Pregame: Illinois at Minnesota, Saturday, November 4th, 2:30pm CT, BTN

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#26      
Fighter of the Nightman
Can't help but feel this game is essential for momentum of this program now.

1. More obviously, we need six wins to make a bowl, and that means three more out of these:

at Minnesota
vs. Indiana
at Iowa
vs. Northwestern

Even if you assume we show up and beat IU and NU somewhat comfortably, we now need to nab one on the road in either Minneapolis or Iowa City. Given Iowa's defense and their ability to "ugly up" games, I think winning in Minneapolis might be easier, personally (regardless of last weekend's results).

2. Slightly less pressing but still important is that we need to maintain some sort of momentum in reference to Big Ten foes. Last year was a huge step forward, but after some disappointing losses this year, we have the current streaks vs. our Big Ten West rivals:

W2 vs. Minnesota
W2 vs. Northwestern
W1 vs. Iowa
L1 vs. Wisconsin
L1 vs. Nebraska (was W3 before this year :cry: )
L3 vs. Purdue

It would be really nice to be on 3-game winning streaks vs. both Northwestern and Minnesota as we look to climb the pecking order (or at least not lose our currently conquered ground!) in what will soon be a tougher Big Ten.
 
#27      
fatt lacosse
we have some things going for us here:

1. bert has never lost to minnesota
2. bielema as a head coach is 15-2 coming off the bye week if i'm not mistaken
3. the game is on the road, where the Berting Illini are 6-5 against the big ten overall, as opposed to their 4-8 home record against the same
4. our qb is better than theirs. although that hasn't helped us as much as i would have hoped...we need to put him in better situations and not be afraid to throw on early downs. it's not like we're having overwhelming success running early.
 
#30      
Fighter of the Nightman
fatt lacosse said:
we have some things going for us here:

1. bert has never lost to minnesota
2. bielema as a head coach is 15-2 coming off the bye week if i'm not mistaken
3. the game is on the road, where the Berting Illini are 6-5 against the big ten overall, as opposed to their 4-8 home record against the same
4. our qb is better than theirs. although that hasn't helped us as much as i would have hoped...we need to put him in better situations and not be afraid to throw on early downs. it's not like we're having overwhelming success running early.
Click to expand...
Regarding your third point, it isn't just that we have played better on the road ... it seems that the huge wins we need for momentum come on the road, while the deflating losses to rob us of all of that momentum then come at home. :cry: Since 2021, some of these examples simply hurt my heart to review:

2021
A) W at #7 Penn State in NINE overtimes to get back to 3-5 on the season. To make a bowl, we have to win two home games vs. bad Rutgers and Northwestern teams and steal one on the road vs. either Minnesota or Iowa.
B) L vs. Rutgers at home to virtually guarantee we do not make a bowl. The fact that we then went on the road and upset #20 Minnesota the following week made this loss sting even more!

2022
A) W at Nebraska in dominant fashion. Sure, sure - we had already scored big home wins vs. Iowa and Minnesota, but I think it's important to remember our fans were indeed still in wait and see mode (there were 45k or under in attendance for BOTH of those games!!). I maintain it was the win at Nebraska, getting us to 7-1 overall, ranked #16 in the nation and sitting SO in the driver's seat for Indy that drove fan enthusiasm through the roof.
B) L vs. Michigan State in front of our biggest home crowd in 7 years. A win vs. a very bad MSU team would have virtually guaranteed that we go to Indy regardless of what happened vs. Purdue, by the way. Soul crushing.

2023
A) W at Maryland in what was a more stunning upset than many casual fans probably realized. Our young team FINALLY plays a complete game, and we knock off a 5-1 Maryland team that hung with #3 Ohio State for three quarters in Columbus the week before. We get back to 3-4, and - ASSUMING we have turned a corner - a 7+ win season all of a sudden seems incredibly realistic! We even have fringe dreams of 8 wins or even Indy.
B) L vs. Wisconsin in front of by far our biggest home crowd of the season and the biggest one since MSU last season. And we didn't just lose ... we COLLAPSED in a fashion that practically begged the casual fan to conclude, "Yep, same old Illinois football."

On a more positive note, though, it is worth noting that in both 2021 and 2022 there was actually a "Part C" where we bounced back with significantly better play on the road! In 2021, we followed up the Rutgers loss with a suffocating win at #20 Minnesota, and we followed up the twin disasters at home in 2022 vs. MSU and Purdue with perhaps our best effort of the year at #3 Michigan - a game we win without a horrific missed call at the end. So, maybe this road trip to Minnesota is what this team needs. Win this one, and six wins and a bowl is the realistic goal for this season, and we can at least carry some momentum into next year and show the fans that we are not taking a huge step backwards.
 
