Illini football players rushed the stands after Saturday’s 40-19 victory over San Jose State. They wanted to celebrate with the fans and the fans wanted to celebrate too.

With a 2-0 start, for the first time since 2001, Illinois is looking back to its days of winning records and bowl appearances. The Illini team has known the task before, it is immense, but players say a win would be the momentum boost this team needs. It is also just what the Illini Nation needs to get fans believing in the team again.

“I know that most people don’t expect us to come in and give Cal much of a game, but hopefully we can prove them wrong,” senior defensive lineman Ryan Matha said after Saturday’s win.

While the feeling in Memorial Stadium is one of anticipation and excitement as the football program gets back up to speed, there are still empty seats in the stands. The players and coaches know a win against California this weekend will help kick-start that fan frenzy.

Since he arrived on campus, Zook has applauded the basketball team’s fan base. He has said many times how the Illini Nation will flock to a successful team, and how the exciting flare Illinois’ basketball team put on the court kept fans engaged.

Linebacker J Leman said they want to see the same excitement at Memorial Stadium that fills Assembly Hall, and are working on winning back that fan confidence. But, Illinois has become a basketball school.

“I think it’s good that the basketball team is great because it gives so much good publicity to the University,” Leman said. “But before we were a basketball school we were a football school. People have gotten away from that just because we haven’t been successful the last few years, but we want to make this a football school again. This is in the heart of Illinois, this is Big Ten football, and there is no way this shouldn’t be a football school.”

Cal players can relate with the Illini fans. Four seasons ago, Cal football finished 1-10. The Bears’ only win was at Rutgers, when they topped the Scarlet Knights 20-10. Although, last year Cal turned things around, finishing the regular season 10-1 before falling to Texas Tech in the Holiday Bowl.

“I think they’re a good example of what we want to be,” Leman said. “Turn around a program, build a fan-base up, getting sell-outs against Sacramento State. I couldn’t be happier for Cal.”

Illinois hopes to see the same results in Champaign. The average home attendance dropped almost 6,000 between 2001 and 2004. The team’s record slipped from 10-2 in 2001 to 3-8 last year. But, the Illini are already turning things around and hope a win at Cal will put even more fans back in the stands.

“It feels good to be 2-0,” Leman said. ” For the last couple years I think the students around here thought the football team were going to be losers, and what not. They didn’t believe and then we weren’t giving the effort that we needed to. It’s tough to be a fan. We’ve got the best fans in the nation. You can print that. I think we’ve got a lot of momentum going into this next game.”