A case of the uglies, Part Deux

 "Pffft. Been there, done that."

-- Surviving members of the 1964 Liberty Center and Marion Swayzee basketball teams, upon learning of yesterday's nine-overtime Illinois upset of No. 7 Penn State

Yes, that's right, boys and girls. Nine overtimes already has been a thing.

It happened in the '64 Marion Regional basketball tournament, when the Lions of Liberty Center and the Speedkings of Swayzee set an IHSAA basketball tournament record that stands to this day. Swayzee eventually won, 65-61, but only after the teams slogged through nine extra sessions, mainly because whoever won the tap to start each OT held the ball for one shot and kept missing.

Illinois and Penn State, alas, did not have that excuse. They went nine OTs in Happy Valley not on purpose, but because neither team could muster the will to make three yards.

Under the new overtime rules in college football, both teams traded field goals in the first two overtimes, then proceeded to flounder around on one-and-done two-point-conversion  attemptsfrom the 3-yard line six times. Finally the Illini bagged the upset on a two-point conversion pass from Brandon Peters to Casey Washington, 20-18.

In between, Penn State botched a trick play, Illinois quarterback Art Sitkowski missed a receiver for the "W," Illinois attempted three more passes that fell incomplete, and on and on and ... on.

I don't know how far Penn State will tumble in the polls now, but if you can't score enough on seven tries from the 3-yard line at home against a 2-5 Illinois team, you probably should pack a parachute for the trip. 

And Illinois?

The Illini get 3-4 Rutgers next week. It probably won't go nine OTs this time.

And put your money on the Scarlet Knights.