We don't live or die by the strip....pick 6s are just fine!
Pregame: Illinois at Michigan State, Saturday, November 9th, 2:30pm CT, FS1
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We don't live or die by the strip....pick 6s are just fine!
Major ouch. Stewart is legit.
Great, this helps and they lost a senior LB to suspension. Shaping up nicely for the Illini!
Yes and no. Losing those player's hurts but they're a deep football team playing hungry and at home off a bye. Playing Purdue in a monsoon without Rondale Moore shapes up nicely for us. This doesn't really shape up nicely for us at all. This is going to be a dog fight.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I apologize if this has been posted, but I'm not reading through seven pages when I think the likelihood is low. 
As many probably know, this is our first three-game win streak in the Big Ten since 2007! During that year we won the following three-game streaks:
W 27-14 at Indiana
W 27-20 vs. #21 Penn State
W 31-26 vs. #5 Wisconsin
W 44-17 at Minnesota
W 28-21 at #1 Ohio State
W 41-22 vs. Northwestern
So, simply looking at that, a win at Michigan State would be our first two-game winning streak on the road in the Big Ten since 2007, as well. However, it would also mean winning four straight Big Ten games ... that has not happened since 2001! We could do something no Illini team has done in EIGHTEEN YEARS on Saturday. For fun, here is the awesome 7-game win streak in the Big Ten the 2001 Illini put together (after a loss at #17 Michigan to start Big Ten play) that likely won't be topped any time soon:
W 32-14 vs. Minnesota
W 35-14 at Indiana
W 42-35 vs. Wisconsin
W 38-13 at #20 Purdue
W 33-28 vs. Penn State
W 34-22 at #25 Ohio State
W 34-28 vs. Northwestern
Let's take it in East Lansing, boys!!
As many probably know, this is our first three-game win streak in the Big Ten since 2007! During that year we won the following three-game streaks:
W 27-14 at Indiana
W 27-20 vs. #21 Penn State
W 31-26 vs. #5 Wisconsin
W 44-17 at Minnesota
W 28-21 at #1 Ohio State
W 41-22 vs. Northwestern
So, simply looking at that, a win at Michigan State would be our first two-game winning streak on the road in the Big Ten since 2007, as well. However, it would also mean winning four straight Big Ten games ... that has not happened since 2001! We could do something no Illini team has done in EIGHTEEN YEARS on Saturday.
For fun, here is the awesome 7-game win streak in the Big Ten the 2001 Illini put together (after a loss at #17 Michigan to start Big Ten play) that likely won't be topped any time soon:W 32-14 vs. Minnesota
W 35-14 at Indiana
W 42-35 vs. Wisconsin
W 38-13 at #20 Purdue
W 33-28 vs. Penn State
W 34-22 at #25 Ohio State
W 34-28 vs. Northwestern
Let's take it in East Lansing, boys!!
Deleted member 654622
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One of the main reasons I believed Lovie would succeed at the college level - College players as a group are not as talented nor mature as NFL players. He got turnovers in the NFL, logically he would produce more in the college game (talent dependent)
They also played PSU after a bye and laid an egg at home. I'm not saying that we are PSU, and I am not saying this won't be tough, but missing 3 key players from a team that has been lifeless so far this season and is looking at a possible coaching change leaves me thinking this is a very possible win. Those saying we can beat Iowa on the road, however, are crazy.
Yeah, PSU is a different beast.
I'm not saying this is an impossible game to win, quite the opposite actually. We can take this game. I feel very strongly that we NEED to take this game. We need a signature road win in this conference. What I am saying, however, is that this is going to be a battle. This isn't a shell of a Purdue team in the rain type matchup. This is going to be tough.
illini80
- Forgottonia
Agree to disagree. We had no pressure or expectations against Wisconsin and they clearly played not to lose IMO. I don’t see that happening against MSU. They need this game if they want to make a bowl. At this point, every game becomes more important.
Go Illini!!
Deleted member 654622
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I hit the like button on your post a little early. After I read the Iowa part, undo
Dude spot on
Of the 3 games left this is number 2 of the winnable games, Mich St has alot of issues going on i do believe this is coach Dantonio last year
We're a 2 TD+ underdog, but we have pressure or expectations here?
Iowa beat Purdue by 6 in Iowa City, so yeah I think it's possible.
You know you can't play that game. Purdue's offense and our offense are substantially different, so it's apples to oranges.
Responding to you and Dude, I guess it has been our luck against Iowa that has me negative. We haven't won in the series since 2008, had the horrible result in 2007, and haven't won in IC since 1999. I just don't see it. That's a team that is going to be more motivated than MSU in my opinion. I certainly want to win this game after last year's embarrassment, but I'm not sold.
Bottom line here is that I don't think we can win against MSU without a balanced attack, and you don't just roll out an effective passing game without building up to it. and it's been atrophying for a couple of weeks now.
I just don't see Coach Rod coming up with a game plan that will take the Spartans off guard, and our offense does not match up well with their D. IF they put 8 in the box, they'll stop us. COLD. If I were them, I'd make them beat me through the air. I'd double Josh I and Navarro, and give the Illini Barker over the middle all day and make him beat us. We pass well to the sidelines, but over the middle not so much.
We can also count on some quick adjustments if we catch them off guard in short order. We need to get to half time for adjustments. They'll adjust quicker. Unless MSU makes a lot of penalties and mistakes resulting in TOs, I don't like our chances here......
I just don't see Coach Rod coming up with a game plan that will take the Spartans off guard, and our offense does not match up well with their D. IF they put 8 in the box, they'll stop us. COLD. If I were them, I'd make them beat me through the air. I'd double Josh I and Navarro, and give the Illini Barker over the middle all day and make him beat us. We pass well to the sidelines, but over the middle not so much.
We can also count on some quick adjustments if we catch them off guard in short order. We need to get to half time for adjustments. They'll adjust quicker. Unless MSU makes a lot of penalties and mistakes resulting in TOs, I don't like our chances here......
Twangers touched on this a bit, but getting our RBs more involved in the passing game is something I wouldn't be surprised to see this week. Couple weeks of very vanilla passing, so lets spice it up and swing some passes out to the RBs.
Deleted member 654622
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I really need to see how we look vs Mich St. before I can make my stand on the Iowa game really. We will be coming off a bye week, have motivation for payback. A little more credibility with their play vs Mich St. will go a long way with me
Deleted member 654622
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I voiced my concerns in the post Rutgers thread about the current strategy of the offense. I believe we became very run dependent the last two weeks basically because we could and still win. Yes Brandon needs as many passing reps as he can. So do our WRs for that matter, Bebe wasn't getting playing time at USC, Casey is a true freshman, Barker is just a sophomore. So we are very green in the passing game all the way around.
However, we also put very little on tape for Mich St. to prepare for which is a plus. Brandon was also able to throw when we needed him the most vs Wisconsin. Especially the quick 3rd down slant to Barker and the TD throw to Bebe.
Despite my concerns listed, I am very confident we will be more balanced in our next two games
8 in the box + 2 on Bebe +2 on Navarro = 12 men on the field. We march down the field in five yard increments.
Yeah, that's a numbers game we'd happily take.
I wouldn't give us the middle of the field either. We win in the middle of the field offensively. You play us the way we played Wisconsin. Man 1 Single High outside, attack the middle of the LOS. Don't let us block 5 with 5. Don't sit back and let Brandon process. Attack Brandon through the A and B and force him into split second decisions.
Same for MSU. Attack Lewerke. That's what my gut tells me anyway.
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