We all have memories of our favorite teams growing up, some good and some bad. As an Illini football fan, I grew up with with the wild assumption that they went to a bowl game every year.
It all started watching one of my first games, seeing a Jeff George-led Illinois team defeat Virginia in the Citrus Bowl. Then the following year watching them play in the Hall of Fame Bowl, followed by the John Hancock Bowl, the Holiday Bowl (which I attended), and the Liberty Bowl. I thought, Great, Illinois goes to a bowl game every year.