Bowls/Playoff & Polls Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1      

Dan

Dan
Admin
Dan
Welcome to the Bowls/Playoff Projections & Polls Thread

Big Ten Bowl Tie-Ins

- Las Vegas Bowl vs former Pac-12 (Wed, Dec 31, 2:30pm CT, ESPN)
- Citrus Bowl vs SEC, Orlando (Wed, Dec 31, 2:00pm CT, ABC)
- ReliaQuest Bowl vs SEC, Tampa (Wed, Dec 31, 11:00am CT, ESPN)
- Music City Bowl vs SEC, Nashville (Tue, Dec 30, 4:30pm CT, ESPN)
- Pinstripe Bowl vs ACC, Bronx (Sat, Dec 27, 11:00am CT, ABC)
- Rate Bowl vs B12, Phoenix (Fri, Dec 26, 3:30pm CT, ESPN)
- GameAbove Sports Bowl vs MAC, Detroit (Fri, Dec 26, 12:00pm CT, ESPN)

(Former Pac-12 teams are eligible for former Pac-12 bowls.)
 
#2      
Mr. Tibbs
crap
I think the loss knocks us out of Nashville . and I’m gonna be there that day anyway :(
 
#4      
Illini2010-11
Mr. Tibbs said:
crap
I think the loss knocks us out of Nashville . and I’m gonna be there that day anyway :(
Click to expand...
Given the Pac 12 tie ins, if the Illini beat NW, then I think the Illini will have a great chance of being selected for Music City Bowl. I think Las Vegas Bowl will also be an option.

The loss does all but close a Florida bowl game, as the winner of Iowa/Nebraska will likely go there. However, the loser will have 5 losses. I guess a 7-5 Nebraska team could get selected over Illinois.

We should also root for Rutgers to beat Penn State. For some reason, a 6-6 PSU team will still get a strong push.

Quite simply though, the Illini need to beat NW, otherwise, we could slip pretty far down the pecking order. The loss last night really hurt.
 
#5      
DERV64
Say we do get a bowl game with an SEC team? What 8/9 win SEC team do we have the best chance to not get blown out by? Mizzou?
 
#6      
Illini2010-11
DERV64 said:
Say we do get a bowl game with an SEC team? What 8/9 win SEC team do we have the best chance to not get blown out by? Mizzou?
Click to expand...
It is so hard to gauge. Bowl games are a crap shoot with the opt outs. I feel better knowing that Lunney will have a month to add wrinkles to the offense. We will need that if the line continues to struggle. The defense is a whole different story.

At this point, I simply want to avoid the potential embarrassment of losing to a mid-major school. I couldn't care less who we see from the SEC.
 
#7      
Oracle21
Michgan
USC
Washington
Nebraska/Iowa winner

I see those 4 teams being picked above Illinois for the most prestigious bowls (Citrus,Reliaquest, Music City, Las Vegas).

So I think after that Illinois will be playing in Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl assuming they beat NW.
 
#8      
Illiniam1984
Oracle21 said:
Michgan
USC
Washington
Nebraska/Iowa winner

I see those 4 teams being picked above Illinois for the most prestigious bowls (Citrus,Reliaquest, Music City, Las Vegas).

So I think after that Illinois will be playing in Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl assuming they beat NW.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily…USC and Washington still qualify for the former Pac-12 bowls.
 
Last edited:
#9      
Mr. Tibbs
gotta hope the west coast teams opt for bowls out there .

bowl tie ins will change bext year anyway to reflect that . you really need to have lower level bowls that the fanbase can drive to should they desire that
 
#10      
gibb52
If Mich beats OSU they might be CFP. If not I'd say they would be Citrus. Iowa stands a VG chance of winning at Nebby since the Huskers are down at QB. If so they would likely be Reliaquest. Assuming we beat NW (big assumption) we'd be Music City or Vegas. USC and Udub are likely headed for Pac12 tie ins so that helps us. Of course it would be great if we help ourselves. At 8-4 we would be in great shape for one of those 2. At 7-5 not so much and off we would go to NYC or somewhere else in the unexplored bowl frontier.
 
#12      
BoiseBaller
Oracle21 said:
Michgan
USC
Washington
Nebraska/Iowa winner

I see those 4 teams being picked above Illinois for the most prestigious bowls (Citrus,Reliaquest, Music City, Las Vegas).