#32      
I57north
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Regarding your third point, it isn't just that we have played better on the road ... it seems that the huge wins we need for momentum come on the road, while the deflating losses to rob us of all of that momentum then come at home. :cry: Since 2021, some of these examples simply hurt my heart to review:

2021
A) W at #7 Penn State in NINE overtimes to get back to 3-5 on the season. To make a bowl, we have to win two home games vs. bad Rutgers and Northwestern teams and steal one on the road vs. either Minnesota or Iowa.
B) L vs. Rutgers at home to virtually guarantee we do not make a bowl. The fact that we then went on the road and upset #20 Minnesota the following week made this loss sting even more!

2022
A) W at Nebraska in dominant fashion. Sure, sure - we had already scored big home wins vs. Iowa and Minnesota, but I think it's important to remember our fans were indeed still in wait and see mode (there were 45k or under in attendance for BOTH of those games!!). I maintain it was the win at Nebraska, getting us to 7-1 overall, ranked #16 in the nation and sitting SO in the driver's seat for Indy that drove fan enthusiasm through the roof.
B) L vs. Michigan State in front of our biggest home crowd in 7 years. A win vs. a very bad MSU team would have virtually guaranteed that we go to Indy regardless of what happened vs. Purdue, by the way. Soul crushing.

2023
A) W at Maryland in what was a more stunning upset than many casual fans probably realized. Our young team FINALLY plays a complete game, and we knock off a 5-1 Maryland team that hung with #3 Ohio State for three quarters in Columbus the week before. We get back to 3-4, and - ASSUMING we have turned a corner - a 7+ win season all of a sudden seems incredibly realistic! We even have fringe dreams of 8 wins or even Indy.
B) L vs. Wisconsin in front of by far our biggest home crowd of the season and the biggest one since MSU last season. And we didn't just lose ... we COLLAPSED in a fashion that practically begged the casual fan to conclude, "Yep, same old Illinois football."

On a more positive note, though, it is worth noting that in both 2021 and 2022 there was actually a "Part C" where we bounced back with significantly better play on the road! In 2021, we followed up the Rutgers loss with a suffocating win at #20 Minnesota, and we followed up the twin disasters at home in 2022 vs. MSU and Purdue with perhaps our best effort of the year at #3 Michigan - a game we win without a horrific missed call at the end. So, maybe this road trip to Minnesota is what this team needs. Win this one, and six wins and a bowl is the realistic goal for this season, and we can at least carry some momentum into next year and show the fans that we are not taking a huge step backwards.
Click to expand...
No body mentions that Wisconsin had wind advantage in the 4th quarter. We had wind advantage in the 3rd and did not take advantage of that advantage. We scored against the wind in the 2nd quarter which was a huge TD. However, Wisc. was able to crank out the long ball in the 4th quarter thanks to the wind advantage.
 
#33      
GILL-INOIS
I57north said:
No body mentions that Wisconsin had wind advantage in the 4th quarter. We had wind advantage in the 3rd and did not take advantage of that advantage. We scored against the wind in the 2nd quarter which was a huge TD. However, Wisc. was able to crank out the long ball in the 4th quarter thanks to the wind advantage.
Click to expand...
Wind for or against....both the offense and defense collapsed. Offense scored a TD in 3rd quarter to put us up 21-7. The offense became one dimensional and went back to vanilla Lunney Jr ways once up 21-7. From the time we scored with 4:30 left in the 3rd quarter until down 25-21 and ball back with under 30 seconds in game we had no passing yards during that time. Wisconsin played the deep ball first few quarters and then brought pressure later in the game. Illinois never made adjustments on both sides and got outcoached/outplayed.
 
#34      
Roundball Sage
Navy_illini said:
Forget what just happened. Need to play with energy.
Click to expand...

First one, No. Second one, yes.

DON’T forget what happened. Remember it - but don’t fixate on it. Just learn from it. And don’t do it again.

And then... play with eager energy and don’t let what just happened before create negative thinking and bad habits. Winning and losing happens in the pre-game locker room long before the final whistle is blown.

The Illini’s last game and the atmosphere around it had all the trappings of a great win with a great crowd which would become a building block in creating the winning program that Illini Nation craves. Keep that momentum going and don’t let it get away.
 
