CHAMPAIGN — The north end zone at Memorial Stadium was a lonely place the last two months after Illinois football games.
No Illini players stopped by, walking briskly past the Zuppke Field limestone sign etched permanently into the concrete wall and maybe glancing briefly at Grange Rock, the nearly 40,000-pound slab honoring Red Grange, before making their way up the tunnel to the Illinois locker room.
Until Saturday.
Illinois pulled off a surprising 31-27 win against reeling Michigan State in front of an announced crowd of 47,144, giving Lovie Smith, who sounded a bit hoarse after the game, his first Big Ten win in Champaign during his tenure leading the Illini (3-6, 2-4 Big Ten).