The Illinois men’s golf team isn’t supposed to be here.

The Illini weren’t supposed to make it out of regionals, let alone make the final eight of the NCAA Championships. Illinois wasn’t supposed to defeat defending NCAA champion Texas in the first round, and it wasn’t supposed to take down No. 1 California, considered by many to be the best college golf team in history, in the national semifinals on Saturday.

But Illinois did make it out of regionals, into the final eight, past two of the nation’s best golf teams and into Sunday’s NCAA title match against Alabama.

The Illini will tee off at 7 a.m. local time Sunday morning with a chance to win the program’s first national title.

The Illini were able to upset No. 1 Cal in dramatic fashion, winning two matches and losing two matches on the first 18, with the final point between 2012 NCAA champion Thomas Pieters and 2013 NCAA champion Max Homa of California going into extra holes.

Pieters had a chance to go 1-up on Homa but missed crucial putts on the 17th, 18th and first holes. He missed another possible clinching putt on the second hole with the match on the line, but Homa missed his parr putt, giving Pieters the point and Illinois the win.

Freshman Charlie Danielson won the first point of the day for the Illini, defeating Joel Stalter 3 and 2, while sophomore Brian Campbell picked up Illinois’ other win 2 and 1. Freshman Thomas Detry had a chance to take his match into extra holes, but his putt edged out on 18 to give Michael Weaver the win. Sophomore Alex Burge lost 4 and 3 for Cal’s other point.

Alabama won its match against host Georgia Tech in convincing fashion, winning three holes and tying two. The Crimson Tide are seed No. 3, after tying Texas in stroke play competition.

Live scores from the match can be found here, while the last four holes can be streamed live here.

Johnathan can be reached at [email protected] and @jhett93.