It is official: I am going to Illinois in the fall. Everything I have read about UIUC's department and everything I saw last week has convinced me that it is the right place to go. That, and I hate having unresolved decisions hanging over my head. I faxed the acceptance letter after classes today.
Update: 3/24/06
I finally got a response from Texas: they regret to inform me that they are not recommending me for admission. I also got confirmation that my UIUC admission acceptance arrived successfully. So, with my curiousity satisfied and my conscience clear that I made the right choice, I close the book on my graduate school admissions saga.