This would have been one of the worst losses in program history, and it isn’t close. Just look at the stats and situations for both teams. MSU and Purdue weren’t great losses at all but nothing remotely compares to how bad this PU team was / is.
Illinois 50, Purdue 49 OT Postgame
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Completely agree. Add to it blowing a 24-point lead, and there is quick worry of going from 4-1 to 4-4 in a heartbeat. Now you are fighting for bowl eligibility. The losses discussed in 2022 were after the team got to 6 wins. They were deflating, but not program setbacks. A loss yesterday would have been terrible for recruiting, the fanbase, as well as team morale.
Very fortunate to escape yesterday. The fact that some of our fanbase thought it acceptable to rush field yesterday shows that we still have a ways to go in program culture. A loss would have been a near complete derailment.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Haven't had much time to catch up on the post game discussion. Is there any video evidence or Loyalty commentary on how the post game handshake went down between BB and Walters?
i"m honestly mystified by this negativity... you got a coach, that knows our team, and a running QB which is tough for us playing downhill with nothing to lose... Walters was in our backfield. Let the team enjoy this. 5-1. We haven't had a team that could put down 50 in forever. glass is truly half empty or half full. I guess some of us are living our lives the cynical way, but Bielema inherited a pretty empty cupboard, and just as he's filling it, Walters steals some dishes-
"dishes?"
-forget it he's rolling
and this could be the greatest night of our season thus far and you want it to be the worst? NOT ME.
"dishes?"
-forget it he's rolling
and this could be the greatest night of our season thus far and you want it to be the worst? NOT ME.
Was wondering if I was the only one ho saw this. And there was an official within 5 yards and no flag was thrown. KARMA baby!!!
I'll kick my dead horse.
I agree that them scoring 14 points in 5 minutes was a legitimate concern. It was a reason to go for two, despite the low chance of success from where we were after the penalty.
I disagree with folks who think that going for one would likely have avoided the need for overtime. If Purdue's second TD had given them a one-point lead (instead of a two-point lead), there was no chance Purdue was going to kick an extra point rather than go for two again. So there was effectively no chance that they were going to end up scoring exactly 15 more points.
Unless I'm overlooking something, the only reasons to go for one (bringing the lead to 13) would be a) to secure a tie if Purdue would get 13 points the rest of the game (with it being unlikely that they would get three more possessions to do that) or b) to secure a win if Purdue got 14 more points (with the only chance of that happening being them going 1 of 2 on 2-point tries), or c) to secure a tie if Purdue got sixteen more points and we got a field goal.
I suppose possibility b) may have been greater than possibility c), and maybe those two combined were better than our chances of making that long 2-point attempt. But imo it was close enough to defer to a coach who seems to have a pretty good record for us in tight games.
And most importantly... NO MUFFS!
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
As encouraged as I am for the 5-1 start, this game does flash warning signs for the rest of the season.
The run defense (or lack of it) shows we likely aren’t an 8 or 9 win team, more so a 7 a win team.
And to me, that’s okay.
All I’ve ever asked of Illini football is relevance and a reason to tune in each week.
Since 2000, we won 4 games or fewer in 12 of those 24 seasons. Which means in half of our seasons this century, we were already eliminated from bowl eligibility before the last game of the season even began. That’s brutal.
We might not win every remaining game this year, but outside of Oregon, we’re likely going to be *in* every game. Every remaining game will have relevance and give each of us a reason to tune in each week.
To me, that’s a successful Illini football season. Whether we wind up with 7, 8, 9 wins, I’m just excited for another fall where I look forward to every Saturday.
The run defense (or lack of it) shows we likely aren’t an 8 or 9 win team, more so a 7 a win team.
And to me, that’s okay.
All I’ve ever asked of Illini football is relevance and a reason to tune in each week.
Since 2000, we won 4 games or fewer in 12 of those 24 seasons. Which means in half of our seasons this century, we were already eliminated from bowl eligibility before the last game of the season even began. That’s brutal.
We might not win every remaining game this year, but outside of Oregon, we’re likely going to be *in* every game. Every remaining game will have relevance and give each of us a reason to tune in each week.
To me, that’s a successful Illini football season. Whether we wind up with 7, 8, 9 wins, I’m just excited for another fall where I look forward to every Saturday.
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