Yup, when the punter jumped I was sure we were pulling another "That's so Illinois" moment. And when the cameras caught up to Arkin running the ball down the field I was "YESYESYESYESYES"!
Illinois 21, Michigan 7 Postgame
100% That fake was so unexpected and caught me so offguard, I too thought our long snapper airmailed one 20yds down the field. My lone thought at that moment was oh god, please don't let Michigan scoop and score with feelings of utter dread. And then the feeling of immediately warmth and joy as they cut to Arkin still running and the "OH, It's a fake!" Comment.
There are so many things this game will be remembered for. The 100th Anniversary, the throwback uniforms, the black and white broadcast intro, beating Michigan, and yes, that tremendous fake punt. A game with memories to last a lifetime.
I get it because it’s offense and a trick play, but I’ll remember this game as the Gabe Jacas re-coming out game. He’s showed some good signs this season already, but his 13 tackles (6 solo), 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble were game changing and game defining for me. We’ll need something similar against Oregon. I’m guessing Ducks will be scheming to try to make sure that doesn’t happen.While I doubt history will record him quite like Grange, I can’t help but think this will be remembered by Illini fans who saw it as the Tanner Arkin game.
After many years in the desert I hope to remember this season as the year we figured out how to effectively use the tight end.While I doubt history will record him quite like Grange, I can’t help but think this will be remembered by Illini fans who saw it as the Tanner Arkin game.
After our third down play, I grabbed my kids a snack of freshly purchased apple donuts from Curtis Orchard and took the trash outside. As I'm putting some boxes in the garbage can, he comes flying outside, screaming that I needed to come inside.
I was panicked that his sister was choking or something, so I fly inside, not processing what he's telling me. My daughter is jumping up and down and saying GO ILLINI as I realize my son is yelling that we ran a fake punt and got a huge gain. Even as he's telling me this, I don't believe him until the replay is shown.
The point of the story is that as an Illini football fan, my brain is so engrained with this team failing that I couldn't comprehend for several moments that we went for a fake punt on 4th and 6 in a tight game against a ranked opponent. My brain assumed that my daughter's life being threatened by a delicious donut was far more likely.
"The University of Illinois football team is one of the best coached teams in America"
- Urban Meyer, Big Ten Network
MustangWally
- Mayfield
Just got around to looking at the Sunday Chicago Tribune. This is all the coverage we got. A generic AP story.
I was totally fooled as well. Memories of Kyle Hudson’s muffed punt crept into my brain as another heartbreaking, game changing moment against Michigan.
The back that there was no ball in the screen had me thinking the snap was REALLY bad.
This is also the first time I can recall in a big game vs Michigan at home where they didn't score a TD on the ole QB roll right and then throw to the opposite corner of the end zone to a WIDE OPEN receiver. They used to kill us at least once every game on that play in the goaline offense. And just like Charlie Brown we'd fall for it every time.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Forty years of football season tickets since Fall of 1984 after the Rose Bowl for my husband and me. Forty years. Around 240 games. This game and weekend were special. From the Friday night 100th Anniversary of Memorial Stadium Gala in the Colonades Club with its multitude of former Illini football greats (most of whom I’ve watched play) telling their stories and sitting with Rashard Mendenhall at our table, to the overflowing Lot 31 tailgates, to the Illiniwalk that was the most attended I’ve ever seen at 8 deep, to the huge crowd in Grange Grove, to the pregame flyover, to the awesome throwback uniforms and amazing helmets, to the recognition of former Illini players on the field at halftime, to the solid play of the offense and Altmyer, to the fantastic play of the staunch defense, rebounding from that nerve-wracking Purdue game (that we also witnessed) with their take-aways, to the sell-out crowd with their full-throated voices storming the field, to it being Michigan that we beat soundly, EVERYTHING about this game (and weekend) was spectacular and special. It rose to my second favorite attended game of all time, only beaten by that 1983 win over Ohio State. It bypassed many other memorable games, including the 2001 win over Northwestern on Thanksgiving to clinch a share of the B1G Championship. Many of the games I’ve witnessed have been great, and too many were awful, but this game, this game was the most fun, most memorable, and most satisfying. Hopefully, the best is still yet to come, and my husband and I will witness a better game and an NC with Coach Bielema in our lifetimes.
