2018 Prediction Thread

How many wins?

  • 3 or fewer

    Votes: 19 13.1%

  • 4-5

    Votes: 106 73.1%

  • 6 or more

    Votes: 20 13.8%
  • Total voters
    145
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#2      

Hoppy2105

H
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hoppy2105
I hope AJ can ignite this offense but I think depth issues and youth will tank us again in the 4th quarter of each gam as well as the 4th quarter of the season.

3 or fewer (I think 3)
 
#3      

sbillini

sbillini
st petersburg, fl
sbillini
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - L
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - Toss Up
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - W
Minnesota - Toss Up
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

I'm at 5 (pick up one of Purdue or Minny). Not going bowling but noticeable progress and a tangible rebuild to sell to recruits
 
#4      

Dren1

Dren1
Glenview, IL
Dren1
Second and Chalmers said:
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - W
Minnesota - L
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

We're going bowling. There, I said it.
Click to expand...
I like your thoughts and I also believe we can steal one against the Mildcats to finish the season, so I will go with 7-5 (if we stay relatively healthy).
 
#5      

BananaShampoo

B
Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
BananaShampoo
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - L
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - L
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - W
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

5-7, just miss a bowl game. 3 B1G wins is progress (and a W vs. Minny and their frosh walkon QB!). Depth and youth are what are going to keep us from winning this season, but we'll be able to see the pieces are getting there. Add some really nice playmakers in '19 and it could be shades of 2007 again (though not likely a Rose Bowl).
 
#6      

UofI08

U
Chicago
UofI08
Second and Chalmers said:
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - W
Minnesota - L
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

We're going bowling. There, I said it.
Click to expand...

I'm drinking the Koolaid and saying 6. Not sure what games though. Kent State and Western for sure. Then you just gotta win 4 more. Take 4 from the group of USF, Rutgers, Purdue, Maryland, Minnesota, or would love to see us clicking at the end of the year and pull an upset with one of the last 3 games.

edit: Caveat being suspensions and injuries
 
#8      

CAIllini

CAIllini
West Coast
CAIllini
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - L
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - L
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - L
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

3-9 (but we look a bit better overall, then sadly lose steam near the end for another blowout loss to NW)

Excited for the season to start even though it may be a rough record again....
 
#9      

jaked1121

J
jaked1121
USF is a much more winnable game than some people realize with Quinton Flowers gone. Losing that kind of NFL talent makes a big impact
 
#10      

bobbob

B
bobbob
I voted 3, but am pulling for 4 and generally just looking better.
 
#11      

Serious Late

Serious Late
Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Serious Late
4-5. Bovada has the over/under at 4, hopefully we surprise and cover the win total. I'll go Kent State and Western Illinois as gimmes, then Rutgers, Minnesota and Northwestern for the strong finish. But you could put any of those 3 B1G teams in a bag with Purdue, Maryland and South Florida and any results you draw wouldn't surprise me.
 
#12      

FiveStar

F
FiveStar
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - W

7-5 and it was real hard to not say 8-4 wooooo
 
#13      

ktal

ktal
ktal
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - L
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

5-7, beating Boilers and Goophs. That would put us in the NW game with a bowl on the line. This year, for me, THAT would be a winning season. The return of hope.
 
#14      

jaked1121

J
jaked1121
Kent State - W 45-3
Western Illinois - W 52-13
South Florida - W 35-30
Penn State - L 13-38
Rutgers - W 27-17
Purdue - L 13-27
Wisconsin - L 30-13
Maryland - W 24-21
Minnesota - W 28-20
Nebraska - L 27-13
Iowa - L 33-13
Northwestern - L 28-14
 
#16      

the national

the national
the Front Range
the national
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - L
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - L
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - W
Northwestern - L

5-7, but improve later in the season and put up a good fight against NW.
 
#17      

StateFarmCenter

StateFarmCenter
StateFarmCenter
If we could guarantee ourselves 0 injuries I'd say this team wins 7 easily. I'm extremely impressed with the names and talent of those 1st on the depth chart. Best in a long, long time. Unforunately its football and injuries do happen, so I'll go with 4-5 wins. The depth chart itself is just awful.

