Been from Austin Texas, I came to love usc football as 9th grader in high school, really during Palmer days that’s when I started loving usc football fight on
I’m from Illinois and remember being super excited that U of I would be playing in the Rose Bowl. However, my Uncle set me straight as soon as it was announced. He said, “Illinois is going to get their ass KICKED by USC.” And boy was he right. I’ve never seen a team more physically outmatched in such a high profile game. Head coach Ron Zook was so spineless in his play calling. You could tell he was just happy to be there. To Illinois’ credit though, they had a fantastic season with the upset over Ohio State and fielding all those future NFL players in Mendenhall, Benn, Vontae Davis, etc. It was the last time their football program was relevant.
Refs screwed them twice this year vs both BIG 10 Indiana schools (PI vs Purdue right before half that was an interception was a terrible call.) but still they seem to be coming back. And because BIG 10 West is definitely the Weak sister of the conference the opportunity is there...
I felt that this still was a redemption game for USC after losing to Texas two years earlier. Even after they beat Michigan in 2007, the reality of the 2006 loss still hadn't sunk in because I felt that USC was the better team. Admittedly, I didn't give Texas much of a chance because I was too focused on wether USC would get the Three-peat. I had ignored Texas all through 2005 and after that epic Rose Bowl, I gave well deserved kudos to Texas for pulling it off.
What are you talking about? Texas deserved to win that game. Both teams were great but Vince Young played out of his mind. Also was it that year or the year before where USC got help from officials to beat ND?
Except they weren't going for a three-peat. LSU won the 2004 Nokia Sugarbowl, the BCS National Championship Game of the 2003 season. AP poll and FWAA USC homers voted their favorite team as national champions for that season. The Trojans were competing for back to back championships. And lost. If only you didnt lose to Cal, this would never have been a problem.
That being said, can't wait for their matchup in Vegas this September. I wish it was a matchup between Caleb and Jayden, but oh well. Should be electric either way.
My son and I had seats behind the Illini bench just a couple of rows up. My son yelled at Mendenhahl and said you’re having a terrible game. He looked our way. He then broke a long run for a TD and when he got back on the sideline he looked at us, we gave him a standing O.
And all the incomplete passes, and all the missed tackles, and all the sacks allowed, and all the other fumbles and interceptions... Yeah, almost a close game
The big 10 was so weak that year. Michigan losing to App st., Ohio State getting destroyed twice in the national championship after only playing easy big ten teams to get there.
@@colinquinn7516 Agreed. They were impressive a couple times against Arkansas and Auburn in that span. Wished they had the shot to beat up Auburn instead of Oklahoma in one of the national championships.
That was a very talented Illini team. I remember when Arrelious Benn was recruited by USC, but it was not meant to be. Juice Williams, meet Rey Rey Maualuga - WHAM! It was a better game than the score indicated. Booty did not have one of his better games, but he had all that talent around him.
2 bad fumbles by Jeff Cumberland killed any chance Illinois had to keep the game close. USC at that time still had a lot of pros on both sides of the ball.
Booty was garbage and carried by fantastic lines and surrounded by athletes. The guy had no touch going from him to Sanchez was such a breath of fresh air. Watch Bootys long balls there’s no air under them, he’s regularly over throwing guys and putting the ball behind WRs.
Such a pathetic nobody with an overrated team Illinois was. Overmatched and a junior college level team. SC looked bored in the second half. Too bad for such a great venue, a subpar competitor was provided to the GREAT AND MIGHTY USC TROJANS.
Been from Austin Texas, I came to love usc football as 9th grader in high school, really during Palmer days that’s when I started loving usc football fight on
I’m from Illinois and remember being super excited that U of I would be playing in the Rose Bowl. However, my Uncle set me straight as soon as it was announced. He said, “Illinois is going to get their ass KICKED by USC.” And boy was he right. I’ve never seen a team more physically outmatched in such a high profile game. Head coach Ron Zook was so spineless in his play calling. You could tell he was just happy to be there. To Illinois’ credit though, they had a fantastic season with the upset over Ohio State and fielding all those future NFL players in Mendenhall, Benn, Vontae Davis, etc. It was the last time their football program was relevant.
O RLY?us Benn
Refs screwed them twice this year vs both BIG 10 Indiana schools (PI vs Purdue right before half that was an interception was a terrible call.) but still they seem to be coming back. And because BIG 10 West is definitely the Weak sister of the conference the opportunity is there...
I was there with my son, and we enjoyed USC’s victory over Illinois. Fight on!
This USC team was stacked full of NFL players especially on the defense. They would have won a championship for sure had they got in.
The moral of the story? Don't lose to Stanford.
Shoulda coulda woulda
College football is always best when USC is hot. No team has SWAG like SC.
Now we've lost both Mcnight and Davis before they turned 40. RIP young studs.
Illinois had a great bounce back season that year but they were no match for USC. The Trojans had this game won after the opening drive.
USC was arguably the best team I. The country that year easily could have won the championship
I felt that this still was a redemption game for USC after losing to Texas two years earlier.
