Here's my prediction: I'm feeling a 34-24 NC win, but the score will look worse than it will be. We'll only be down by 3 late in the 4th, but NC will seal the deal with a long, time-consuming TD drive.
We'll look back and be disappointing in a loss that will really sting, but we'll realize we mainly lost because of depth, and we'll all come away realizing how much better this team is coached and prepared for big time games than previous years. We will actually ride the momentum of a "good loss" and go 4-0 the next 4 games. We'll storm into B1G play and shock some teams with our excellent game play... before being reminded by Michigan who the big boys in the conference really are.
In Michigan, we will leave beaten. It won't be as close ans UNC, but it won't be ugly. We'll never be in it, but we'll never give up. Instead, we learn a lot about ourselves as players and coaches, and what we need to do to get to the next level.
And so, after the loss to Michigan, the team will get even hungrier to show the country that while we're not in the elites yet, we're making huge strides. We'll take our vengeance out on Minnesota and thrash them and continue by dominating MSU to begin what future generations will refer to as "the day we knew the program turned around".
The game in Wisconsin will be the game that really starts to turn people's heads. On the road, in a nasty atmosphere, in awful cold rainy weather, the defense that has trained so hard and practiced so long, shuts out the Wisconsin offense. We'll already be ranked by this point, but this win puts us into the top 15. The nation will begin to talk about "the Lovie effect".
The next two games will have Illinois favored. People will be afraid to bet against the Illini, and Vegas will share in their fear. Being 9.5 point favorites against Iowa and double-digit favorites against Northwestern prove to be the folly of those that bet against the spread. Iowa is left dumbfounded after 60 minutes of physical game play, and Northwestern is reminded why the Illini is Illinois' team. For the first time in history, the Illini will play in the B1G championship game.
The fans will be excited regardless of the outcome, but nervous because as fate would have it, Michigan brings their #1 rated, 12-0 team to the championship as well. But, you see... the Lovie-led Illini have learned. They will have matured. They're like animals adapting in a survival of the fittest environment, and they intend to survive.
Illinois will be down by 3 late in the 4th quarter. But this isn't the same team that lost to UNC in Week #2. This isn't the same team that lost to Michigan 5 games later. This won't be the same team that dropped passes all year last year... that allowed big plays at in opportune times... that had games with more personal foul yards than yards from scrimmage...
No... THIS team is the team that is lead by a man who has been to two Super Bowls and has won the NFL Coach of the Year... THIS is the team that is lead by a coaching staff with more NFL experience than any other in Division I... THIS is the team that is ready to say WE WILL WIN, and do it.
That night, when the Illini are crowned B1G champions, and the they're out celebrating, and the fans are celebrating, and the nation is celebrating, and college football is left with a decision to make about the playoffs, remember this...
It all started with a 34-24 loss to North Carolina. Because in week #2, it's not whether you win or lose... it's what you do afterwards with the results.
Or, maybe I'm just getting too specific in my prediction...
