Man… Duke, Bama, Tennessee & Mizzou? Awesome.
agree - especially as looks like the big ten on paper isn’t going to have a ton of top 10-15 teams to get obvious Q1 home games.With the quad system, where quad 1 losses don’t hurt you, but quad 1 wins help you, there’s no reason not to stack your non-con.
This one particularly feels like he's expecting monster things from the 25-26 team. Going to Birmingham this year is a no-lose situation with all the turnover this off-season. We win, great we're ahead of schedule; we lose, so what we're still gelling. Lining up Alabama in the UC the following season, though, with JF and a returning core, could be a massive event.Brad ain't messing around... Adding Duke and Bama says we aren't scared of anybody!
Great, now my wife and in laws get potential bball bragging rights over my as well…football season is bad enough
The return to the UC…. LFGGGGGGGGG
I am not going to read too much into the timing of where the games are located and when. It is likely much easier logistically to line up Birmingham this year and then Chicago in a year from now, given the coming season is only months away. The UC is likely harder to book for the upcoming season compared to Birmingham. I expect great things from the Illini in both upcoming seasons.This one particularly feels like he's expecting monster things from the 25-26 team. Going to Birmingham this year is a no-lose situation with all the turnover this off-season. We win, great we're ahead of schedule; we lose, so what we're still gelling. Lining up Alabama in the UC the following season, though, with JF and a returning core, could be a massive event.
Time to up your NIL collective donationGreat, now my wife and in laws get potential bball bragging rights over my as well…football season is bad enough
Very nice! As a Bama/Illini fan I will have no clue what to do but really excited to see them hook up. I think Bama probably comes in preseason number 1 if Mark Sears returns. Oats has killed it with his recruiting class and in the portal.
The return to the UC…. LFGGGGGGGGG
Good point! My opinion is that we will probably not start out as the most cohesively talented teams in the BIG but if we add a center piece in the coming weeks, I like our chances of competing for a conference championship when it is all said and done. I'm not waiting for next year.I love this because I don't expect us to be the most talented team in the conference like we were last year. This schedule will make us battle hardened later in the year when it matters. And we just need to win one or two of these big games to buoy our resume for March. Classic Izzo type stuff.
*Also, as an ad guy, I can't help but look at this as a brand positioning tactic. By scheduling these types of games, we're continuing to reinforce our position as one of the nation's ELITE programs.
There is a such thing as over scheduling. When bringing in an entirely new roster, not sure this is great. I know he wants to establish the "we'll play anyone at anytime" mentality, but maybe this wasn't the year to stack the schedule. This is one of those, just find a win somewhere and don't lose them all, scenarios.
Great game because stadium is 1/2 Illini and 1/2 MizzouJust curious, Pepe - have you been to a Braggin Rights game in St Louis? I have been to over 25, and it is a truly special event.
There is a such thing as over scheduling. When bringing in an entirely new roster, not sure this is great. I know he wants to establish the "we'll play anyone at anytime" mentality, but maybe this wasn't the year to stack the schedule. This is one of those, just find a win somewhere and don't lose them all, scenarios.
Awesome to be back at the UC.
The return to the UC…. LFGGGGGGGGG
There really isn't anymore. The committee does not punish you for losing lots of tough games. Ugly records not only get in they get seeded in accordance with who they have beaten. Take as many shots at Quad 1's as you can get.There is a such thing as over scheduling.
It would definitely be better for Illinois in that case, but Alabama might be thinking of it in a similar sense the opposite way. A "neutral site" game in Birmingham is optimal for Alabama in the NET system (especially if Illinois hovers in the 30's NET rank). It almost ensures that the game will be a Quad 1 matchup for Alabama. Not to mention, having the game in a neutral location offers more opportunities for ticket revenue, as the game would not likely be included in season ticket packages, and I doubt that this one game would eat into their number of home games.Awesome to be back at the UC.
My one quibble is that with Birmingham being such a meaningless place to hold the game (that's just a Bama home game in a lesser facility and environment), we're better off just having the return game in Tuscaloosa because of how the NET system treats true road games versus neutral sites.
The complete opposite of football schedulingWith the quad system, where quad 1 losses don’t hurt you, but quad 1 wins help you, there’s no reason not to stack your non-con.
Heck I’d take any kind of threat between 9 and 15 feet.He'd have to have the desire and confidence to shoot the ball. Currently, he doesn't even bother to look at the rim outside of the paint. Yo expect him to go from 0% to 38% in one year while completing changing his mental makeup gives every reason to believe that he won't make that impact. It's not his game, though ANY type of threat from beyond 15 feet would be helpful.
Obviously you have a ton of teams in the Big10 now so you're only playing a couple teams twice but on paper the Big10 looks a lot more talented than last year.agree - especially as looks like the big ten on paper isn’t going to have a ton of top 10-15 teams to get obvious Q1 home games.
No I haven't but in general I'm just partial to true home and road games.
Would love to play Duke in Cameron and bring them to Champaign. Would also love to the Illini play at Allen, Dean Smith, and Rupp. Those types of games against good programs tend turn good teams into great teams when they learn how win while facing adversity.
On a side note would also love to an Illinois home and home with Zone(Mchale), ISU(Hilton) and my dream all though far fetched is to see them play at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
Man… Duke, Bama, Tennessee & Mizzou? Awesome.
The teams that don't have large roster turnover haven't yet adjusted to the new world of NIL. Most top tier teams will have significant roster turnover from last year. I feel confident that the 5-6 players BU/Illinos has brought in are more skilled then the 5-6 that left.There is a such thing as over scheduling. When bringing in an entirely new roster, not sure this is great. I know he wants to establish the "we'll play anyone at anytime" mentality, but maybe this wasn't the year to stack the schedule. This is one of those, just find a win somewhere and don't lose them all, scenarios
Amen!NEVER move Bragging Rights away from St. Louis. Even when one or both teams are not good, it’s still one of the best non-conference environments in college basketball.