Week 1 Games

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#51      
kmunt09
WhereDoWeStandWithStorr? said:
Always preferably root against the teams on your schedule (unless for standings/playoff/ranking purposes). You want the easiest possible path. For instance - much rather play Wisconsin as a 3 win team vs a 7 win team.

I do not wish to see OSU look like an outright juggernaut and unbeatable.
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I think if they win this week, they'll jump Penn State and be AP #1.

I like the idea of AP #1 coming into town on Oct. 11; but I get your line of thinking.
 
#52      
Illini2010-11
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
I think UCLA starts 6-1.
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That is a definite bold prediction. Per ESPN's matchup predictor as of this morning:

Odds to win:
Game 1: vs Utah - 52.1%
Game 2: @ UNLV - 51.5%
Game 3: vs New Mexico - 90.7%
Game 4: @ Northwestern - 49.3%
Game 5: vs Penn State - 18.0%
Game 6: @ Michigan State - 45.4%
Game 7: vs Maryland - 69.9%

That is about 4 coin flip games that they would need to win to get to 6-1 (assuming they handle the games where they will be heavily favored). I think the odds of them starting 2-5 are close to the same as starting 6-1.
 
#53      
illinoisfootball
Other Illinois FB Programs 2025

Starting this thread to following other state schools if anyone has an interest...NIU, ISU,WIU,EIU,SIU

I'm only going to post on EIU as I have connections to it.
 
#54      
illinoisfootball

EIU Football Hosts Dayton For Season Opener​


eiupanthers.com

EIU Football Hosts Dayton For Season Opener - Eastern Illinois University Athletics

EIU Football Season Opener vs Dayton
eiupanthers.com eiupanthers.com

Eastern Illinois vs. Dayton
O'Brien Field (10,000) • Charleston, Ill.
August 28, 2025 • 6 pm • TV: ESPN+
NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois opens the 2025 season on Thursday, August 28 as the Panthers host Dayton in the return game of the home-and-home series between the two schools. EIU played at Dayton during the 2021 season. The Panthers are coming off a 3-9 season including a 2-6 record in the OVC-Big South, just one season removed from an 8-3 record and end of season FCS Coaches Poll Top 25 ranking. Dayton comes into the 2025 season after going 6-5 last season including a 4-4 record in Pioneer Football League play.

• Cooper Willman returns as one of the top players in the OVC-Big South as the graduate wide receiver was named the Offensive Preseason Player of the Year by Lindy's Sports. Willman also added fourth team preseason All-America honors by Phil Steele. Last season he was a first team All-OVC/Big South selection at both wide receiver and all-purpose player. Willman ended the season with 66 receptions for 955 yards and eight touchdowns while also serving as the team's punt returner and kickoff return specialist late in the year. His breakout game came at Gardner-Webb as he set the school record with 291 yards receiving on 11 receptions with three touchdowns. Willman is currently 19th on the Panthers all-time receiving yards list with 1,335 yards.

• Eastern Illinois brought in a slew of new faces during the off-season with a mixture of four-year transfers, junior college transfers and high school freshmen. In total, EIU has 53 new faces on the Panthers roster this season which accounts for nearly 50 percent of the Panthers 109 man total roster. Of the 56 returning players for EIU only 17 have ever started a game in an EIU uniform.

• Wisconsin transfer Cole LaCrue has been named the Panthers starting quarterback for the season opener
against Dayton. LaCrue won the job after a fall camp battle with Blainey Dowling and Connor Wolf. LaCrue was
a two-year member of the Badgers program redshirting the 2023 season before not appearing in any games last
season. His last on-field action was in 2022 at Broomfield HS in Colorado where he was a 3-star recruit passing
for more than 2,600 yards as a senior. EIU’s last transfer quarterback that started their career at Wisconsin was
Matt Schabert who passed for 2,153 yards and 15 touchdowns as the starter during the 2004 season
 
#57      
Fighter of the Nightman
For those who are on #TeamRankingsMatter, our Illini are ranked #12 and these are the games of the teams ranked above us this week:

Northern Arizona at #11 Arizona State
#8 Alabama at Florida State
Montana State at #7 Oregon
Marshall at #5 Georgia
#9 LSU at #4 Clemson
Nevada at #2 Penn State
#1 Texas at #3 Ohio State

Assuming no Earth-shattering upsets, the only teams that are in danger of starting off 0-1 are # 9 LSU, #8 Alabama, #4 Clemson, #3 Ohio State and #1 Texas. I don't see any scenario where we jump any of Clemson/OSU/Texas regardless of results. LSU would really have to get stomped at Clemson for them to drop below us, as that is a VERY tough Week One game. I actually think our best chance at leapfrogging someone is #8 Alabama if FSU just takes it to them. FSU still has a bit of that negative perception from last season's disaster, and Alabama at #8 is totally off of presumed talent (let's remember they lost to unranked, 7-win Michigan to end the year last year ... so voters might be quicker to assume they're materially overrated if they get smoked in Tallahassee.