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Illinir1
- Camdenton, MO
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
The Chicago Tribune ended in 2021.
The product now is a zombie operated by hedge fund Alden Global Capital to vulture subscription revenue from the dead paper's legacy readership with an ever cheaper and shoddier product and leave nothing but a pile of dust.
The Sun-Times, now under non-profit ownership as a common entity with WBEZ public radio, is also a pretty modest operation compared to its heyday, but it is still making an honest effort to provide value to its readership and is much more worthy of your attention and support.
Steve Greenberg of the Sun-Times was in Champaign reporting on the game:
Illinois manhandles Michigan's offense in 21-7 win
The No. 22 Illini — higher in the polls yet the underdog — stamped themselves as legit as they improved to 6-1.
chicago.suntimes.com
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skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Forty years of football season tickets since Fall of 1984 after the Rose Bowl for my husband and me. Forty years. Around 240 games. This game and weekend were special. From the Friday night 100th Anniversary of Memorial Stadium Gala in the Colonades Club with its multitude of former Illini football greats (most of whom I’ve watched play) telling their stories and sitting with Rashard Mendenhall at our table, to the overflowing Lot 31 tailgates, to the Illiniwalk that was the most attended I’ve ever seen at 8 deep, to the huge crowd in Grange Grove, to the pregame flyover, to the awesome throwback uniforms and amazing helmets, to the recognition of former Illini players on the field at halftime, to the solid play of the offense and Altmyer, to the fantastic play of the staunch defense, rebounding from that nerve-wracking Purdue game (that we also witnessed) with their take-aways, to the sell-out crowd with their full-throated voices storming the field, to it being Michigan that we beat soundly, EVERYTHING about this game (and weekend) was spectacular and special. It rose to my second favorite attended game of all time, only beaten by that 1983 win over Ohio State. It bypassed many other memorable games, including the 2001 win over Northwestern on Thanksgiving to clinch a share of the B1G Championship. Many of the games I’ve witnessed have been great, and too many were awful, but this game, this game was the most fun, most memorable, and most satisfying. Hopefully, the best is still yet to come, and my husband and I will witness a better game and an NC with Coach Bielema in our lifetimes.
So awesome!! That last pic for the Alma Mater would be in a frame on my wall!
HTG, my eyes teared up when I heard him say that.
I never thought we'd have a Grandpa Waiters mention on the Illini football board...
I immediately recalled that the snap on the prior fg attempt had been a little off. Heart dropping. The reversal in emotion when I realized it was a successful fake left me speechless.
It may just be a coincidence, but the fortunes of Illini sports have been on the upswing since the Chicago print media has become irrelevant.
I subscribed to the Tribune for 30+ years then got sick of regurgitated stories and them just effectively reprinting of City Hall press releases and canceled. You can get a digital subscription for something like $0.01 per year, and I still have not renewed.The Chicago Tribune ended in 2021.
The product now is a zombie operated by hedge fund Alden Global Capital to vulture subscription revenue from the dead paper's legacy readership with an ever cheaper and shoddier product and leave nothing but a pile of dust.
The Sun-Times, now under non-profit ownership as a common entity with WBEZ public radio, is also a pretty modest operation compared to its heyday, but it is still making an honest effort to provide value to its readership and is much more worthy of your attention and support.
Steve Greenberg of the Sun-Times was in Champaign reporting on the game:
Illinois manhandles Michigan's offense in 21-7 win
The No. 22 Illini — higher in the polls yet the underdog — stamped themselves as legit as they improved to 6-1.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Full disclosure, I didn’t take that last photo, but it was one of my favorites of the game so I included it. I did take the other four.So awesome!! That last pic for the Alma Mater would be in a frame on my wall!
