Michigan State at Illinois

[illini4everjp]

So what if Illinois hasn't beaten MSU since 1992! This could be the year . . . ok, maybe not. After the Cal loss, it becomes clear that the Illini are still a couple years away from contending and while some may see the glass half empty, I prefer to see it as half full - If the Illini can come off their loss last week and contended with another ranked opponent, this time at Memorial Stadium, I'll consider that a win. What would be even better though is an actual win! This is going to take a complete 60 minute game from the defense. They have to be able to hold teams in the fourth quarter (read - Rutgers) and Brasic should be able to put the Illini in a position where the bell will be ringing many times on the field.

MSU - 24
ILL - 27

Official Game Notes - http://fightingillini.collegesports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091905aaa.html

[SpartyH]

Not a bad prediction. While I believe the Spartans will win, they do have a nasty habit of letting down after a big game like the one at ND. If that happens look for your team to win by a wider margin. If State breaks the trend, then the only thing left to do is watch one of the best QB's in the country do his thing. The big question is how will our Defense perform.

Good luck to your team but not as much as to my team. LOL.

Here is a link to a Spartan forum if anyone wants to check it out

http://www.mlive.com/forums/msufb/index.ssf

[illini4everjp]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that your defense responds alot better than ours, however you are right, if MSU comes into Champaign with a let-down game, we could easily take this one. Also, I don't know if you read the article that was posted in the basketball forum here but the basketball team will be at the game receiving their Final Four rings so expected the house to be packed and rocking!!!!

Good luck and here's to an injury free game on both teams.

[SpartyH]

No, I didn't read that but good that the stadium will be full. I've been to Illini games in the past where the stadium was half full at best. Takes away from the atmosphere of B10 football.

Congrats to your b-ball team.

[illini4everjp]

Congrats to yours as well. If there is one thing that shut ups all the ACC lovers, its that we had 3 teams in the Elite Eight and 2 in the Final Four last night (though we won't talk about the outcome)

Memorial Stadium should be fulled with Orange (especially with Deron and Luther being at the game) but how much green will we see?

[Dan]

It IS a sellout? Or are you saying it should be a sellout?

EDIT - it most likely will not be a sellout; if the crowd cracks 60k it'll be an accomplishment.

[illini4everjp]

I'm saying it should be, I have no idea if it is or not. 60K would be great.

[SpartyH]

Congrats to yours as well. If there is one thing that shut ups all the ACC lovers, its that we had 3 teams in the Elite Eight and 2 in the Final Four last night (though we won't talk about the outcome)

Memorial Stadium should be fulled with Orange (especially with Deron and Luther being at the game) but how much green will we see?

I have no idea. I'll be missing the game. My wife and I will be in Sheboygan test driving a boat we are about to purchase.

[orange100]

I am a huge Illini fan, but i won't be attending or even watching the TELEVISED game at HOME... I will be doing important things, like picking apples or carving pumpkins. But I love my team.... :D

[illini4everjp]

LOL I would be sleeping outside of Memorial Stadium right now if I didn't live in DC right now.

[HOOPDOG]

I would love to see Illinois pull something out of their hat and get this win, because it would be huge. Michigan State has a very good football team. I don't see state having a let down as beating ND isn't anything new to them. They own ND and they did it again last week, even after shutting it down a little to early. However Illinois is making strides and will continue to do so. I still think we will have a hard time stopping the State O. So my prediction in this one is

Michigan State - 47
Illinois - 20

[tnillinifan]

T minus 60 minutes and counting.... we are getting ready to bust on out of here and head up to Champaign for the weekend!!! Can't wait to get to the game---Illini 30 MSU 28 is my prediction ( I have everything crossed!!!).... I didn't know that the basketball team would be there at half time My kids will go nuts!!

Look for me on saturday I will be the one in orange!!!!

[illini4everjp]

Scout's MSU/UI Preview

http://illinois.scout.com/2/442118.html

[#1AugustineFan]

I'm so mad I have to work Saturday.... grr. Stupid job!

[illini4everjp]

Any job that keeps you from the Illini isn't worth having.

[#1AugustineFan]

Tell me about it.... But I don't think the ILLINI are going to pay my bills!

[orange100]

10 hours to kickoff!

Illinois 42
green beans 32


Postgame:
cheerleaders plant the orange flag in sparty mascot's chest at midfield, Zook lifts the entire team onto his shoulders and takes victory lap around MS.

[illini4everjp]

I would pay damn good money to see that :D

[orange100]

20 MINS TO KICKOFF!

I..L..L..

[krillini76]

Ouch. 61-14.

No reason to give up hope, though. Cal and MSU might be two of the best teams in college football this season when it's all said and done.

