2014 Illinois Football Schedule Released

[Dan]

Update, here's the full schedule-




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Original post:

08/30/2014 Youngstown State
09/06/2014 Western Kentucky
09/13/2014 at Washington
09/20/2014 Texas State

The 2014 B1G league schedule should be released this month.

Illinois Finalizes 2014 Football Non-Conference Slate

http://www.fightingillini.com/sports...051513aag.html

[KJKobs]

At first I thought there were 2 FCS games on the non-conference but then remembered that Texas State is now FBS.

Planning on making the trip out to Washington for that game.

[trevdv]

So do wins against FCS opponents count as a victory towards bowl eligibility? I thought I remembered several 6-6 teams over the past couple seasons that were not bowl eligible because they played one FCS team and that win didn't count (in other words they needed 7 wins to play in a bowl game). If so, that would mean we would need seven wins in 2014 to become bowl eligible.

[Warriors1994]

Robert from Alioneye is going nuts on twitter he is so happy with this schedule. Said he has waited 10 yrs for us to schedule like a team trying to build

[GilThorpe]

Originally Posted by trevdv

So do wins against FCS opponents count as a victory towards bowl eligibility? I thought I remembered several 6-6 teams over the past couple seasons that were not bowl eligible because they played one FCS team and that win didn't count (in other words they needed 7 wins to play in a bowl game). If so, that would mean we would need seven wins in 2014 to become bowl eligible.

a victory over one FCS team counts towards the bowl eligility. Thats it. not sure any team in FBS even ever schedules more than one.

[trevdv]

Originally Posted by GilThorpe

a victory over one FCS team counts towards the bowl eligility. Thats it. not sure any team in FBS even ever schedules more than one.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought I remembered a 6-6 team that didn't become bowl eligible, and I was right... the 2010 Arizona State team were 6-6 but were not bowl eligible because they played both Northern Arizona and Portland State (two FCS teams).

[ILLWKU]

Originally Posted by Dan

09/06/2014 Western Kentucky

Uh-Oh

[illinicb]

Originally Posted by Warriors1994

Robert from Alioneye is going nuts on twitter he is so happy with this schedule. Said he has waited 10 yrs for us to schedule like a team trying to build

He's right, but I hate it. They have to try and schedule some wins rather than getting good enough where they can actually beat somebody. It's reality I guess.

[OrangeAndBlue217]

Originally Posted by ILLWKU

Uh-Oh

We shall see where your loyalties are!!

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by illinicb

He's right, but I hate it. They have to try and schedule some wins rather than getting good enough where they can actually beat somebody. It's reality I guess.

It's the reality of how you properly schedule to build a program, yes.

This schedule fits into what I said in the Lunt-transfer thread. 2014 could finally be when we start to climb back to respectability.

[KJKobs]

Originally Posted by AHSIllini32

It's the reality of how you properly schedule to build a program, yes.

This schedule fits into what I said in the Lunt-transfer thread. 2014 could finally be when we start to climb back to respectability.

I agree - Finally we have an AD who understands how to properly schedule non-conference games.

However this new found scheduling approach could be short lived with the changes in 2016 ---- but for now, I'm a fan.

[DrewD007]

Western Kentucky has built up a pretty decent program. Willie Taggart got hired away and now Paul Petrino is there. Hopefully Petrino does well this season and gets hired away before we play them, otherwise it could be a real tight game.

[ILLWKU]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

Western Kentucky has built up a pretty decent program. Willie Taggart got hired away and now Paul Petrino is there. Hopefully Petrino does well this season and gets hired away before we play them, otherwise it could be a real tight game.

Paul Petrino?

Its to early to tell how good each team will be. Petrino is having a huge overhaul of players from last years team Taggart and him run completely different systems. Depends on what kind of recruits he gets. I think with the game being at Illinois and gives the Illini an edge, but definitely a tough "buy" game. Kinda wonder why Illinois would go after WKU especially after they won at UK last year and with Bobby Petrino their now.

[GeorgiaIllini]

Originally Posted by DrewD007

Western Kentucky has built up a pretty decent program. Willie Taggart got hired away and now Paul Petrino is there. Hopefully Petrino does well this season and gets hired away before we play them, otherwise it could be a real tight game.

Wrong Petrino. Bobby Petrino is the new WKU caoch - whiich is a lot more to worry about. Unless he leaves in 1 year, this is a potentially very difficult game.

[scubadunk]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaIllini

Wrong Petrino. Bobby Petrino is the new WKU caoch - whiich is a lot more to worry about. Unless he leaves in 1 year, this is a potentially very difficult game.

Any game Illinois plays right now is a potentially difficult game.

[champaignchris]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaIllini

Unless he leaves in 1 year...

Which, given his history, is a distinct possibility.

[Dan]

3 wins

[troyk]

Without knowing what our exact team looks like, I'd say it is still reasonable to expect 3 wins with that schedule. Maybe beat a Purdue or Northwestern or Minnesota in B1G play and we can be bowl eligible.

I really hope this is the flicker of light at the top of a long, damp well.

[brapp33]

Still going to be harder then Notre Dame. The Irish will not be out done by anyone in the weak schedule dept.

[BobtheBarber2]

That stinks. I suppose when you are so bad you need these kind of "wins" you don't have much faith in the current team or coaches.

We need a miracle to turn this around.

[Warriors1994]

This will help our program, with wins, then when we get better players we schedule better teams in 2016 when we have to. It is not like we are the only ones doing it every school does it

[Dan]

Big Ten will release 2014 conference schedule later today. 2015 schedule not out today but hopefully by June 1.

http://twitter.com/ESPN_BigTen

[SCillini]

Originally Posted by Dan

3 wins

3 likely wins, but will anyone be there to watch theses lousy games after the way 2013 is likely to turn out?

[SCillini]

Originally Posted by brapp33

Still going to be harder then Notre Dame. The Irish will not be out done by anyone in the weak schedule dept.

I'm not an ND fan, but give me a break. ND doesn't have Youngstown St, Texas St., WKU, or any other team that lightly regarded on their schedule.

[blmillini]

Originally Posted by trevdv

Thanks for the clarification. I thought I remembered a 6-6 team that didn't become bowl eligible, and I was right... the 2010 Arizona State team were 6-6 but were not bowl eligible because they played both Northern Arizona and Portland State (two FCS teams).

Arizona State was forced to play 2 FCS schools that year because someone backed out of a game that year and they were unable to schedule anyone else. They petitioned the NCAA for an exception that year due to circumstances but were denied.