Omg I am so happy with that win for so, so many reasons. I would have loved to post my thoughts last night, but knew I probably had to wait until today. In no particular order:
1. Going into the season I had Nebraska circled on the schedule as a game we could surprise folks and pull off. We have relatively had Nebraska's number in recent years, and I thought it was entirely possible we could be underestimated and once again assert our dominance against a (former) B1G West rival. They were admittedly looking really good through the first three games, so my optimism faded a bit and realism kicked in. But I still had that gut feeling that we shouldn't fear Nebraska and could pull it off. So selfishly, I am thrilled that my gut feeling was right!
2. 2/3 of the way to bowl eligibility!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Vindication for the ILLINOIS helmets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They looked so good in two nationally televised games!!!!!
4. Luke Altmyer. I feel like the outside consensus is that he was a mediocre QB that couldn't do much for us. And after basically getting benched last year, he could have spiraled, transferred away, and been another sad Illinois QB story. But he has shown AMAZING growth, and he went into just about as hostile an environment as there is and was an absolute stud who had a perfect game. I am so happy for him, and am so glad we get to watch him play many more games for us.
5. Coach. Not sure if it is the Arkansas tenure still, but he has been really disrespected by outsiders as a bottom of the league coach. He got more respect after 2022, but after last year he became a complete afterthought again. That is completely unwarranted, and seeing B1G coach rankings with coaches like Rhule and Jonathan Smith and PJ Fleck and FIckell ahead of him has been infuriating. He is one of the best coaches in the conference who came into a really tough situation and is building something very solid, while putting a ton of players in the NFL. I am so glad Josh found his guy, and I am so glad we have a guy who wants to build Illinois into something lasting.
6. Lunney. I have been one of his biggest haters. I'm very happy for him to shut me up for once with an absolutely perfect offensive game. (To be fair, I didn't watch the first 3 quarters, but listening on the radio it sounded like we were as perfect an offense as can be.
7. Henry. Our defense was pretty frustrating bend-then-break through the first half, and for much of the past year. But for someone going through something so awful personally, to step up and lock his defense down during the second half was incredible. So happy for him.
8. Nebraska's whole 7-0 going into the Ohio State game was so cocky. I really, really wanted to be the team that ruined that for them. And we were!
9. Raiola is legit and will be a NFL star one day, but I really didn't want to lose to the pretend Patrick Mahomes prodigy in his first big game.
10. Just endless reasons why it was a fantastic win. So happy for this program!