How exactly did the 2014 Illinois Football team make a bowl game? I'm still not sure.
I'm not sure what drew me to several of the games that year. I think it was the players on the team. I had a vested interest, as I follow Illinois recruiting pretty regularly. Knowing where players came from and what they bring to the table almost makes you feel as if you've gotten to know them. Not for everyone, maybe just me. It allows me to root for those players with as much passion as any diehard Illini fan.
For that reason, it was definitely rewarding to see a player like Reilly O'Toole succeed in getting an Illini team to respectability.