Redbox Bowl: Cal 14, Illinois 10, Second quarter

As always, IlliniHQ.com is the place to be for in-game Illinois football coverage. Then make sure you stick around after the game for even more Redbox Bowl coverage.

Tweets by srrichey

***

Former Illinois All-American offensive lineman Martin O’Donnell is on the radio call (of course) for today’s game. Sunday night at the Illini fan event at the Public House next to Oracle Park, he broke down today’s matchup between the Illini and Cal.

« Both teams are really led by defense, » O’Donnell said. « Cal brought a lot back on that side of the football. Evan Weaver is their stud in the middle — the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American. Illinois’ got Dele Harding, one of the best linebackers in the country.

« I think the offenses are fairly evenly matched. They’ve kind of been a little bit hit or miss. Illinois, when they hit the explosive plays on offense, it really helps everything get going. Certainly the area Illinois really has the edge seems to be on special teams. The kick coverage and the kick return game for Illinois could help set them apart. »

***

This is the last game for a number of Illini seniors. After their first four (or five) seasons all ended in a rather disappointing fashion, they’re soaking in the moment.

« The growing pains we’ve been through, it’s a blessing to be where we’re at. A lot of fight, sweat and hard work — blood, tears, » senior linebacker Dele Harding said. « To be in a great weather bowl like the Redbox, its a blessing. »

« We’re true fighters, » redshirt senior running back Reggie Corbin said. « I think that’s why when people say you lost four straight and then came back and went on a roll, it’s just the definition of our team. We’ve never been that No. 1 recruit. We’re fighters. When our backs are against the wall, that’s what we do, and I think that’s when we thrive. »

***

Brandon Peters is back for Illinois, ready to go for today’s Redbox Bowl game against California. Good news, of course, for the Illini. The only problem is he doesn’t have a whole lot of options to hit in the passing game.

Announced as OUT today for Illinois are wide receivers Josh Imatorbhebhe, Jordan Holmes and Caleb Reams (who didn’t travel with the team). Ruled out for the season previously were wide receivers Ricky Smalling, Trevon Sidney, Edwin Carter, Dalevon Campbell and Dylan Thomas. Freshmen Kyron Cumby would only be an option if Illinois wanted to burn his redshirt on a bowl game, which wouldn’t be a terrific idea.

That leaves few options:

– Dominic Stampley (9 catches, 101 yards)

– Casey Washington (10 catches, 118 yards)

– Carlos Sandy (0 catches)

– Trenard Davis (0 catches)

– Donny Navarro (21 catches, 268 yards, 2 touchdowns)

Illinois does have healthy tight ends, though. So Daniel Barker (for sure) and Justice Williams could play a much bigger role.

***

The setup here at Levi’s Stadium is pretty nice. It should be since it’s an NFL venue. What I consider a good move on the event staff is tarping off the seats in the upper deck. Odds are pretty good that those seats wouldn’t have been sold anyway and remain empty. With the tarp on, it won’t be quite as noticeable.

Which brings us to potential attendance. The theory is Cal will have a crowd because of the proximity of its campus to Levi’s Stadium. However, Illinois has approximately 18,000 Bay Area alums, and plenty other fans from other pockets of the country made the trip.

« Any time we have a game out here, there’s a great turnout, » said former Illini Fred Wakefield, who’s now Illinois’ director of West Coast development and donor relations. « I know Cal’s right here, but I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s way more orange and blue than Cal fans (today) just because of the presence we travel with. »

Even Cal coach Justin Wilcox questioned whether playing in Santa Clara would be an advantage for his team.

« I don’t know if it’s that much of an advantage when the teams get here with four or five days in front of the game, » Wilcox said. « Hopefully doing the game with our crowd, but, shoot, our record at home this year versus the road wouldn’t support that.

« We’re glad to be here because our fans can be here. It’s a big deal for our players. THey’re loving being in the city and going to Alcatraz and the Warriors game. That’s pretty cool — things they wouldn’t traditionally do. It’s 65 degrees in the Bay Area, and the sun’s out. You’re probably enjoying it as well. »

***

The final LIVE! Report of the 2019 Illinois football season is a special one. For one, it’s coming to you from Santa Clara, Calif. That’s new. So is the fact the Illini are playing in a bowl game in about 90 minutes. At least for the overwhelming majority of the team.

The Redbox Bowl is the first postseason football for Illinois since the 2014 season. The only Illini with bowl game experience got it elsewhere, and Michigan transfer Brandon Peters is the only one of those newest additions to Lovie Smith’s squad to have started in one (his second season with the Wolverines).

The bulk of the lead up to today’s game happened a bit farther north in the Bay Area. The Illini stayed in San Francisco and practiced, for the most part, in Oakland. The bulk of the fan events were in « The City » as well. I’d be remiss, at this point, not to move your attention to all (I’m pretty sure I got everything) bowl game coverage to the left. Lots of effort by multiple people both back in Champaign while I was here on the ground in California.

Today’s game, though, is at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Home of the San Francisco 49ers. Most days. For one day, Illinois and Cal will take over.

Bowl games are a bit tricky to analyze. Sometimes they don’t have a lot of meaning. Take the last time Illinois played in a bowl in the Bay Area. Ron Zook had already been fired, Tim Beckman had already been hired and it didn’t much matter what the result was although the Illini beat UCLA 20-14.

This year’s bowl game has a bit more behind it. For one, 7-6 just looks better than 6-7. That’s especially true for an Illinois football program short on winning seasons in the last decade (or two). It can also be a springboard to 2020 where the combination of a slew of returning starters and a generous early schedule should — and I stress should — set the Illini up for even more success next fall.

The impact of a win today against Cal might be hard to truly calculate, but perception matters. Fall to the Golden Bears, and it’s another losing season. A « better » losing season to be certain, but a losing season nonetheless.

We’ll find out which one it is in about 4 1/2 hours. Stay tuned.