OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
My dad and I still call it the Weed Eater Bowl. Rolls off the tongue much better.
Bowl Projections
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PizzaHutParkingLot
- Vodice, Croatia
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I do believe you mean cheezy.
UNLV projected to the championship bracket as a 12 seed after their QB quit? They just lost to Syracuse.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Some non-power 4 team needs that spot. I tend to think it is trending toward Boise State, but UNLV is still in it.
Does JMU have a chance if they win out and win the Sun Belt? Just askin.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I think they would have had to go undefeated. They had an impressive win @North Carolina, but I do not think the committee would look kindly to the loss @UL-Monroe. Boise State has the inside track if they win out (especially since they have another high profile opportunity against Oregon State at end of regular season and only loss is by 3 @Oregon, along with a dominating win over Washington State), IMO. I honestly think a 2-loss Boise State team would have a better resume than a 1-loss JMU team.
And a legit Heisman candidate. That won't hurt.
Dan
Admin
Illinois vs Virginia
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Jan. 3, Charlotte, NC
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Jan. 3, Charlotte, NC
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
From MicronPC.com to Duke's Mayo in 25 years. There's an academic paper on the American economy in there somewhere.
Let's go get the same result.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
It's so interesting to see my aspirations ebb and flow as an Illini fan each week, haha. On one hand, yes ... we have sucked forever, and even a 6-win-type bowl is very important for this program. On the other hand ... I'm so damn eager to be legitimately good that when there is even any "on-paper hope" (e.g., being ranked in the top 25 and 5-1), I find it easy to get cautiously greedy.
Even with the Purdue disaster, this is our remaining schedule by current Big Ten standing spot. In order to get some more rankings in there, I separated teams a spot by overall record (e.g., us at #4 and Michigan a spot below because we are 5-1 and they're 4-2).
[Illini are #4 at 5-1, 2-1]
vs. #7 Michigan (4-2, 2-1)
at #1 Oregon (6-0, 3-0)
vs. #10 Minnesota (4-3, 2-2)
vs. #13 Michigan State (3-3, 1-2)
at #12 Rutgers (4-2, 1-2)
vs. #13 Northwestern (3-3, 1-2) at Wrigley
Regardless of past struggles or the jumbled mess that is the Big Ten, I maintain that fewer than 7 wins would be very disappointing at this point. All that requires is that we beat MSU at home and keep our pride in tact by beating Northwestern at Wrigley.
I also think it's reasonable to expect a loss to Oregon (making our literal, absolute ceiling 10-2), and it sounds like folks are pessimistic about Michigan. So, I would consider 9-3 above a huge, historic success.
THUS, I feel like 7-5 is a very realistic goal, and 8-4 still means we are having an epically successful season for this program. That's a surprisingly tight range, but hey ... we're 5-1.
Even with the Purdue disaster, this is our remaining schedule by current Big Ten standing spot. In order to get some more rankings in there, I separated teams a spot by overall record (e.g., us at #4 and Michigan a spot below because we are 5-1 and they're 4-2).
[Illini are #4 at 5-1, 2-1]
vs. #7 Michigan (4-2, 2-1)
at #1 Oregon (6-0, 3-0)
vs. #10 Minnesota (4-3, 2-2)
vs. #13 Michigan State (3-3, 1-2)
at #12 Rutgers (4-2, 1-2)
vs. #13 Northwestern (3-3, 1-2) at Wrigley
Regardless of past struggles or the jumbled mess that is the Big Ten, I maintain that fewer than 7 wins would be very disappointing at this point. All that requires is that we beat MSU at home and keep our pride in tact by beating Northwestern at Wrigley.
I also think it's reasonable to expect a loss to Oregon (making our literal, absolute ceiling 10-2), and it sounds like folks are pessimistic about Michigan. So, I would consider 9-3 above a huge, historic success.
THUS, I feel like 7-5 is a very realistic goal, and 8-4 still means we are having an epically successful season for this program. That's a surprisingly tight range, but hey ... we're 5-1.
Both of the ESPN.com bowl projection writers have us playing in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl against either Virginia Tech or Syracuse.
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Tech please. 3.5 hours of trying to figure out who's who on two orange and blue teams is too much.
Not that orange & maroon is much better, but a little.
At Oregon does not seem like possible win. I just witnessed Purdue run roughshod over the D, not sure what should make us think Oregon can't do that at will.
