Bowl Projections

[ChiefGritty]

My buddy who is a Bama fan says their depth isn’t what it normally is but no doubt it’s still very good.

And one would hope NFL draft opt-outs would take more of a bite out of them than us.

Though there does tend to be a pied piper effect with those things and the team leadership and if Milroe's (already ludicrous) first round stock didn't disappear last night, NFL GM's are worse than I thought.

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

If there is a year to play Bama (kind of like playing Michigan this year) - this is it.

I wonder how many teams have beaten Michigan and Alabama in the same season. The pool can’t be that large.

 

[Fuze]

I wonder how many teams have beaten Michigan and Alabama in the same season. The pool can’t be that large.

Without any research, I know of Georgia in 2021 and Ohio State in 2014, and those teams won the national championship.

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

Without any research, I know of Georgia in 2021 and Ohio State in 2014, and those teams won the national championship.

That would be good company to be among.

 

[Dan]

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Illinois vs Alabama

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-week-14-predictions-brett-mcmurphy-college-football-playoff-picks?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=BrettMcMurphy

 

[PasadenaIllini]

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Illinois vs Alabama

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-week-14-predictions-brett-mcmurphy-college-football-playoff-picks?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=BrettMcMurphy

Ugh. Of the possible match ups we could get, it's hard to imagine a tougher one than this.

 

[1m4tr]

Ugh. Of the possible match ups we could get, it's hard to imagine a tougher one than this.

Bama will have opt outs and tons of portal transfers, plus the disappointment of not making the CFP. My buddy the huge Bama fan believes they’ll have at least 10 significant players not be available for that game one way or the other and the line will shrink to Bama -7.

 

[mhuml32]

Ugh. Of the possible match ups we could get, it's hard to imagine a tougher one than this.

We need to get past the brand value of Alabama:

(1) Alabama just got shoved against a team that was ranked 28th in SP+ last week.
(2) Alabama is going to have a bunch of opt-outs because a non-playoff postseason game is not worthwhile for a good chunk of their stars.
(3) Playing in the Citrus Bowl means you will need to play a good team.

I'd much rather play Alabama than similar teams like TAMU, South Carolina because the brand value can be additive for Illinois' narrative. Beating Bama would be a huge story for fans capping off the best season since 2001, recruiting discussions, etc.

 

[Dkayak]

I'd much rather play Alabama than similar teams like TAMU, South Carolina because the brand value can be additive for Illinois' narrative. Beating Bama would be a huge story for fans capping off the best season since 2001, recruiting discussions, etc.

And even hanging tough and close with them like we did with Penn State would be great publicity. Entertaining too.

 

[1m4tr]

We need to get past the brand value of Alabama:

(1) Alabama just got shoved against a team that was ranked 28th in SP+ last week.
(2) Alabama is going to have a bunch of opt-outs because a non-playoff postseason game is not worthwhile for a good chunk of their stars.
(3) Playing in the Citrus Bowl means you will need to play a good team.

I'd much rather play Alabama than similar teams like TAMU, South Carolina because the brand value can be additive for Illinois' narrative. Beating Bama would be a huge story for fans capping off the best season since 2001, recruiting discussions, etc.

Well said!!

 

[1m4tr]

And even hanging tough and close with them like we did with Penn State would be great publicity. Entertaining too.

Yep 100%.

 

[redwingillini11]

College football bowl projections, playoff picks updated in Week 14

Changes at the top of the latest playoff picks and bowl projections.

247sports.com

Citrus Bowl

Projected matchup: Alabama vs. Illinois

College Football Playoff: ESPN predicts 2024 12-team bracket, full bowl slate after Week 13

.

www.on3.com

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Illinois vs. Alabama
Schlabach: Illinois vs. South Carolina

https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/bowl-projections-week-14-cfn-picks-dec-27-jan-4

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl​

Tuesday, December 31
3:00, CBS
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
Last Season: Tennessee 35, Iowa 0
Bowl Projection: Illinois vs Alabama

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

Dec. 31

Citrus

Illinois

vs. Alabama

Big Ten vs. SEC

3 p.m.

College football bowl projections get overhaul with Tennessee, ACC joining playoff

There were some wild results in Week 13 of the college football season that benefited Tennessee and the ACC in this week's bowl projections.

www.usatoday.com

Dec. 31

Citrus

Big Ten vs. SEC

Illinois vs. Alabama

College football bowl projections for Week 14: Is Ohio State-Texas safest CFP title game pick? | Sporting News

The championship games on Dec. 7 will dictate what could be some amazing first-round games in the CFP.

www.sportingnews.com

Dec. 31

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Illinois vs. Alabama

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-week-14-predictions-brett-mcmurphy-college-football-playoff-picks

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Dec. 31 •
Orlando, FL

Alabama
-14.5

Illinois

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/bowl-projections-2024

Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31)​

Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Illinois vs. Alabama

2024 College Football Bowl Projections: Arizona State is CFP Bound

After an incredible Week 13 full of shocks and surprises, our latest College Football Bowl Projections predict the 2024 postseason.

collegefootballnetwork.com

Citrus Bowl
Illinois vs. Texas A&M

 

[GrayGhost77]

If anybody told me before the season we'd be playing Alabama in a New Years Eve bowl game I'd have laughed and called the insane asylum to come take them away.

