| Michigan - 2 1/2 vs. Illinois | | | | and in Champaign. It didn't work out so |
| Â | | | | well for the Illini however, despite all the hype of |
| Just when you count them out, Michigan (2-2) | | | | Juice Williams and the resurgent Illini, the |
| (1-0) makes you pay. Michigan Stadium's | | | | Wolverines beat them much like they usually do, |
| 500th Game was one of the most thrilling in the | | | | 27-17. Illinois may have more famous |
| stadium's 80-plus year history. Things | | | | rivals like Northwestern or Missouri, but their |
| could not have gotten worse after the first half in | | | | hatred for the Maize and Blue is powerful and |
| Ann Arbor. Only one team in the Great | | | | why not? Chicago has a large Michigan |
| Lakes State gets booed off their home field and | | | | alumni base which roots for Michigan and not the |
| that is the Detroit Lions, not the Michigan | | | | school at the other end of the state and the Illini |
| Wolverines, but that is exactly what happened | | | | is 21-66-2 since the series began way back in |
| last Saturday. Then everything | | | | 1898. Their last win came in |
| changed. Trailing 19-0, Michigan scored to | | | | 1999. Last week, despite trying to fight |
| make it 19-7 and then incredibly scored two | | | | back numerous times, the Nittany Lions had the |
| touchdowns in less than 10 seconds to take the | | | | right answers. Illinois has got to get back |
| lead they would not relinquish from the | | | | on track and no better than in this game in Ann |
| shell-shocked Wisconsin Badgers. Can | | | | Arbor. They must take advantage of |
| Michigan, written off after their turnover, in | | | | their bitter rival in a perceived down year for |
| addition to rain-drenched debacle in South Bend | | | | them. If they can steal a victory out of |
| two weeks prior, be a player in the Big Ten this | | | | Ann Arbor, look for the team to really take flight |
| season? With the Wolverines knocking off | | | | with games against Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa and |
| the top team in the conference, and #9 team in | | | | Western Michigan in a stretch of five games that |
| the country, this is certainly possible. But | | | | includes Wisconsin. |
| the big test will be this week when the Fighting | | | | For Michigan, a win against another quality Big Ten |
| Illini come calling for the 501st game at Michigan | | | | opponent will go a long way to giving the young |
| Stadium. | | | | team some confidence in a wide-open conference. |
| Illinois (2-2) (0-1) had Michigan right were they | | | | InSpin. |
| wanted them last season: on ABC in Primetime | | | | |