I am cautiously optimistic. If anyone ever questions how important the qb position is, look no further than last year. It destroyed every unit we had including the entire defense. I'm interested to see what even a mediocre QB can do.
 
#18      

Deleted member 654622

D
Guest
Deleted member 654622
Second and Chalmers said:
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - W
Penn State - L
Rutgers - W
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - W
Minnesota - L
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - L

We're going bowling. There, I said it.
Click to expand...
I am lazy. So I am going to just use yours. Swap the results of Maryland and Minnesota and that is where I sit. Although I picked 5 wins
 
#19      

SampsonRelpenk

SampsonRelpenk
Edwardsville, IL
SampsonRelpenk
Kent State - W
Western Illinois - W
South Florida - L
Penn State - L
Rutgers - L
Purdue - W
Wisconsin - L
Maryland - L
Minnesota - W
Nebraska - L
Iowa - L
Northwestern - W

I said 5-7 (with an APR bowl invite) in another thread, but after the two gimmes, a Purdue that hopefully falls back to earth, and the Fighting Flecks, there's not another clear win jumping out to me. I think South Florida will still have too much speed for us (and will key players still be suspended?). Maryland is in turmoil, but there is no better cure for that than playing Illinois. Going with Northwestern for #5, because I hate 'em, and Pat Fitzgerald seems to alternate each season between overachieving and underachieving.
 
#20      

ChiCityIllini

C
ChiCityIllini
I think this is peak training camp koolaid time where optimism is at a peak for every program. I have us at 3 wins but with more competitive losses. I think people are underestimating how big the talent/experience discrepancy is between us and places like USF, Maryland, and even Minnesota. We are frighteningly thin at OL and LB - one injury at either of those positions and those positions become a huge liability and injuries will happen. I think we are competitve through 4 quarters in all games but Penn St, Wisky, Iowa, and NU.

Kent State - Win Big
Western Illinois - Win Big
South Florida - Lose Small
Penn State - Lose Big
Rutgers - Lose Small
Purdue - Lose Small
Wisconsin - Lose Big
Maryland - Lose Small
Minnesota - Win Small
Nebraska - Lose Small
Iowa - Lose Big
Northwestern - Lose Big
 
#21      

ChiefIllini

C
ChiefIllini
If the line is at 3.5 I'd have to bet the under for this season. Too many questions marks. Whether I'm in the minority is probably up for debate, but personally I really don't care about the final record. I want to see competent play. We stumbled into a win last year, and TBH I still don't know how we beat WKU (I think it was our best played game). The team, mainly the offense but the defense obviously left a lot to be desired, was unwatchable last year. Every play was infuriating. If I can at least stand to watch half our B1G games this year, it'll be a win in my book.

The basketball team last year is a moderately good example (probably shouldn't bring it up seeing as I'm sure there's plenty of thoughts on it), but in a vacuum, that was a team that should've won more games. They played with what appeared to be actual game plans and, even though it was sparse, executed them. At least offensively, I'd like to see plays designed and ran that are meant to get us more than 2 yards.
 
#22      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
Can somebody let me in on the orange font joke? Don't get to check the forum quite as often as I used to, but I won't be able to focus at work today knowing just how out of the loop I am on the forum's inside jokes. :) Anyway, this is my current guess:

W vs. Kent State
W vs. Western Illinois
W vs. South Florida (Chicago, IL)
L vs. #10 Penn State
W at Rutgers
W vs. Purdue ... 5-1 while it's not yet freezing out and 2-1 in conference ... I'll be practically on Cloud 9! :cool:
L at #4 Wisconsin
L at Maryland
W vs. Minnesota ... revenge for that heart breaker last year! :sneaky:
L at Nebraska
L vs. Iowa
L at Northwestern

6-6 (3-6) ... I will gladly take it.
 
#23      

Hoppy2105

H
Little Rock, Arkansas
Hoppy2105
Orange font means other posters should read your post as if you are drunk on the orange kool-aid. I think it’s a great addition to the forum. :thumb:
 
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