So I think after that Illinois will be playing in Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl assuming they beat NW.
Click to expand...
This was the new projection this morning.
 
#14      
illini80
We’ve got to win a game before I even begin to worry about bowl games again. Honestly thought we deserved to be a top 25 team last week. I was very wrong.😑 I just hope we don’t end up in Detroit.
 
#17      
redwingillini11
Oracle21 said:
Athlon projects:

Illinois vs Wake Forest in Pinstripe. I think if it’s that game there’s two positives. One it’s on a Saturday. And two Yankee stadium is a different venue than typical

Click to expand...
IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
ESPN.com projections as of today:

-Bonagura: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Kentucky
-Schlabach: Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pitt
Click to expand...
Dan said:
Illinois vs LSU (Music City Bowl)

The Athletic
Click to expand...
www.cbssports.com

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 www.cbssports.com
Dec. 31ReliaQuest
team logo

Illinois		vs.
team logo

Vanderbilt		Big Ten vs. SECNoonTampa, Fla.

www.usatoday.com

College football bowl projections break down CFP race and entire postseason before Week 14

What does the College Football Playoff and entire postseason picture look like entering Week 14? We break it down in our bowl projections.
www.usatoday.com

Dec. 30
Music City
SEC vs. Big Ten
Missouri vs. Illinois

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl​

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
3:30, ESPN
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Former Pac-12
Last Season: USC 35, Texas A&M 31

Projection: Illinois vs Utah

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

SEC Bowl Projections after Week 13: Where each team stands before Rivalry Week

Where does each SEC team stand ahead of the final week of the regular season? We break it down in our weekly bowl projections.
www.saturdaydownsouth.com
Music City Bowl: LSU vs. Illinois

www.offtackleempire.com

Big Ten Bowl Projections

Bowl projections for Iowa, Penn State, Nebraska Northwestern, Illinois, Minnesota, USC—basically, the non-College Football Playoff teams.
www.offtackleempire.com www.offtackleempire.com

Illinois Fighting Illini​

  • The Vibe: assumption they’ll be grateful lovers
  • The Consensus: matchup-dependent mid-tier bowl
  • Best Proposed Matchup: Music City Bowl vs. Missouri
sports.yahoo.com

College football bowl projections for Week 14: Will Penn State, Kansas State and Florida State make postseason?

Sporting News looks at the college football playoff matchups, the Duke's Mayo Bowl, and everything else coming up in the postseason.
sports.yahoo.com sports.yahoo.com
Dec. 30Transperfect Music City BowlIllinois vs. Pitt
 
Last edited:
#18      
Illinialldayeveryday
I think if Iowa wins and we win its going to be Music City. Iowa can't go to Nashville again. If we win and Iowa loses its probably us to Tampa, Nebraska to Nashville and Iowa to Vegas.No idea what happens if we lose. Pinstripe?
 
#19      
Illini2010-11
Illinialldayeveryday said:
I think if Iowa wins and we win its going to be Music City. Iowa can't go to Nashville again. If we win and Iowa loses its probably us to Tampa, Nebraska to Nashville and Iowa to Vegas.No idea what happens if we lose. Pinstripe?
Click to expand...
I really can't imagine Reliaquest Bowl passing on Nebraska over us if Nebraska beats Iowa. I think the Illini are most likely in position to go to Music City Bowl with a win over NW.

Winner of Nebraska/Iowa go to Tampa. USC and Washington will likely go to the Pac-12 tie in games. An Illini loss...who knows how far they fall in pecking order. Northwestern would also be 7-5, as would Minnesota if they beat Wisconsin. Penn State beating Rutgers would also be bad. At 6-6 they would still likely be a better bowl draw than us. This might be the worst case scenario of falling all the way to the Detroit Toilet Bowl.

Simply a huge game Saturday night to ensure a bowl game against a good opponent.
 
#21      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
The pecking order if we win will be: Michigan, Iowa, Illinois. Of course USC and WASH are likely headed for the pac12 tie tins.

So Michigan will go to Citrus, Iowa will go to ReliaQuest.

So between Las Vegas and Music City... Doesn't Las Vegas have the first bid there?
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back