Illinois sports fans often face an existential conundrum each December and March. We’re sports fans first. We love college football and college basketball, and then — for the joy and for the heartache — we love the Illinois Fighting Illini.
When our Illini fail to reach the postseason, whether it’s college football bowl season or March Madness, we squirm. We know we can’t keep our eyes off of the action, but deep down, we’re distraught, for we know this could be so much better if the Orange & Blue were competing. There’s always next year.