2007 SEASON IN REVIEW: For Illinois fans, 2007 will be remembered as the
season head coach Ron Zook turned the program around. Coming off back-to-back
two-win campaigns, Zook guided the Fighting Illini to nine wins, including a
huge win at then top-ranked Ohio State, and an invitation to the Rose Bowl.
Illinois wound up getting crushed by USC in the postseason (49-17), but even
that couldn't spoil a season in which the Illini earned their way back onto
the national radar.