Pregame: Illinois at Wisconsin, Saturday, October 6th, 2:30pm CT, ABC or ESPN2

[Dan]

Illinois Fighting Illini (2-3, 0-1) at Wisconsin Badgers (3-2, 0-1)

Date: Saturday, October 6th, 2012

Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI (80,321)

Time: 2:30pm CT

TV: ABC or ESPN2

Series: Illinois leads 37-35-7


B1G LEADERS DIVISION
Ohio State*______1-0___5-0
Penn State*______1-0___3-2
Purdue___________0-0___3-1
Wisconsin________0-1___3-2
Indiana__________0-1___2-2
Illinois_________0-1___2-3
*Ohio State and Penn State are eligible to win the Leaders Division, but ineligible to participate in the B1G title game and postseason play.

B1G LEGENDS DIVISION
Northwestern_____1-0___5-0
Nebraska_________1-0___4-1
Iowa_____________1-0___3-2
Michigan_________0-0___2-2
Minnesota________0-1___4-1
Michigan State___0-1___3-2

[IbanezHRC]

What is there to say really?

[orangeswarm76]

boy this one gonna hurt

[IlliniHimey]

Illinois: 9
Wisconsin: 40

[BlockI]

I almost picked it last week with 35-17 but I gave us to much credit. However I think this week it is closer.

UI- 14
Wisky- 24

[uinuke81]

What would possess the network to put this abortion on the 2:30 game?

[quhawks12]

44-0. We won't score on that D. Borland wins B1G defensive player of the week to keep the streak alive!!

[Ron Zooks Barber]

I am going to clean out the chicken coop on Saturday, it will be much more entertaining than the IL-WI game. I'm done with fb for the year. I'll give the coaches and players a chance next year, they don't have to win for me. Just play like you actually care what happens with your life and the game. If the coaches can't pull a reasonable turn around by the middle of next year, get a new coaching staff. the recruiting will likely remain decent with the hoard fo 3 star players. It should start turning around next year from a consistency standpoint. If not, the coaching staff has to go. Turner needed to go after the first season, they kept him too long. Zook should have been gone after the season a terrible illinois state team was made to look like a rushing dynasty, and Beckman probably needs to go at the end of this year if no improvement is seen in the second half of the b10. Good coaches don't have teams look this bad very long.

[BexleyIllini]

Originally Posted by IlliniHimey

Illinois: 9
Wisconsin: 40

I think this is conservative. Bielma loves to run up the score on weak teams. He will get his chance on Saturday.

Wiscy: 56
Ill: 3

[the national]

ILL: 7
Wisc: 42

[RyanK]

Illinois-6
Wisconsin-38

I've lost all hope.

[Oskee Mayer]

Originally Posted by BexleyIllini

I think this is conservative. Bielma loves to run up the score on weak teams. He will get his chance on Saturday.

Wiscy: 56
Ill: 3

I look for starters the whole game. And I'm going to be there.

[Illini2016]

Just like last week, I am not afraid to make an early prediction this week.

Wisconsin 42
Chief Illiniwek 7

[mattcoldagelli]

45-10 Wisconsin

[Dan]

I don't think Bret Bielema pays too much attention to Illinois until halftime of the Illinois game.

2006- 24-10 Illinois halftime lead before losing.
2007- 17-0 Illinois lead in 1st half & hang on to win.
2008- 17-10 Illinois 3rd quarter lead before losing.
2011- 17-7 Illinois halftime lead before losing.

Lethargic Badger 1st half effort keeps the beatdown somewhat in check.

Wisconsin 35
Illinois 13

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by Dan

Lethargic Badger 1st half effort keeps the beatdown somewhat in check.

Wisconsin 35
Illinois 13

I'm with you. And Beckman cites our ability to play with UW for 30 minutes as a sign of improvement.

[drumanimal]

ILL 7
Wisky 40+

[U of I 89-05-10]

Originally Posted by uinuke81

What would possess the network to put this abortion on the 2:30 game?

Because they know we silly Illini fans, for some reason, will tune in and subject ourselves to another nightmare.

[U of I 89-05-10]

Originally Posted by Oskee Mayer

I look for starters the whole game. And I'm going to be there.

I had originally made plans to roadtrip over to Madison for this one to meet my Badgers fan friend from Milwaukee, but now I'm having second thoughts. If I can get a friend or two to go with, however, I'll probably go to watch the massacre.

[The Galloping Ghost 77]

Is it time for a qb change for the Illini? Nathan is a three year starter, and I haven't seen a game where he has played like that. I think this is due to Nathan's height. IMO He's too short to be able to stand and step up in the pocket and be able to see the field clearly. Meanwhile, Riley O'Tool is 6-4 220. You can't teach size.

I also know that Nate has been "injured" for awhile, but if he is so injured to the point where you can't run qb runs effectively, which is his strongest skill set, then what good is it to start him? After this week's loss, can our offense get any worse? Nathan didn't even throw that td pass, it was Josh Ferg. I don't know, I just would like to see O'Toole get a chance to step up and develop into the quarterback that produces somewhat near to the stats like he did in highschool. He was thrown into the Devil's flames in Arizona, and even though it was CS that he started against, he rebounded nicely from his poor ASU start and racked up some serious numbers.

[OlivetNaz]

Galloping Ghost - a few things:

1. It doesn't matter who the QB is for this year's edition of the Illini because they won't get enough time for whatever play is called to develop. One of our top two linemen is out injured, and the other is playing hurt. Three other offensive linemen are playing out of position. The results speak for themselves - our offensive line resembles a piece of swiss cheese on every play with giant holes for the defense to run through all over the place.

2. It doesn't matter who the QB is because most of our receivers appear to have hands made of stone, and lack the innate ability to find the open spots along their route and subtly alter the route to take advantage of those spaces.

3. QB height has no bearing on points 1 and 2, and also has no bearing on the play of the QB. It's not an issue for other shorter QB's, and it hasn't been an issue for Scheelhaase when he isn't scrambling for his life (which is pretty much every play called for our offense right now).

[illinifan4249]

Heading up with a bunch of friends to go to this game so I'm trying to keep positive.
I might as well pick the upset, someone has to right?

Wisconsin - 21
University of Chief Illiniwek- 24

[Ramrod2010]

Like others I will be in the city of Madison for this debacle.

I'm just glad I didn't get tickets for it. The bartenders may become my best friends on Saturday

[Dan]

Wisconsin opens a 12.5-pt favorite over Illinois

http://www.betonline.com/sportsbook

[Hoppy2105]

Originally Posted by Dan

Wisconsin opens a 12.5-pt favorite over Illinois

http://www.betonline.com/sportsbook

I'd take that action in a heartbeat. Even if they sputter out in the 2nd half like they did last night to Nebraska, they will still probably have already put 28 points on us to our 0-7.

Edit: I'm ready for the rough season. 42-14 Wisky.