Illinois football team still savoring Ohio State upset
Less than a day after defeating top-ranked Ohio State, Illinois football coach Ron Zook still was enjoying the moment Sunday afternoon.
"I'm not pinching myself,'' Zook said. "There have been a lot of phone calls and texts.''
After upsetting Ohio State 28-21 Saturday, celebrating at Willard Airport with several hundred Illini fans in an impromptu homecoming upon the Illini's return and meeting with athletic director Ron Guenther about bowl possibilities, Zook -- like his team -- still enjoyed the spoils that go to the victor.
Sure, he wanted to get back to the football offices to watch film after a Sunday press conference. Illinois (8-3 overall, 5-2 in the Big Ten Conference) ends the regular season by hosting Northwestern (6-5, 3-4) Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN).
This was too big of a win to not fully savor it.
"Everybody talks about the two big boys in the Big Ten,'' Illinois senior linebacker J Leman said. "But when you beat the No. 1 team in the country at their place, it demands respect.''
By defeating a top-ranked team for the first time since 1956, Illinois remained alive for nine regular-season wins and a spot in a Florida bowl game on New Year's Day. CBSsportsline.com predicted the Illini would face Florida in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1.
After the BCS picks, the Capital One pits the No. 2 teams from the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences. A date at the Outback Bowl in Tampa on New Year's Day -- pitting the third-choice teams from the Big Ten and SEC -- would be just as enjoyable for the Illini.
"This morning for the first time, coach Guenther and I talked a little bit'' about bowl games, Zook said. "We talked about difference scenarios in the Big Ten. Where we are. Where Penn State is. Where Wisconsin is.
"That's another reason why it's imperative that we're prepared for the game this week. It's a big game for both programs.''
Northwestern needs a win to stay alive for a bowl.
Assuredly, bowls are looking at overall wins and the track record of bowl appearances. Bowl committees don't like reruns (i.e., Penn State and Wisconsin have recent histories with the Capital One and Outback bowls).
Illinois returned to the top 25 rankings -- No. 20 in The Associated Press media poll and No. 21 in the USA Today coaches poll -- for the first time since the Oct. 13 loss at Iowa that dropped the Illini from No. 18 out of the AP poll.
If Zook was getting behind a little bit in his normal preparations during game week, he already began planning for this week by talking about what the Illini should expect after defeating Ohio State.
"We talked about what this week would be like if we went up there and did things we can do,'' Zook said.
Yet Zook probably didn't mention the possibility of fans surprising the Illini by greeting the team upon its arrival at Willard Airport in Savoy late Saturday night.
"Unbelievable,'' Zook said. "You could see the players, as they got off the airplane, had a sense of pride and accomplishment.''
INJURY REPORT: Zook wasn't sure about the status this weekend for receiver Arrelious Benn and cornerback Vontae Davis. Both left the Ohio State game with concussions. Fullback Russ Weil's return from a left knee injury suffered in the first half appeared likely.
John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. For more coverage, read Illini Talk blog at www.sj-r.com <http://www.sj-r.com> and www.pjstar.com <http://www.pjstar.com> .