By PSH Staff
Published: December 30, 2007 PrintEmail
Illinois Fighting IlliniSouthern Cal Trojans Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California January 1st, 2008; 4:30 P.M. E.T.
TEAM BACKGROUND At the beginning of the season no one expected the Illini to be a contender in the Big 10. Most people thought that they might be able to sneak into a bowl with the 6 required wins. Ron Zook and the Illini started the season to prove everyone wrong. They started off with a very tough loss in their opener against a Missouri team that turned out to be outstanding. They then won 3 games in a row that includes 2 road games. There next 2 games were going to be a big test to see how good this Illinois team really was going to be. The Illini passed with flying colors as they beat #21 Penn State at home and then got ranked for the first time in a long time. That set up a ranked matchup against #5 Wisconsin. Illinois again passed with flying colors and cracked the top 20. Then a disappointing 10-6 loss against Iowa in Iowa followed while the Illini might have been looking past them to their visit to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. Illinois lost that game against Michigan as well and people thought that Illinois was finally falling back down to earth with a 5-3 record. Not only did they not fall back down to earth they reeled off 4 straight wins to end the season including a win in Columbus against #1 Ohio State 28-21. -- GatorsRock
TEAM BACKGROUND
The Trojans came into the season with expectations as high as the clouds. Perhaps not surprisingly, they fell well short of those expectations. With injuries and sub par play from the the offensive skill positions, USC dropped games against Oregon and lowly Stanford. They have since gotten healthy, winning four in a row, and once again claiming the Pac-10 title. Anchored by senior DT Sedrick Ellis, the defense has been great all year, ranking 3rd in the nation in total yards. The offense is still inconsistent through the air, but with the bodies up front now healthy, the Trojans ground game has the offense rolling. This team began the year with most anointing them 'the best team in the country,' and regardless of what happens in New Orleans, if they win in spectacular fashion they will end the year with the same title in the world of public opinion. -- l.a. no-teamers
J Leman (LB)
He is the senior leader on the surprising Illini defense. He led the team in tackles and it seemed like whenever they needed someone to make a big play on defense, he was the man making the big play. This will be his last ever collegiate game and he will want to make a big impact. -- GatorsRock
John David Booty (QB)
The senior QB is playing his final game as a collegiate, giving him one final shot to leave his mark in this storied program, after a disappointing season, and a somewhat disappointing career. He has the skill and ability to tear apart the Illini secondary, as proven in last year's Rose Bowl game against Michigan. If he comes anywhere close to repeating last year's performance, this game will be over by halftime. -- l.a. no-teamers
Rey Maualuga vs Juice Williams
Not surprisingly, the key matchup with be the big hitting MLB chasing the slick elusive scrambling QB. Juice will try to do his best Vince Young impersonation against this aggressive Trojan defense. Maualuga, aggressive to a fault, will need to harness his reckless play and stay in his lanes. Don't look for Mendenhall - even as good as he has been - to be much of a factor in this game. If Juice can't keep the defense honest with his own runs, the Illini have almost no chance. -- l.a. no-teamers
Southern Cal Trojans