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
If Cuse v. Illinois happens, break out the leather helmet jerseys again.
As much I want to believe we could hang with Oregon, they are much, much, much better and much, much, much faster than Penn State.
Beat Michigan with a last-second field goal, take our lumps in Eugene, and close out the season strong.
everything old is new again
Let's get one more win first. After Saturday.....I just want to lock our eligibility down.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- Batavia
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Jan. 3 •
Charlotte, NC
Virginia
Illinois
-4.5
College Football Bowl Projections 2025-26
CBS Sports experts select the college football teams they believe will make the NCAA National Semifinals at the end of the 2025 season and give projections for each game.
www.cbssports.com
| Jan. 3 | Duke's Mayo |  Virginia Tech | vs. Illinois | ACC vs. SEC | 7:30 p.m. | Charlotte |
College football bowl projections evolve entering Week 8: Texas, Oregon make playoff statements
The latest playoff and bowl picks are in.
247sports.com
Projection: Illinois vs. Virginia Tech
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Thursday, December 265:30, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Big 12
Last Season: Kansas 49, UNLV 36
Bowl Projection: Illinois vs Arizona State
Bowl projections: Is Boise State in running for first-round playoff bye?
While Oregon and Penn State posted key Big Ten wins, we wonder if the Broncos have a case as a top-four seed.
TransPerfect Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN): Illinois vs. LSU
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (New York, NY): Virginia Tech vs. Illinois or Syracuse vs. Illinois
Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SECProjection: Missouri vs. Illinois
AyoDos11
- Southern Illinois
If we do hit our ceiling of 10-2, we would have a 47% chance of making the Playoffs according to this site I just found (98% if we win out). Also, if you click on Illinois, it gives the current chance of finishing in each place in the Big Ten standings. We are most likely to finish 5th with 11% probability. There's a 9% probability of making the conference championship game.
Y’all do know that Bret’s not going to Eugene just to lose, right?
FWIW, there was a Citrus Bowl rep at the game on Saturday. Saw him by the south tunnel before the band came out for pregame taking photos of seemingly anything and everything from the band in the tunnel, to the crowd 25 minutes before kickoff to the canon/bell in the SE corner. I have absolutely no idea what his presence actually means beyond many projections having us there during the back half of September. What I do know is that Reliaquest reps were at a lot of games in 2022.
As for the projections, I think besides the Citrus Bowl, Music City has the most potential as a fun trip for fans, the team, band etc. I know it's similar to Reliaquest in regards to festivities around the game (stuff going on as early as 5 days before rather than the typical 1-2 days for most bowls). The prospect of seeing Bielema getting dumped with mayo if we were to go and win the Mayo Bowl does sound rather entertaining. Personally not looking for the playoffs just because I know the timing of that would be far less fun of a trip than a bowl game, as unimportant as they may be. CFP would be great for the program, but it's not what we need right now nor is it an expectation to really have anyways. I'd go Citrus, Music City, and Duke's Mayo as the top 3 I'd like to see us at, record willing. Reliaquest would be fun again, but I'm not 100% sure if we can go (unsure if we can't go 2 years in a row or 2 bowl trips in a row). Would happily repeat that trip tho.
As for the projections, I think besides the Citrus Bowl, Music City has the most potential as a fun trip for fans, the team, band etc. I know it's similar to Reliaquest in regards to festivities around the game (stuff going on as early as 5 days before rather than the typical 1-2 days for most bowls). The prospect of seeing Bielema getting dumped with mayo if we were to go and win the Mayo Bowl does sound rather entertaining. Personally not looking for the playoffs just because I know the timing of that would be far less fun of a trip than a bowl game, as unimportant as they may be. CFP would be great for the program, but it's not what we need right now nor is it an expectation to really have anyways. I'd go Citrus, Music City, and Duke's Mayo as the top 3 I'd like to see us at, record willing. Reliaquest would be fun again, but I'm not 100% sure if we can go (unsure if we can't go 2 years in a row or 2 bowl trips in a row). Would happily repeat that trip tho.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I would rather have the slimmest chance of winning a championship than a glorified exhibition game where there will be opt outs...but that is just me.
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With where the program is at at this point, I'd feel better with the team being in a bowl game (meaningless or not) than potentially getting boat raced in a playoff game.
I would rather have the slimmest chance of winning a championship than a glorified exhibition game where there will be opt outs...but that is just me.
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