Even after they beat Michigan in 2007, the reality of the 2006 loss still hadn't sunk in because I felt that USC was the better team.
Admittedly, I didn't give Texas much of a chance because I was too focused on wether USC would get the Three-peat. I had ignored Texas all through 2005 and after that epic Rose Bowl, I gave well deserved kudos to Texas for pulling it off.
What are you talking about? Texas deserved to win that game. Both teams were great but Vince Young played out of his mind.
Also was it that year or the year before where USC got help from officials to beat ND?
Young knee was down on that play USC should have won smh
Except they weren't going for a three-peat. LSU won the 2004 Nokia Sugarbowl, the BCS National Championship Game of the 2003 season. AP poll and FWAA USC homers voted their favorite team as national champions for that season. The Trojans were competing for back to back championships. And lost. If only you didnt lose to Cal, this would never have been a problem.
That being said, can't wait for their matchup in Vegas this September. I wish it was a matchup between Caleb and Jayden, but oh well. Should be electric either way.
R.I.P. #4JoeMcknight...✌🏈S.C.
Ligma claims another young life
My son and I had seats behind the Illini bench just a couple of rows up. My son yelled at Mendenhahl and said you’re having a terrible game. He looked our way. He then broke a long run for a TD and when he got back on the sideline he looked at us, we gave him a standing O.
13:13 Maualuga murders him 💀
Fumble on the 5 yard line with 7 minutes left in the third killed any chance the Illini had to make this a game, could've been 21-17.
Also the interception early on the game one of the guys got in the way he maybe could of taken to the house to make it 14-7 early
That and the fact that USC is cheating.
@@thomasanderson6426 is cheating lol. What a dumb comment. Or Illinois was completely outmatched.
@@thomasanderson6426 cheating on the field how?
And all the incomplete passes, and all the missed tackles, and all the sacks allowed, and all the other fumbles and interceptions... Yeah, almost a close game
No better venue than the Rose Bowl. All NC’s should be played there.
The big 10 was so weak that year. Michigan losing to App st., Ohio State getting destroyed twice in the national championship after only playing easy big ten teams to get there.
USC owns the Big 10.
USC is 69-29-2 all time vs the Big 10. That's a 70% winning percentage
@@colinquinn7516 Agreed. They were impressive a couple times against Arkansas and Auburn in that span. Wished they had the shot to beat up Auburn instead of Oklahoma in one of the national championships.
@@colinquinn7516 but “recently” is not what the commentator meant though. Depends on your IQ though I reckon
That defense was amazing
That was a very talented Illini team. I remember when Arrelious Benn was recruited by USC, but it was not meant to be. Juice Williams, meet Rey Rey Maualuga - WHAM! It was a better game than the score indicated. Booty did not have one of his better games, but he had all that talent around him.
John David Buttcheeks
USC had a great defense. 6 or more guys that went to the NFL, on that D.
As soon as USC scored they show have ended the game right there 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
RIP ‘Joe’
Good to see Dennis score that touchdown. He started ahead of Reggie Bush before he had his knee blown out.
RIP Joe McKnight 🪦 🙏
nice video
When mendenhall scored the TD to make it 21-10 in the 3rd I thought they may go on a run but they didn’t. Fumbles killed them also.
Illinois fumbled in the end zone when it should have been a TD to make it 28-17. I forgot all about that.
Booty was so bad. Remember wishing USC had started Sanchez as a sophomore.
sanchez took that offense to the next level the following season. felt like they started booty for seniority purposes.
2 bad fumbles by Jeff Cumberland killed any chance Illinois had to keep the game close. USC at that time still had a lot of pros on both sides of the ball.
With all of the great USC quarterbacks, you kinda forget Booty, but he was pretty damn good!
Booty was garbage and carried by fantastic lines and surrounded by athletes. The guy had no touch going from him to Sanchez was such a breath of fresh air. Watch Bootys long balls there’s no air under them, he’s regularly over throwing guys and putting the ball behind WRs.
🙄
Still can't believe Illinois beat Ohio State this year 😳 😕 😪
Epic
Don't you miss the days when USC didn't suck smh
Bambi vs. Godzilla
👍👍👍
Musberger was basically openly rooting for Illinois this game 🤣
Such a pathetic nobody with an overrated team Illinois was. Overmatched and a junior college level team. SC looked bored in the second half. Too bad for such a great venue, a subpar competitor was provided to the GREAT AND MIGHTY USC TROJANS.
Juice Williams
Rip joe
Belusi pretends to be other people for a living, only fitting because Illinois pretended to be a football team here
@15:18 ankles.
2007 not 2008
2007 season, but always listed as 2008 Rose Bowl.
Yea, well it's easy to win your bowl when you're cheating.
A star running backs parents from ‘06 living in a house in san diego totally affected the score of this 2008 football game
I see you wrote the same dumb comment twice.
Oh I dint know that the SC offensive lineman were made of concrete and everyone else was a robot.
I’ve seen this same comment from you before 🧂