[nut game browser]

Ouch. 61-14.

No reason to give up hope, though. Cal and MSU might be two of the best teams in college football this season when it's all said and done.


It is time to admit the coaching staff is not good. Zook, as I have mentioned is overrated, it was a bad hire. The longer we stick with him, the worse it will get. Funny thing about life, there won't be change quick enough because nobody in the athletic dept. would be willing to say they made a mistake. The media won't say it because they love the zooker. But I will say it. We need to make a change. But I know we won't for about 3 more losing seasons. Then we'll change and we'll have to do this all over again. Unless we get a coach like Cal's Tedford or Urban Meyer, we're just gonna keep spinning our wheels. Fire the Zooker!

www.nutpokersoftware.com

[krillini76]

It is time to admit the coaching staff is not good. Zook, as I have mentioned is overrated, it was a bad hire. The longer we stick with him, the worse it will get. Funny thing about life, there won't be change quick enough because nobody in the athletic dept. would be willing to say they made a mistake. The media won't say it because they love the zooker. But I will say it. We need to make a change. But I know we won't for about 3 more losing seasons. Then we'll change and we'll have to do this all over again. Unless we get a coach like Cal's Tedford or Urban Meyer, we're just gonna keep spinning our wheels. Fire the Zooker!

Who is this guy? Nice attitude, buddy.

Zook is recruiting star players and he's got a great attitude. We might consider getting rid of Mike Mallory, our defensive coordinator, b/c he's a leftover from the Turner regime. But Zook? What?!

That "fire the zooker" stuff is an idiotic joke. No one can be that rude and ignorant.

[nut game browser]

Who is this guy? Nice attitude, buddy.

Zook is recruiting star players and he's got a great attitude. We might consider getting rid of Mike Mallory, our defensive coordinator, b/c he's a leftover from the Turner regime. But Zook? What?!

That "fire the zooker" stuff is an idiotic joke. No one can be that rude and ignorant.

Please don't attack me...I wasn't being rude, I was just giving you the future. They ran Zook out of Florida for making stupid game time decisions. Get real dude...please don't call me an idiot, I am an Illini fan with their best interest at heart. I don't appreciate your attack on me, I didn't do anything to you.

[orange100]

Nut, That attitude will not win you any friends. It's also pathologically stupid thinking without any reason or logic to it. You deserve to get hacked on...

Go play on the Zook-free gator board.

I will provide a link since i doubt you could find it on your own:
Swamp Gas (http://mb15.scout.com/fufinsiderfrm5)

[krillini76]

Nut, That attitude will not win you any friends. It's also pathologically stupid thinking without any reason or logic to it. You deserve to get hacked on...

Go play on the Zook-free gator board.

I will provide a link since i doubt you could find it on your own:
Swamp Gas (http://mb15.scout.com/fufinsiderfrm5)


Thanks for the backup. That dude is a dork. Period.

Nuff said.

[illini4everjp]

Ok, as long as I'm not the only one that thinks that NutGameBrowser is insane, its ok. I actually got a chance to watch the game and well, wow. MSU was bigger, faster, and therefore better than we were and I feel the score accurately showed that. There is no reason to give up hope though, but this does make me question one thing - Mike Mallory. Watching this game, I felt like I was watching 2002 all over again. Probably because ITS THE EXACT SAME DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!! If it didn't work then, Mallory needs to wake up and realize that it still doesn't work.

"Fire Ron Zook" is clearly idiotic, but how about "Fire Mike Mallory"?

[orange100]

I was listening to the post-game presser on FI.com and Zook was pissed. You probably heard him apologize to the fans and whatever, but he was not happy with the team, esp. the defense yesterday, said they did not play with emotion, were not fired up, were not ready to play and "that's my fault. Maybe we had them thinking too much, maybe our game plan had too much thinking in it..."
He vowed to look at the tape and find the guys who were fighting all the way and those who weren't and make adjustments for next week accordingly. Pressed on whether that means he will revamp the line-up based on guys who showed fire and effort, he said a long-winded "maybe."

But clearly, we do not have the horses to compete yet. Michigan state was clearly a much bigger stronger team, and I am sure they would beat down Cal if they played.

We're rebuilding this year, don't forget. Just BelIeve.

[tnillinifan]

Yes this is certainly a rebuilding year, maybe two years....It was ugly on Saturday but "Fire Zook"? No Way!! No dissing Zook on this site!!

[CrzyforDee11]

Yea well jsut adds another year of waiting to beat Michigan State. My boyfriend is a big Michigan State fan, and I had to live with that big upset for a long long long time. GOTTA BELIEVE