This is the correct take. I hope we can keep the staff intact for a year or three. =) Happy Christmas all. 8-4 was a pretty good year.
Bowl/Playoff Projections
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I still think 1 loss USC jumps Ohio St. USC lost to #20 Utah on the road by 1 in the last minute. Ohio St. gets pants at home. Plus USC is playing #15 Notre Dame and will play a ranked team in the Pac 12 champ.
sacraig
- The desert
And it's a shame because USC is really not that good and simply benefits from a garbage Pac-12.
Pinstripe or Florida if it works out we get a bowl game thereShould ND lose tonight, any shot we get an Illinois/ND bowl game anywhere?
I think it will be one of those. Depends on what Purdue does in the B1G championship game. If they get spanked in that game, we could have a chance for the Citrus since we almost won against Michigan.
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Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I think we are firmly slotted in Reliaquest Bowl regardless of next week's outcome.
I think there will be three B1G teams in NY6 no matter what. If Michigan wins, then you will have Mich in playoff, OSU in Rose or playoff, and Penn St. as at large (likely Orange).
If Purdue wins, then it might make Penn St. odd man out, since Purdue would go to Rose. That would slide Penn St. to Citrus Bowl. Can't see four teams getting in NY6 bowls.
No way Purdue gets passed by us. They will have better conference record, and there is no indication that we would travel much better than them to warrant us getting selected first.
Honestly, we are better off with Purdue in Citrus Bowl. Let them get stomped by a better SEC team. Either way, this Illini team deserves a nice bowl, even with that rough 3 week stretch.
The Iowa loss on Friday was huge for us!
I don't know how either team travels for football. Our showing in Vegas for basketball might turn a few heads. Does anyone have any records on these things?
I miss the old runner ups in the Pac10/12 vs Big Ten match up in San Diego's Holiday bowl years ago. I think they switched it to Acc vs Pac 12 a year ago. Many on here are Florida happy but the Guaranteed Rate bowl in Arizona wouldn't be bad in late December.
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Toward the end of today's radio broadcast, Martin O'Donnell was using the traveling fans in Vegas as an argument for bowl organizers seeing that our fans are willing to travel.
Yeah, bowl games might want known quantities like Iowa/wisky/minn that I think travel well?? Idk. Not much recent history for Illinois bowl games. I also don’t know high teams played where last few years (avoid repeats)
Does anyone think we have a chance to be ranked again this week? There's been a lot of losses toward the bottom of the top 25 this week and we were still receiving solid vote totals after the loss to Michigan. Just curious as it would be nice to go into the bowl game with a number next to our name.
Not a chance.
sacraig
- The desert
If we'd beaten an actual college football team instead of Northwestern, I'd say there might be a slim chance. But we beat Northwestern, so no.
Haha, fair enough. I actually agree, although I think we'll probably be the first or second out in the AP poll, so it'll be close. Have you seen some of the garbage ahead of us...UCF, Cincy, CCU?? I think South Carolina jumps in, but then...?
sacraig
- The desert
Meanwhile, someone out of Cincinnati, Tulane, or UCF will end up in an NY6.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Pretty sure Purdue would have a claim to be ranked before us. Though that will end after they get embarrassed on national TV next week. Really hard to imagine us being ranked due to our "soft" schedule and recency bias of losing 3 out of 4. We will get votes, but not enough.
I don't see Illini being ranked until after Bowl season (after we win Bowl game). That would be the first and only ranked win of year (assumimg we play ranked SEC foe).
True... Looking like Tulane at this point, I believe.
DaChief4ever
- Urbana
Havin fun with Buckeye Buddy ......Gee we lost to Michigan by 19-17 AT Michigan.....looks a lot better than OSU loss at Home 45-23....eh?
And only by a last minute FG, requiring an assist by the officials. Michigan was constipated after their only TD very early in the game.
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
ND wants NOTHING to do with playing us in a bowl game this yearShould ND lose tonight
illini80
- Forgottonia
We possibly/likely will have some key players sitting out a bowl game because that’s just how it is today. McCray can still play 1 more game and keep his redshirt correct? I know Coach B has said he won’t be here that long anyway. Another month would be a lot of recovery time, but getting healthy has certainly been a struggle for Josh. If we are without chase it would sure be nice to have him at full strength.
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