The good news: once again, I had a FOOTBALL DOUBLE; game on Saturday, game on Sunday. Bad news: unlike the previous ones, “my” teams lost both games.
Saturday: well, what more is there to say. Northwestern came to Champaign on a rainy day. Both teams were banged up, but NW was down to their 4’th quaterback and to using a defensive player at running back. Result: they ran all over Illinois 29-10, getting 378 running yards..mostly on short runs, and 433 total yards. They were the Big Ten’s worst team on offense and had yet to win a Big Ten game. Illinois, playing their no. 2 quarterback, ended up with 160 total yards, including 14, count them, 14, on the ground.
How it went down: well, exchange of punts (it was cold and rainy) and NW got a drive for a field goal. Illini punt (a lot of them), NW interception then a TD drive with much of the damage done by a pass. It is now 7-3. No problem; 70 + yard drive for NW, most on the ground and that was the half time score: 10-7.
In the 3’rd quarter, the Illini had a chance to get it back but wasted a drive on a missed field goal. NW used the short field for a TD (34 yard pass to the tight end) put them up 17-7, and then the Illini got a favoriable “doink” for a fg and it was only 17-10 going into the 4’th.
No problem: 83 yard touchdown drive and this was looking like Eastern Michigan all over again. Doink on the extra point. Illini punt, doink that failed for NW, new Illinois QB fumbled, NW converted into a TD and now it is 29-10 when NW failed with a 2 point conversion.
A garbage time drive almost prettied it up some, but fittingly, it ended with an interception.
Yes, Big Ten officiating stinks, but, well, bad calls didn’t account for how badly we got pushed all over the field.
Social comments (Harry, Barbara and Jacob) at the end of the post.
Next day: Titans at Colts. The Colts got a fumble on the first series and converted it into a touchdown and a 7-0 lead. Titans had a nice drive to tie it at 7. But a field goal and a nice 3rd quarter drive put the Colts up 17-7..but this was to be the last lead.
Third quarter saw the Titans dominate to get it to 17-17. But then with 6 minutes or so..the Colts tried a another field goal (made 1, missed 1, one other partially blocked). This one was blocked and returned for a touchdown and what could have been a 20-17 lead was a 24-17 deficit. Drive..interception but there were 4 minutes plus remaining. No problem, long pass (catching the Colts defense in run defense mode) and that lead to the final 31-17..one final Colts drive was stopped at about the Titan 10 by a fumble.
Social: Harry sat with me at the Northwestern game; I got Barbara and Jacob cheap club seats which featured indoor seating (optional)
Sparse crowd.
Barbara’s indoor section
Butkus statue.
Barbara took this one; technically, I am in it.
Harry and me.
Red Grange statue on the other side of the stadium.
Barbara, Bryan and Jacob taking it all in.
Life of an old goat 