Purdue Athletics to Honor its 2000 Football Team Saturday During Game Against Illinois
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — One of the most prestigious teams in Purdue football history will be honored Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium when the team takes on Illinois. Purdue Athletics will honor and celebrate its 2000 team, which made the Rose Bowl.
Several former players will be honorary captains at kickoff, including Akin Ayodele, Brent Botts, Drew Brees and Montrell Lowe.
During pregame warm-ups and the first quarter, the four honorary captains will be on the sidelines. They will also be present for the Ross-Ade Stadium tradition of singing "Shout," made famous by Otis Day and the Knights in the movie "Animal House."
Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said the team may have the opportunity to meet with the legendary Boilermakers before kickoff. He also mentioned what it means for the program to compete in front of players that have had such famed success.
"I think we have worked on setting up a time for that to happen," Brohm said. "But those are great football teams. To win the Big Ten is a tremendous accomplishment. They did it with great players and a great team chemistry and pulled off some great victories. Everybody on a team strives to get that done.
"So we have got an opportunity this year to play nine conference games in a row, it starts off at home and we have got to take it one game at a time. But for us it's, we have got to build on the good things we have done, improve on the things that we need to do better and come out and play for the win."
In 2000, the Boilermakers earned an 8-3 record in the regular season and was part of a three-way tie for first place in the Big Ten after going 6-2 in the conference. Purdue was ranked No. 14 in the nation heading into a matchup with Washington in the Rose Bowl.
Unfortunately, on Jan. 1, 2001, the Boilermakers were defeated 34-24. Regardless, it was one of two Rose Bowl appearances in program history. Purdue was victorious during its only other trip in 1966.
Purdue is scheduled to play Illinois at Ross-Ade Stadium this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, and the series between the two teams is tied at 45-45-6. A win will tip the scale in favor of one program.
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.