Illinois vs Nebraska in Dublin, Ireland (Aug. 28th, 2021)

#28      
"Get ready for an unforgettable experience in Dublin "

This shows we will no longer settle for forgettable losses!
 
#30      

Deleted member 19448

D
Guest
I'm thinking this go over like a lead balloon on the Nebraska side also... unless there is a large Irish heritage there that I am otherwise unaware of. This is just odd. Now we can play in front of a 1/2 full stadium & get wrecked on another continent.
 
#31      

KrushCow31

Former Krush Cow
Chicago, IL
I think this is really cool. Two teams a year are playing in Ireland for the next 6 years. Next season is Notre Dame and Navy and now it's Illinois next.
 
#32      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
Here's the home slate for 2021 now:

UTSA
Maryland
Charlotte
Wisconsin
Rutgers
Northwestern

HarmoniousVengefulIberianchiffchaff-size_restricted.gif
 
#33      
I have this other hare-brained scheme for DIA money-making. Lean in a bit, because I don't want just anyone to be able to hear it.

You ready?



Here it is.






Field a winning team.

I never got the harping on this ... everyone wants that, and it should be first priority, but this could be a nice gimmick for people to see Illinois in a national spotlight. I don’t think you schedule this game with the mindset, “We’re 2-4 and hopeless (both true), you have to schedule it with the mindset that our replacement for Lovie - a diamond in the rough boy wonder from the MAC that we got epically lucky on - had a surprisingly promising first year and has some nice recruits coming in and this game might be his program’s coming out party.

I am always sympathetic to the argument about giving up home games, but ADs have to look at the side aspects of their jobs (i.e., the parts aside from “hire winning coaches) with the assumption we’ll be better in a few years ... even if we won’t.
 
#35      

Dan

Admin
It's really only 5 home games in 2021 because Thanksgiving Saturday doesn't count :)
 
#36      
We're taking one for the team (BIG). Sucks bigly, IMO.

IMO there has to be another shoe to drop. We've got to be getting something in exchange for this from the B1G or someone else. No way Whitman would do this as a one-off. He cancelled the Soldier Field game against Northwestern; this is an even bigger version of that mess.
 
#37      

sacraig

The desert
I feel bad for the Irish having to watch what I assume will be a trainwreck of a game.
 
#39      
I'm thinking this go over like a lead balloon on the Nebraska side also... unless there is a large Irish heritage there that I am otherwise unaware of. This is just odd. Now we can play in front of a 1/2 full stadium & get wrecked on another continent.
You know you don't have to be Irish to go to Ireland, right?
 
#40      
I know these type of trips (to Maui, Italy, etc.) have to help in basketball recruiting, they certainly can't hurt. I wonder if this can possibly be a good selling point to recruits and provide a boost for our new coach.
 
#46      
This was originally a home Illinois game on Nov. 13th 2021.

So, like in 2018 with the week 3 USF game, Illinois has yet again under AD Whitman given up a potentially great game at home.

With Illinois Football, the best way to boost the excitement around this program is to have great moments at home. A fun week of buildup to a huge home game, followed by (I know, I know, bear with me here) a great outcome. In order to achieve this, you just need to keep the schedule simple, nothing fancy.

I don't agree with moving potentially great home games away from home. Illinois Football doesn't need to be involved in silly gimmicky overseas promotions. Go Illini

How would you feel if you paid $60k/yr. for a luxury box?
 
#47      
Just like his hero, St. Guenther, Josh Wonder Boy Whitman is giving up a home game to play in a "neutral" site. What a joke. 6 home games in 2021, two of the first three games that season are on the road. The Champaign Chamber of Commerce should burn down the DIA.
Note that Moos didn't give up a home game. They'd have run him out of Lincoln.
 
#49      
IMO there has to be another shoe to drop. We've got to be getting something in exchange for this from the B1G or someone else. No way Whitman would do this as a one-off. He cancelled the Soldier Field game against Northwestern; this is an even bigger version of that mess.

Here is what I have heard from DIA sources.
1) This is a big recruiting tool. Every other sport has the chance to do international trips and football is beginning to do this. 2) The payday for this game will be more than we get from ticket sales at a home game. 3) We have a five-game B1G schedule that year. The Week 0 game allows us two bye weeks that year, when everyone else gets one.