Illini headed to Rose Bowl

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Illini headed to Rose Bowl
Will face Southern California on New Year's Day
By Terry Bannon

Tribune staff reporter

6:56 PM CST, December 2, 2007

Illinois' Rose Bowl drought is over.

Following the biggest one-year turnaround in school history, the Illini were selected Sunday to meet Southern California in the nation's most historic bowl game on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.

Illinois ended its regular season two weeks ago at 9-3 and climbed in the BCS ratings as other teams stumbled at the of their seasons. Southern California clinched the Pac-10's automatic BCS berth by wrapping up the league title with Saturday's victory over UCLA.

The Trojans will be a heavy favorite over the Illini, who began the season just hoping to contend for any bowl after going 2-10 in Ron Zook's second season in 2006.

Southern California began the season as the No. 1 team in the country, but fell out of national championship contention with a stunning home loss to lowly Stanford.

The Illini moved into Rose Bowl contention Saturday when No. 1 Missouri and No. 2 West Virginia both lost, opening up a spot in the BCS national championship game for Big Ten champ Ohio State.

It will be the Illini's first Rose Bowl appearance since Jan. 2, 1984, when they lost 45-9 to UCLA.

It's Illinois' first bowl game since the 2001 season, when they played LSU in the Sugar Bowl and lost 47-34.