Overall, though, I think we will have to score a win in Duke to improve our already great ranking. Speaking of Duke, it looks like it would take a minor miracle for them to sneak into the top 25 before we play them. They're currently the 16th team in the RV category (so #41 overall), and most of the teams in front of them are very unlikely to lose.

So pumped to get this season started!!
 
#58      
Illiniguy74
illinoisfootball said:

EIU Football Hosts Dayton For Season Opener​


eiupanthers.com

EIU Football Hosts Dayton For Season Opener - Eastern Illinois University Athletics

EIU Football Season Opener vs Dayton
eiupanthers.com eiupanthers.com

Eastern Illinois vs. Dayton
O'Brien Field (10,000) • Charleston, Ill.
August 28, 2025 • 6 pm • TV: ESPN+
NOTES TO KNOW
• Eastern Illinois opens the 2025 season on Thursday, August 28 as the Panthers host Dayton in the return game of the home-and-home series between the two schools. EIU played at Dayton during the 2021 season. The Panthers are coming off a 3-9 season including a 2-6 record in the OVC-Big South, just one season removed from an 8-3 record and end of season FCS Coaches Poll Top 25 ranking. Dayton comes into the 2025 season after going 6-5 last season including a 4-4 record in Pioneer Football League play.

• Cooper Willman returns as one of the top players in the OVC-Big South as the graduate wide receiver was named the Offensive Preseason Player of the Year by Lindy's Sports. Willman also added fourth team preseason All-America honors by Phil Steele. Last season he was a first team All-OVC/Big South selection at both wide receiver and all-purpose player. Willman ended the season with 66 receptions for 955 yards and eight touchdowns while also serving as the team's punt returner and kickoff return specialist late in the year. His breakout game came at Gardner-Webb as he set the school record with 291 yards receiving on 11 receptions with three touchdowns. Willman is currently 19th on the Panthers all-time receiving yards list with 1,335 yards.

• Eastern Illinois brought in a slew of new faces during the off-season with a mixture of four-year transfers, junior college transfers and high school freshmen. In total, EIU has 53 new faces on the Panthers roster this season which accounts for nearly 50 percent of the Panthers 109 man total roster. Of the 56 returning players for EIU only 17 have ever started a game in an EIU uniform.

• Wisconsin transfer Cole LaCrue has been named the Panthers starting quarterback for the season opener
against Dayton. LaCrue won the job after a fall camp battle with Blainey Dowling and Connor Wolf. LaCrue was
a two-year member of the Badgers program redshirting the 2023 season before not appearing in any games last
season. His last on-field action was in 2022 at Broomfield HS in Colorado where he was a 3-star recruit passing
for more than 2,600 yards as a senior. EIU’s last transfer quarterback that started their career at Wisconsin was
Matt Schabert who passed for 2,153 yards and 15 touchdowns as the starter during the 2004 season
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My wife is a EIU alumna. I'll pass along your post info. Thanks in advance.
 
#63      
Mr. Tibbs
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it’s the Biden Bowl tonite
 
#66      
jrichisamazing
Ander1345 said:
Nah I hope Cincinatti upsets Mahomes Jr.
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It's always entertaining seeing Nebraska fans go full meltdown. But I think they make a statement tonight, winning 31-10.

I actually think they start the year 6-0 and everybody starts hyping them up to make the playoffs, only for them to crumble down the stretch.
 
#71      
Ander1345
Chillinini said:
The Tim Beckman coaching tree still standing with Alex Golesh and USF going against 25th ranked Boise State.

Let’s get some lasagna!
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He barely counts. He was here for 1 year and knew when it was time get out. Definitely more in the Heupel or Campbell tree.
 
#73      
jamarvelous31
I don't see Ohio stopping them at all this game, but Ohio is also driving on them

7:7 in the 1st.
 
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