The Big Ten battle between No. 21 USC and No. 23 Illinois appropriately featured Gus Johnson on the play-by-play call for Fox during a wild, chaotic finish in Champaign. Johnson matched the game’s intensity and then some with crazy calls down the stretch.
With 6:21 to go in the fourth quarter, Illinois had a 31-25 lead but fumbled in the end zone while trying to put the game away with a touchdown. The Trojans recovered the fumble in the end zone. Johnson went bonkers and capped off his call with a “HOLY CHICAGO!” line.
Johnson: “HE LOST IT! HE LOST IT! OH MY GOODNESS! IN THE END ZONE! USC HAS THE FOOTBALL! HOLY CHICAGO!… SCRAMBLE! DESIRE! TROJANS BALL, DOWN 31-25!”
The score remained 31-25 until USC scored a touchdown on a pass from Jayden Maiava to Makai Lemon and proceeded to kick the extra point to take a 32-31 lead with 1:55 to go.
Johnson: “TOUCHDOWN! LEMON AGAIN! THIS KID! WE DON’T KNOW WHAT ‘IT’ IS, BUT WE KNOW ‘IT’ WHEN WE SEE ‘IT’!”
Despite the late surge from USC, Illinois found a way to get a 34-32 victory and walked it off on a field goal from David Olano.
Johnson added to the drama of the moment with his commentary before Olano made the kick.
“So, David Olano with the chance to be the hero,” Johnson began. “The junior from Naperville. Homecoming for the Fighting Illini. This team looking to exorcise the demons from Bloomington. And this kid, David Olano, has a chance to do it.”
“Olano, the No. 3 kicker coming out of Naperville North High School here in Illinois, he trots onto the field,” Johnson continued. “One of those career moments for this young man… Here we go! From 41 yards away! Clean snap, good hold, IT’S UP! AND GOOD! ILLINOIS WINS ON A LAST-SECOND WALK-OFF FIELD GOAL BY DAVID OLANO! 34-32!”
Johnson and broadcasting partner Joel Klatt will head to Ann Arbor to call the Wisconsin-Michigan game in the Fox Big Noon Saturday slot in Week 6.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.