September 15th, 2017. Illinois was set to face off against University of South Florida in prime time on ESPN. The world was about to see the potential that Mike Epstein has.
Entering the game, Epstein had seen great success on the ground and through the air. One-hundred and 65 yards rushing, two catches, two touchdowns. The hype, however, wasn’t there yet. In Weeks One and Two, the Illini had faced off against Ball State and Western Kentucky, so the snaps were limited and stats a bit padded.
Enter Raymond James Stadium, the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the site of the Illini’s Week Three matchup with No.