Mike White's Magical Season
Illinois is a 8 1/2 point dog to Mizzou in the opener. Sounds about right, considering the pre-season rankings of both teams.
The Illini have a mighty good chance at winning this thing. But, if they don't, shall we slash our wrists? I think not.
In 1983 Tim Brewster, Joe Miles, and Don Thorp captained an Illini team that fell 28-18 to the Tigers in the opener.
What happened after that?
The Illini proceeded to knock off Stanford 17-7 before running the table against all nine Big 10 teams. Mike White's 4th team beat 'em all. No one will ever do that again - with 11 teams and the schedule set up the way it is in the Big 10.
After that fun, the Rose Bowl was a disaster, a 45-9 loss to UCLA. But, even that can not tarnish what the '83 Illini did.
It has been 25 years .
This, then, is the Silver Anniversary.
Now, in the year of the Olympics, a season like that would be pure Gold.
Especially, if it begins with a win over Missouri, something the '83 squad could not accomplish.
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