across midfield from the 2 yard line.

PSU returns the second half kickoff to the 15. Aaron Gress made a great Special Teams play.

Illinois has got to get pressure on the opposing quarterbacks. So far the Illini have gotten 1.3 sacks per game.... good for 110th in the NCAA.

Santella is forced to punt on the Illini's opening posession of the second half.

Twice now Illinois has had PSU against the wall with a tough third down, and twice now Clark has run the QB draw and scrambled for a long gain into the Illini Red Zone.

Clark finishes what he started with his legs. Touchdown PSU making it 14-3 with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter.

Hubie Graham just took the kickoff for a very respectable return considering he is a TE. Illini start at the 41.

Illinois needs to go down field some more. I understand that this is a good defense, but we have made little to no gain with the run game. The Illini were spreading the field out and driving, but now the down field pass has disappeared again.

PSU has found it's ground game. There have been questions all season long about Penn State's offensive line and the running game's consistancy. The Illini opened up strong against the run, but I get the feeling that they have been on the field too long, and that they are pretty winded.

Aaron Gress in at Linebacker for the red zone. I have not seen him in that role yet, but maybe I just missed it.

I just found a scarry stat on today's game through 3 quarters... Between Green, Royster, and Clark, PSU is averaging 8.8 yards per carry... WOW.