Lot of great beach bars in St Pete and Clearwater. Someone already mentioned great breweries as well.
Bowl/Playoff Projections
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I'm only considering Nashville as an option for me personally since it's a 3 hour drive. However, the hotel prices that weekend are a bit rough. To stay downtown NYE its 400+ a night after the high hotel taxes. Many places are north of 500.
Since it's an 11 am game, many people would want to stay Friday night too. That's upwards of a grand just for 2 nights hotel. Still cheaper than flying to FL and staying there for 2 or 3 days.
The bowl game would cost more than my 7 season tickets would. At least it's awesome to have to make that decision!
Since it's an 11 am game, many people would want to stay Friday night too. That's upwards of a grand just for 2 nights hotel. Still cheaper than flying to FL and staying there for 2 or 3 days.
The bowl game would cost more than my 7 season tickets would. At least it's awesome to have to make that decision!
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Folks if you're scared about your team facing South Carolina, bowl games are not for you.
2022 South Carolina is miles worse than 2001 LSU. LSU was the SEC champ. They started 2-2 because they played two top-5 teams early in their schedule. FootballReference's rating system had the Tigers as the 8th best team in the country. FootballReference has South Carolina as the 31st best team this year (Illinois is 20th). South Carolina had two great wins to finish the year but they also lost to Missouri at home in late October and were destroyed against a 6-6 Florida team three weeks ago. Their OC just left for Nebraska. These are not the same things.
2022 South Carolina is miles worse than 2001 LSU. LSU was the SEC champ. They started 2-2 because they played two top-5 teams early in their schedule. FootballReference's rating system had the Tigers as the 8th best team in the country. FootballReference has South Carolina as the 31st best team this year (Illinois is 20th). South Carolina had two great wins to finish the year but they also lost to Missouri at home in late October and were destroyed against a 6-6 Florida team three weeks ago. Their OC just left for Nebraska. These are not the same things.
Anyone in that area should go to Mauhaffer's, it is a complete dump but a must see!
You make some good points, but I'm sure you also realize that teams evolve/develop over the season. 2001 LSU wasn't the best team in the SEC at the beginning of the season. SC has destroyed TN and defeated Clemson. They appear to be a better team than they were even a few weeks ago. They may indeed not be 2001 LSU, but they're a pretty hot team.
Their offensive line is pretty weak, which would be a problem against us. OTOH, Rattler really came into his own the last two games and their ST's are miles ahead of ours. All in all it would be a pretty good matchup
Might be a dumb question, but will Rattler play? Thought I saw in the other thread that he was following the OC to Nebraska (unless that poster was joking).
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
They are playing well, no qualms there. It's a myth that Illinois ran into a really hot team in 2001 when the reality is LSU was an awesome team all year and was very underrated going into that Sugar Bowl game (tough to describe in the current CFB climate of an underrated LSU team). Playing in a bowl game means you are going to play against good teams. South Carolina isn't one of the very best teams in the country and most metrics have Illinois as better overall. Sign me up for playing an SEC school where Illinois could be a favorite.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I would much rather play a hot team like SC in a bowl game, who are also 8-4, versus a team that barely made a bowl game at 6-6. If Illini play a respectable game and lose vs a team like SC; it is not the end of the World, but I would hate the sting and stigma of possibly losing to a 6-6 team. We want to play the best available, and this team has shown capable of hanging with the best. If we end up beating an 8-4 South Carolina in a bowl game, then we would most definitely be ranked in the final polls; beating a 6-6 team likely won't get us in top 25. I say bring on South Carolina!
Agreed. And as many have said, it's awesome to be having such discussions.
Probably will face him next year at Nebraska
He will play the bowl game. As to next year, who knows.
Opposite for me. I'll take the best possible SEC match up to see how we stack up.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Yep. It's trite, but if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.
It’s like 95% Tampa or Nashville
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
It likely does nothing for us unless both Utah and Purdue win Friday and Saturday, respectively. Only way we get Citrus Bowl, without jumping Purdue, is if 4 B1G teams make NY6, which is highly unlikely. There is a better chance of us getting picked over Purdue than this scenario, IMO.
Purdue would have to beat Michigan and possibly TCU would have to lose than it’s possible chaos.
cuillini
- San Bernardino, Ca.
Assuming Michigan wins and USC loses then potentially 2 B1G are in the playoffs. How would that not help Illinois? I don't get your reasoning.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Because I think the B1G will have 3 teams in NY6 regardless of USC game. Purdue only makes NY6 if they win Saturday. In that case maybe 4 B1G teams make NY6 (only then will USC game matter, as only Utah would likely represent Pac 12 in NY6, which makes this a possibility). Having two B1G teams in playoff is only of interest for Penn St, who would go to Rose Bowl in that case.
For Illinois, the only chance of going to Citrus Bowl is either jumping Purdue or 4 teams in B1G make NY6. Since I expect Michigan to stomp Purdue, the USC game likely has minimal impact on Illini. Purdue would likely head to Citrus Bowl, unless they get beat so bad that Illinois gets selected ahead of them.
I believe you would need Utah to beat USC and Purdue beating Michigan to provide a chance at 4 B1G teams making NY6.
Some think this will effect Illinois and drop them down a notch to the Music City Bowl or the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. I don’t understand the logic because even in this scenario Purdue would go to the Citrus anyways and we are the next team after that. Unless the ReliaQuest selects Notre Dame ahead us because of the draw but most likely they’ll land in the Gator Bowl.
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