Illinois is going bowling!

After entering Saturday’s game against Michigan State looking for a sixth win, it looked like Illinois was going to have to wait at least another week to get to try for bowl eligibility. Fortunately, the Illini turned things around!

Lovie Smith and company somehow flipped the script in the fourth quarter with 20 unanswered points. That run set up a dramatic finish with Brandon Peters throwing a game-winner with just seconds remaining. The touchdown capped a 27-3 stretch for the Illini.

After the win, the celebrations erupted. Lovie Smith had a crowd-surfing moment. Illinois AD Josh Whitman embraced Smith with an ecstatic bear hug, and Smith opened his press conference with bowling comments.

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All of those moments were incredible, but the scene in the Illinois locker room was just as epic. This time, Smith entered the locker room with an orange-striped bowling ball in hand, the perfect token to cap a memorable week for the program.

Check it out: