2018 Prediction Thread
- Status
Illiini
- In the land of the Nittany Lion
I refuse to be pessimistic. Yes, in September everyone has straight A's, but I'm going to drink the Josh Whitman koolaid: Shock the World
2018 Predictions:
5-7, 3-6 Big Ten
- Kent State (W) - First game for the youngest coach in Div. 1. New, up tempo offense without the talent gives the Illini great field position and dims KSU's hopes for an upset.
- Western Illinois (W) - Senior QB doesn't have time with his inexperienced offensive line as WIU crashes and burns.
- South Florida (L) - USF's defense corrals the Illini enought to eke out a win in Soldier Field.
- Penn State (L) - QB McSorley and RB Sanders claw past the defense while the D-line pounces on the O-line as PSU roars to a big win.
- at Rutgers (W) - It's a defensive joust but the Illini find and exploit a chink in Rutgers' defense while their 9th offensive co-ordinator in as many years can't find a QB.
- Purdue (W) - Purdue's inexperienced defense derails, injured QBs lose steam and the Illini roll.
- at Wisconsin (L)- Jonathan Taylor burrows through the Illini defense as Wisconsin shreds the Illini.
- at Maryland (L)- With a solid offense and Tre Watson spearheading the defense, Illini can't break Maryland's shell.
- Minnesota -(W) Minnesota QBs burrow for protection behind a young, inexperienced line and the defense can't save Minnesota from being sunk by the Illini.
- at Nebraska (L)- Poor play by young, inexperienced QBs gives the Illini a kernel of hope, but Nebraska's overall depth and talent combine for a win over the Illini.
- Iowa (L)- Defensive line dominates Illini's thin offensive line as Iowa soars to victory.
- Northwestern (L)- Illini unable to exploit NW's thin secondary as defensive line is unleashed against Illini's depleted O-line.
5-7, 3-6 Big Ten
A strong, realistic take featuring fun wordplay. I appreciate this prediction!
If I were to adjust it at all, I would switch your results between USF and Purdue. I agree that we will have 5 wins heading into the last three games, and then will *likely* come up just short of that elusive sixth win and a bowl bid.
Kent State - W (31-17) - We look good on both sides of the ball in the 2nd half after starting a big sluggish.
Western Illinois - W (28 - 21) - A close snorefest for most of the game.
South Florida - W (24 - 23) - Another tight game where we win on a final drive FG in the 4th.
Penn State - L (17 - 33) - We play very uninspired after having our first good win in quite awhile.
Rutgers - W (34 - 24) - Player respond and we come out swinging, but lose steam a bit in the 2nd half.
Purdue - W (17 - 16) - Both teams look ill prepared, but we hold on with a blocked FG late in the 4th.
Wisconsin - L (22 - 38) - Wisconsin runs wild, we only keep it close by scoring against the 2nd stringers.
Maryland - W (28 - 13) - Team responds well and punches a Maryland team where the wheels have started to come off.
Minnesota - W (24 - 23) - After being bowl eligible we become complacent. MN strikes early and often but we claw back to win.
Nebraska - L (13 - 20) - Tough fought defensive battle with multiple turnovers on both teams.
Iowa - W (27 - 20) - Special teams win this one for us on a PR TD in the 3rd.
Northwestern - W (33 - 27) - Playing to keep NW out of a bowl this year, we return the favor.
Drinking the koolaid pretty hard this year.
Defense is going to be better than last year, which was pretty decent. New OCs typically do well in a new conference first year, so I'm expecting pretty big things. Lots of close victories, and it's our year for lucky breaks.
Western Illinois - W (28 - 21) - A close snorefest for most of the game.
South Florida - W (24 - 23) - Another tight game where we win on a final drive FG in the 4th.
Penn State - L (17 - 33) - We play very uninspired after having our first good win in quite awhile.
Rutgers - W (34 - 24) - Player respond and we come out swinging, but lose steam a bit in the 2nd half.
Purdue - W (17 - 16) - Both teams look ill prepared, but we hold on with a blocked FG late in the 4th.
Wisconsin - L (22 - 38) - Wisconsin runs wild, we only keep it close by scoring against the 2nd stringers.
Maryland - W (28 - 13) - Team responds well and punches a Maryland team where the wheels have started to come off.
Minnesota - W (24 - 23) - After being bowl eligible we become complacent. MN strikes early and often but we claw back to win.
Nebraska - L (13 - 20) - Tough fought defensive battle with multiple turnovers on both teams.
Iowa - W (27 - 20) - Special teams win this one for us on a PR TD in the 3rd.
Northwestern - W (33 - 27) - Playing to keep NW out of a bowl this year, we return the favor.
Drinking the koolaid pretty hard this year.
Defense is going to be better than last year, which was pretty decent. New OCs typically do well in a new conference first year, so I'm expecting pretty big things. Lots of close victories, and it's our year for lucky breaks.
DaChief4ever
- Urbana
4-8....some hope this year...gotta quit reading the NEWS-GAZETTE, every year is the "BIG" year.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
A 6-2 Illinois football team heading for a home game against Minnesota would be a sight for sore eyes.
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mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Kent State (home) - W (1-0)
Western Illinois (home) - W (2-0)
South Florida (neutral) - W (3-0)
Penn State (home) - L (3-1)
WEEK OFF
Rutgers (road) - L (3-2)
Purdue (home) - W (4-2)
Wisconsin (road) - L (4-3)
Maryland (road) - L (4-4)
Minnesota (home) - L (4-5)
Nebraska (road) - L (4-6)
Iowa (home) - L (4-7)
Northwestern - L (4-8)
Could see as little as 3 wins and as many as 6 wins at the extremes.
South Florida seems to be an important early barometer of how good the 2018 team is going to be.
Robert keeps saying we match up terribly with Rutgers, and Illinois has a long streak of losing their first road game, but it's after a week off and they no longer have Kill calling the plays...maybe that's a win?
Purdue's team should be worse than last year's team, so we'll find out how good Brohm really is.
That Minny game seems like the last real chance at a win, but the script of frustrating Illinois fans by allowing Fleck a win in Champaign was too difficult to ignore.
Would love to place a respectable game against Wisconsin.....just once
Would also love to not end the season on such a long losing streak as my prediction. Maybe sneak a win against Iowa and Northwestern as a launch point for the 2019 season?
Western Illinois (home) - W (2-0)
South Florida (neutral) - W (3-0)
Penn State (home) - L (3-1)
WEEK OFF
Rutgers (road) - L (3-2)
Purdue (home) - W (4-2)
Wisconsin (road) - L (4-3)
Maryland (road) - L (4-4)
Minnesota (home) - L (4-5)
Nebraska (road) - L (4-6)
Iowa (home) - L (4-7)
Northwestern - L (4-8)
Could see as little as 3 wins and as many as 6 wins at the extremes.
South Florida seems to be an important early barometer of how good the 2018 team is going to be.
Robert keeps saying we match up terribly with Rutgers, and Illinois has a long streak of losing their first road game, but it's after a week off and they no longer have Kill calling the plays...maybe that's a win?
Purdue's team should be worse than last year's team, so we'll find out how good Brohm really is.
That Minny game seems like the last real chance at a win, but the script of frustrating Illinois fans by allowing Fleck a win in Champaign was too difficult to ignore.
Would love to place a respectable game against Wisconsin.....just once
Would also love to not end the season on such a long losing streak as my prediction. Maybe sneak a win against Iowa and Northwestern as a launch point for the 2019 season?
Illini go 2-0 and start a buzz. Then they let the opponents run the table. Lovie Smith is useless.
Deleted member 4333
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Kent State (home) - W (1-0)-- This one will be tougher than many expect. Kent St returns most of its Offensive and Defensive Production.
Western Illinois (home) - W (2-0)
South Florida (neutral) - W (3-0)-- This is must win to go bowling
Penn State (home) - L (3-1)
WEEK OFF
Rutgers (road) - W (4-1)--Bye week gives us edge
Purdue (home) - L (4-2)
Wisconsin (road) - L (4-3)
Maryland (road) - W (5-3)-- Maryland wasn't much better than us last year, and they return less with a lot of turmoil in program.
Minnesota (home) - W (6-3)
Nebraska (road) - W (7-3)--Sneak one by Huskers before Frost gets it rolling
Iowa (home) - L (7-4)
Northwestern - L (7-5)
Western Illinois (home) - W (2-0)
South Florida (neutral) - W (3-0)-- This is must win to go bowling
Penn State (home) - L (3-1)
WEEK OFF
Rutgers (road) - W (4-1)--Bye week gives us edge
Purdue (home) - L (4-2)
Wisconsin (road) - L (4-3)
Maryland (road) - W (5-3)-- Maryland wasn't much better than us last year, and they return less with a lot of turmoil in program.
