2026 Season Predictions Thread

#26      
9-3 is doable. But a new QB and a lot of talent departing will make this season a challenge. But the Illini are going to make a bowl.
 
#30      
UAB
Duke
Southern Illinois
at Ohio State
Purdue
at Michigan State
Oregon
at Maryland
Nebraska
at UCLA
Iowa
at Northwestern
UAB - win
Duke - loss
SIU - win
OSU - loss
Purdue - win
MSU -loss
Oregon - loss
Maryland - win
Nebraska - loss
UCLA - loss
Iowa - loss
Northwestern - loss

4-8
 
#36      
UAB - win
Duke - loss
SIU - win
OSU - loss
Purdue - win
MSU -loss
Oregon - loss
Maryland - win
Nebraska - loss
UCLA - loss
Iowa - loss
Northwestern - loss

4-8
I'm not extremely high on this team because we have absolutely no clue what the QB situation is going to look like. 4-8 suggests a complete offensive bust paired with a suspect defense.

8-4 isn't an unreasonable guess, I think 4-8 is harsh, but there's also a lot of questions in more than a handful of areas.

I kick a field goal and say 6-6. I don't think we lose to Duke at home and I don't think we lose to NW. OSU and Oregon are the only absolute L's(in my mind).

We'll lose a couple we should have won and vice versa. .500 seems to be a fair assumption.
 
#37      
UAB - win
Duke - loss
SIU - win
OSU - loss
Purdue - win
MSU -loss
Oregon - loss
Maryland - win
Nebraska - loss
UCLA - loss
Iowa - loss
Northwestern - loss

4-8
In 2023, we finished ranked #75 in SP+ and went 5-7. This season, we’re preseason ranked #33 and you’re projecting 4-8!?

Animated GIF
 
#40      
7-5. 6-8 wins seems most likely to me so I’ll just shoot for the middle
 
#41      
Heart says 9-3.
Brain says 7-5.
Same. I think the lines are gonna need time to gel and not sure we have the right combo of talent and experience there yet. It's always tough at first installing a new defensive scheme. Kicking game is an unknown at this point, as well. Our offense could be elite, though, if Hauser is truly the real deal.

I still think 7-5 is a solid season in what is supposed to be a "step back" year.
 
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