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| Illustration by Danny Elchert | |
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You can keep your Michigan–Ohio State and Harvard-Yale rivalries. ’Round these parts, college football bragging rights are settled by the annual Missouri vs. Illinois State Farm Arch Rivalry game (September 5, Edward Jones Dome, stlsports.org). Wanna know how deep the competition goes? Look no farther than local Mizzou fanatic Bill Cocos and Fighting Illini enthusiast Mark Goldenberg. (Enjoy the game—2010 reportedly will be the final such contest.)
Superfans
| University of Missouri: Bill Cocos, Plumbing Contractor, Lemay | University of Illinois: Mark Goldenberg, Attorney, Granite City |
Coolest Souvenir
| They gave me one of the game balls after we beat Notre Dame in 1972. We were huge underdogs. I’ve been to South Bend, Ind., for Notre Dame games twice in my life, and I’m 2–0. How many guys can say that? | A helmet in my office painted half Illinois and half Missouri. When I have clients in my office who are Mizzou fans, I will, as a courtesy to them, turn it to the Missouri side. |
At Every Home Game?
| I haven’t missed a home game since 1948. Since the 1969 season, I have only missed two away games. I’ve seen some good times and some bad times. You gotta stay with your team either way. | Most of them. |
Your Tailgating Tradition
| We go down in a bus, a real land yacht with a bar. It’s like a traveling living room. We fill it with 15 to 18 guys and gals. | Tailgate with friends and longtime Illini fans. Eat good barbecue and drink what used to be Anheuser-Busch products. Tailgating with a couple of guests from the opposing side is also enjoyable, to sling good-natured barbs—and then get zinged right back. |
What’s So Exciting About This Game
| It’s bragging rights. In basketball, they dominate, but in football, we do. We’re 15–7 against them all-time. Downtown, the days around the game are a three-day festival. | Michigan and Ohio State is nice, but there is nothing like Mizzou-Illini for an Illini fan born and raised in the St. Louis area. |
Final Score Prediction
| Mizzou 27, Illini 24 | Illini 41, Mizzou 24 |
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