Minnesota (home) - W (6-3)
Nebraska (road) - W (7-3)--Sneak one by Huskers before Frost gets it rolling
Iowa (home) - L (7-4)
Northwestern - L (7-5)
Somebody needs to turn that frown upside down!
Martinez wasn't a model HS student as well. Great QB but bad history.
And FWIW, here is the Tribune's Teddy Greenstein's B1G predictions for this season:
East
Michigan State 8-1 (11-1 overall)
Penn State 8-1 (11-1)
Ohio State 7-2 (9-3)
Michigan 6-3 (9-3)
Indiana 3-6 (5-7)
Rutgers 2-7 (5-7)
Maryland 1-8 (2-10)
West
Wisconsin 8-1 (11-1)
Northwestern 6-3 (8-4)
Nebraska 4-5 (7-5)
Iowa 4-5 (6-6)
Purdue 4-5 (6-6)
Minnesota 1-8 (4-8)
Illinois 1-8 (3-9)
I tell you what, I just cannot bring myself to come up with my own predictions. You are all braver than me to do that.
I am just seeing too many unknowns take the field this season. But, overall, I am very optimistic as to the improvement we will see this season.
East
Michigan State 8-1 (11-1 overall)
Penn State 8-1 (11-1)
Ohio State 7-2 (9-3)
Michigan 6-3 (9-3)
Indiana 3-6 (5-7)
Rutgers 2-7 (5-7)
Maryland 1-8 (2-10)
West
Wisconsin 8-1 (11-1)
Northwestern 6-3 (8-4)
Nebraska 4-5 (7-5)
Iowa 4-5 (6-6)
Purdue 4-5 (6-6)
Minnesota 1-8 (4-8)
Illinois 1-8 (3-9)
I tell you what, I just cannot bring myself to come up with my own predictions. You are all braver than me to do that.
I am just seeing too many unknowns take the field this season. But, overall, I am very optimistic as to the improvement we will see this season.
Illinisteve25
- Champaign
6-6
Wins: KSU, West IL, SFU, Rut, PU, Minny
Wins: KSU, West IL, SFU, Rut, PU, Minny
Deleted member 533939
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I don't understand why everyone is so down on the USF game. Obviously, there are tons of transfers and everything, but when I look at recruiting rankings, USF hasn't recruited very well since 2014, and those talented 2014 guys are gone (namely Quinton Flowers).
Team Recruiting Rankings via 247 (Illini vs. USF)
2018: 53 vs. 64
2017: 46 vs. 76
2016: 73 vs. 66
2015: 48 vs. 66
2014: 72 vs. 42
Team Recruiting Rankings via 247 (Illini vs. USF)
2018: 53 vs. 64
2017: 46 vs. 76
2016: 73 vs. 66
2015: 48 vs. 66
2014: 72 vs. 42
We've seen on our team how lower ranked FL recruits like Roundtree and Epstein have shown they were badly underrated. USF has a roster full of those guys.
Plus we dont know if certain players on our side will be suspended. It's a winnable game, but it's probably a toss-up
BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
Also, remember we are still going to be one of the youngest (if not THE youngest) team in college football this season. We are going to be 90% underclassmen as our starters. That's not going to be the case for USF.
That's what makes this year so hard to predict. The talent is there to have a really nice year, but how often does the fresh/soph team really beat the jr/sr team?
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - L
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L
5-7
Purdue and USF will take a step back this year, I think we have just enough to win a couple of close ones. The Rutgers game is probably the next most winnable, but as it's the first true road game, I bet we come up short. The gap is too wide to beat Maryland, even with all of their turmoil. Should be a lot of positive vibes for next year.
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - L
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L
5-7
Purdue and USF will take a step back this year, I think we have just enough to win a couple of close ones. The Rutgers game is probably the next most winnable, but as it's the first true road game, I bet we come up short. The gap is too wide to beat Maryland, even with all of their turmoil. Should be a lot of positive vibes for next year.
0 wins
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
Well, not THAT bad.
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