 

[uiba99]

Dick - say it ain't so! (A reaction to your user name, not name calling.)

What sections are on the west side / BIG TEN?

Also, wait until late December and tickets should be less (and likely much less) on the online resellers (Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, etc.) - assuming the other team isn't close by and gobbles up tickets. When Illinois starts selling tickets, they may be less from the athletic department, too.

The hidden fee of watching at home is missing out on an amazing personal experience. (My son and I will remember the Rutgers win for a long, long time.) If you live in Florida, come to the game!

Go Illini!

I had hoped to swing up to the Rutgers game from DC this weekend but I had to get home to Texas.

I went to the Rose Bowl in January 2008 and haven't regretted it a single moment. I can do trips to major bowls every 17 years...personally. I'd prefer the team do it a little more often.

If we're in Orlando, I'm in Orlando. LOL.

 

[MoCoMdIllini]

Revenge for the Liberty Bowl.

 

[TheodoreRex]

I'm not so sure most of Bama's best players will play in that game (ex: Milroe).

 

[RML]

Iirc, the last time we played Bama it was Bear Bryant's last game.

 

[eas23]

I'm not so sure most of Bama's best players will play in that game (ex: Milroe).

A couple of ours probably won't either.

 

[HereSoIDontGetFined]

We need to get past the brand value of Alabama:

(1) Alabama just got shoved against a team that was ranked 28th in SP+ last week.
(2) Alabama is going to have a bunch of opt-outs because a non-playoff postseason game is not worthwhile for a good chunk of their stars.
(3) Playing in the Citrus Bowl means you will need to play a good team.

I'd much rather play Alabama than similar teams like TAMU, South Carolina because the brand value can be additive for Illinois' narrative. Beating Bama would be a huge story for fans capping off the best season since 2001, recruiting discussions, etc.

Bama is strange this year. That win against Georgia was colossal, much more a blowout than it looked at the final box score. But they've had two pretty inexcusable losses this year (@Vanderbilt and that Sooner skunking) for a supposed top-ten team, while also rolling Wisconsin, Missouri, and LSU. I think they're a team we could beat this year, but it also wouldn't surprise me to see us lose it by 25.

 

[ChiefGritty]

I tend to agree with the idea that an Ole Miss/Texas A&M would be just as likely to destroy us as Bama (all three with their full team would be an easy two-touchdown favorite), but with Bama the opt out/doesn't want to be there factor combined with it being Freakin' Alabama makes them the best risk/reward calculus for us.

 

[BretMyBeachHouse]

A couple of ours probably won't either.

We don't need PB anyway.

 

[IlliniFan42]

In all honesty, does Bama perform any better in our schedule than we did? Guaranteed at least two losses and I figure based on how they've done so far in their schedule, they'd find at least one more.

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

We don't need PB anyway.

Misters Elzy, Beatty & Wilcher , your table is ready

 

[Illini2010-11]

Bama is strange this year. That win against Georgia was colossal, much more a blowout than it looked at the final box score. But they've had two pretty inexcusable losses this year (@Vanderbilt and that Sooner skunking) for a supposed top-ten team, while also rolling Wisconsin, Missouri, and LSU. I think they're a team we could beat this year, but it also wouldn't surprise me to see us lose it by 25.

I think we are seeing what happens when the SEC does not have one or two truly dominant teams. If Texas A&M beats Texas, that would mean that the SEC Championship Game will have at least one team in the game with 3 losses. If Georgia stumbles vs Georgia Tech, there is a scenario where 9-3 Georgia would face off with 9-3 Texas A&M for the SEC Championship. Not what you would expect from a traditional SEC season.

 

[Epsilon]

We need to get past the brand value of Alabama:

(1) Alabama just got shoved against a team that was ranked 28th in SP+ last week.
(2) Alabama is going to have a bunch of opt-outs because a non-playoff postseason game is not worthwhile for a good chunk of their stars.
(3) Playing in the Citrus Bowl means you will need to play a good team.

I'd much rather play Alabama than similar teams like TAMU, South Carolina because the brand value can be additive for Illinois' narrative. Beating Bama would be a huge story for fans capping off the best season since 2001, recruiting discussions, etc.

If we do play and beat Bama we’ll need to troll their fanbase big time, anywhere and everywhere.