Illinois Fighting Illini Football: Somehow, someway, a bowl game in reach

In case you were living under a rock, the Illinois Fighting Illini football team pulled off their biggest victory since defeating then-number one Ohio State in 2007 last Saturday. It was a victory that rocked college football and threw a major wrench in the College Football Playoff race.

“Homecoming” is an instance of returning home, according to Google. It’s a time to reminisce and bask in your memories good and bad while taking in what is your sacred place.
Last weekend was the University of Illinois’ Homecoming and oh boy did it provide memories.

I was fortunate enough to watch it happen in person. When James McCourt’s walk-off field goal split the uprights, delirium, pandemonium, and pure chaos ensued. Disbelief and euphoria were flowing in my veins as I was in utter shock, joining hundreds of stunned fans as we rushed the field.

https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball/status/1185903792237285376

I never actually thought there was ever going to be a victory at Memorial Stadium like that in my lifetime. Especially under Lovie Smith of all people. It’s been nearly a week since my Fighting Illini altered the college football landscape, and I’m still haven’t quite grasped the gravity of the entire situation.

In no universe should a team give up over 400 yards of offense, hold a Heisman candidate in Jonathan Taylor to 132 yards rushing (the fact that that’s a “bad” game for him is a testament to how unreal and talented he is), and still somehow win by one point.

I guess we happen to live in the outlier.

This season felt like yet another throwaway year and with Lovie Smith’s seat getting toastier and toastier, sweeping changes loomed on the horizon. An embarrassing last-second home loss to Eastern Michigan, an oh so close defeat to Nebraska, a beatdown against Minnesota, and a failed comeback to Michigan in back-to-back-to-back-to-back weeks had nearly put the kibosh to what should have been a leap year. But after what was an earth-shaking event, perhaps this season still has a pulse.

A Saturday date at Purdue looms large as a must-win game for the Illini, as they absolutely have no margin for error moving forward. With future NFL weapon Rondale Moore looking likely to miss the matchup, the Boilermakers will turn to true freshman receiver David Bell to carry their offense once again.

Brandon Peters (9/21, 174 yards, two TDs) wasn’t super efficient against one of the best defenses in the college landscape last weekend, so this upcoming duel should be easier on paper as the windows won’t be nearly as closed, but he’ll need to be better. The passing attack will need to be more consistent in order to compliment Reggie Corbin and Dre Brown who were a sledgehammer combo against the Badgers.

Should Illinois escape with a rare road victory, they return to Champaign to face a horrid Rutgers team that has had yet another season to forget. While we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, the Scarlet Knights are awful and the Illini should be able to coast to victory. Their following three games are at Michigan State, at Iowa, and hosting their in-state rivals Northwestern, who has also had a rough go of it this year.

They’ll need to win one of those three to become bowl-eligible (should they win at Purdue and versus Rutgers), something that before Homecoming seemed like a total pipedream.

Who knows if they’ll get there or not, but at the very least, they’ve given themselves a shot. That’s all you can ask for at this stage in the season. And after defeating Wisconsin at the buzzer, it’s all gas and no brakes for this group.