The jury is out right now on just how well the Zooker and his Illinois football squad will respond to the pressures of a pre-season ranking or repeating a Rose Bowl bid. In the first two games of the season, we’ve watched the once-fallible Juice Williams turn into a legitimate Heisman hopeful — maybe even this year — depending on the outcome of some of the upcoming contests.
There are holes though. Certainly, J Leman and Rashard Mendenhall are missed in more ways than one. Williams is breaking rushing records as a result of having no true go-to back setting up behind him, and the defense gave up a 52-spot to the Missouri Tigers. That isn’t such a huge deal considering the fact that Mizzou is considered one of the most high powered offenses in the nation, but they also allowed three touchdowns to a pretty weak opponent in the Eastern Illinois Panthers.
So, how about you? Will Illinois bowl this New Year’s Day? What about at all? With a schedule as tough as the Illini’s, there is no question that the answer remains to be seen.