Juice Doesn't Want You Getting Discouraged

Illinois Fighting Illini. Saturday, it was more than the name of a football team, it was an apt description of what was taking place on the field. With all due credit to Wisconsin, especially Sherer and Gilreath, Illinois beat itself Saturday.

Juice Williams tossed three interceptions, the Illini committed bad penalties, and made mental errors running routes and in the return game. But the Juice himself gave the remedy to get past the bad loss: just take a nap and when you wake up, you'll feel better.

"Don't get discouraged. We're still a pretty good team. We're still going to come out and fight for our year.''

After taking a nap on the plane back to Champaign, he said, he was ready to move on.

''You can't let it dictate the rest of the season,'' he said. ''After I woke up from the plane ride, I was fine.''

Williams and the Illini will have a good chance to get things going in the right direction when they take on Iowa this Saturday, followed by a MAC opponent in Western Michigan next week. So don't break out those Orange Krush shirts for basketball season just yet Illinois fans, the football team may have another special finish in store.