#35      
Illinivek23
I think we get a healthy Keith back and a driven Johnny in at least the 2H of the Minny game + perhaps Reggie = really like our chances. Can't wait.
 
#36      
1970 John
I was at the game and in the East Balcony as I read it there wasn’t soul-crushing depression but rather disappointment, frustration and anger. No one left early. I also read that the Balconites weren’t ready to give up. I think the stadium will be as full or nearly so as Wisconsin for Indiana. We do need to avenge for a bad call there too.

I hope the bye week let’s get fully healthy to hold off the fools golden goobers I’m holding out for a bowl game. If for nothing else than the extra practice time and the optics of going to a bowl game on recruits.
 
#42      
Illiniam1984
:ROFLMAO:
 

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#47      
Oldskoolkoach
Dan said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1717211336608788503
Click to expand...
Really, the B10/NCAA, whoever made the decision, didn't listen to our appeal? Must've been tied up giving advice to scUM on how to avoid death penalty violations.

How I envision it going when NCAA/B10 office answered the call:
"You're who?"
- Brett Bielema
"Calling from where?"
- Illinois
"Never heard of either, is that near Michigan, or the Ohio State University?"
"If your name was Harbaugh, it never would've been reviewed to give him the targeting, sorry new guy, get better before trying to appeal."
 
#48      
BRucks
Oldskoolkoach said:
Really, the B10/NCAA, whoever made the decision, didn't listen to our appeal? Must've been tied up giving advice to scUM on how to avoid death penalty violations.

How I envision it going when NCAA/B10 office answered the call:
"You're who?"
- Brett Bielema
"Calling from where?"
- Illinois
"Never heard of either, is that near Michigan, or the Ohio State University?"
"If your name was Harbaugh, it never would've been reviewed to give him the targeting, sorry new guy, get better before trying to appeal."
Click to expand...

Seems worse than Newton's hit but the penalty is the same.
 
#49      
Roundball Sage
Oldskoolkoach said:
Really, the B10/NCAA, whoever made the decision, didn't listen to our appeal? Must've been tied up giving advice to scUM on how to avoid death penalty violations.

How I envision it going when NCAA/B10 office answered the call:
"You're who?"
- Brett Bielema
"Calling from where?"
- Illinois
"Never heard of either, is that near Michigan, or the Ohio State University?"
"If your name was Harbaugh, it never would've been reviewed to give him the targeting, sorry new guy, get better before trying to appeal."
Click to expand...

Here's the Expanded Version of that conversation just transcribed by an unpaid NCAA Intern...

‘Look, Coach... Bull..uh... What did you say your name was again? Never mind. It’s not important. If you’re going to be a Coach in this Conference there’s a few things you have to learn. And Pronto.

First, you NEVER EVER question a decision that our referees make on the field. And you certainly never question anything that comes out of THIS office. In other words, stay in your lane and know your place and we’ll get along just fine.

Second... there’s something you have to understand about major college football. We are a revenue-generating honeypot. We’ve all in this for just one reason. And I just told you what that is.

SO, you have to accept that the SAME Major College programs ALWAYS have to get the very best players in America and be in the Top Ten and always have to be protected by us and always have to be on Television – and preferably always playing at home to ease their way to victories against defenseless opponents. This insures gaudy won-loss records and huge TV ratings and keeps the advertisers happy along with the TV Nets. And when all They are happy, WE are happy. Got it?

Next, if you’re wondering who these Favored Programs are -- then I wonder if you should even be in this business. But if I HAVE to spell it out for you... it’s Michigan, ‘THEE’ (Whose Name Shall Not Be Uttered), Pennsylvania State, Alabama, Notre Dame, USC, Oklahoma, Georgia, LSU, and sometimes Florida State and Texas if we feel like it. Maybe Oregon if we want to keep a big advertiser happy.

Wisconsin kind of hangs around but we don’t pay really any attention to the likes of them. In fact, outside of Notre Dame... we really don’t care about the Midwest AT ALL. It was damned annoying when Nebraska was winning because everyone always thought they played in overalls and had toothpicks sticking out of their helmets. Bad for ratings and not looking cool. And what the hell is a Corn-Duster anyway?

So, pal... I’m tryin’ to help you here. I don’t know where you’re from... some place West of South Bend they tell me... but if you want to hang around for a while you’ll have to REALLY know what the score is around here.

We’ve got a good thing going here and we don’t want anybody giving us lip or making waves to screw things up!... Got it?’
 
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