Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Illini Football 2023
- Status
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Tankification time:
Tank haka, lol
Tank haka, lol
blackdog
- Champaign
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Not sure where to put this, but it’s Illini 
day on BTN. The IL FB win over Nebraska is being replayed on BTN 60 in 60 right now. Next up @4:30 is the 2011 IL FB Classic-IL win over UCLA, then 2010 IL win over Baylor, then 2022 IL BB win over Texas, then @7:30 2005 IL BB over NC, then @8:30 the Nick Anderson story, then @9:00 the 1989 IL win over Indiana… Enjoy.
day on BTN. The IL FB win over Nebraska is being replayed on BTN 60 in 60 right now. Next up @4:30 is the 2011 IL FB Classic-IL win over UCLA, then 2010 IL win over Baylor, then 2022 IL BB win over Texas, then @7:30 2005 IL BB over NC, then @8:30 the Nick Anderson story, then @9:00 the 1989 IL win over Indiana… Enjoy.lol at our modern-era football highlight wins. Glad Bielema is changing the culture though.Not sure where to put this, but it’s Illini
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
Jeez this was not promoted at all. I appreciate the tip now, but man I'm disappointed we didn't get a heads up as to what they may have been showing earlier today. Would have recorded everything.Not sure where to put this, but it’s Illini
I could have done without having to see Beckman talk about his “plan” for Illinois during the UCLA game 
The Big Ten's sleeping giant: Is Bret Bielema the answer at Illinois?
Can sustained winning happen at Illinois, and is Bielema the right one to do it?
theathletic.com
Dan
Admin
For the media rights observers, a Peacock update.
Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service, and now an unavoidable part of watching Big Ten sports as part of the conference's new media rights deal.
According to this there will be nine Peacock-exclusive Big Ten football game broadcasts in 2023.
Peacock-only B1G CFB 2023 broadcasts so far
Week 1: East Carolina at Michigan (Michigan football also inaugurated the first live broadcast of BTN back in 2007)
Week 2: Delaware at Penn State
Week 3: Washington at Michigan State
3 down, 6 to go. It's nice to see Peacock has decided to receive its first batch of feedback from the Michigan & Penn State fanbases.
Another fun thing going on with B1G football is it's now optional to announce Homecoming kickoff times during the offseason.
On May 31st they did claim that "start times for all 14 schools’ Homecoming contests were announced".
However- Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa, Maryland, Wisconsin & Nebraska do not have a HC kickoff time & will have to wait until 12 days prior to kickoff for the announcement.
Pardon for the hot take but listing a game as an 11:00am or 2:30pm or 3:00pm kickoff time is not a helpful announcement.
Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service, and now an unavoidable part of watching Big Ten sports as part of the conference's new media rights deal.
According to this there will be nine Peacock-exclusive Big Ten football game broadcasts in 2023.
Peacock-only B1G CFB 2023 broadcasts so far
Week 1: East Carolina at Michigan (Michigan football also inaugurated the first live broadcast of BTN back in 2007)
Week 2: Delaware at Penn State
Week 3: Washington at Michigan State
3 down, 6 to go. It's nice to see Peacock has decided to receive its first batch of feedback from the Michigan & Penn State fanbases.
Another fun thing going on with B1G football is it's now optional to announce Homecoming kickoff times during the offseason.
On May 31st they did claim that "start times for all 14 schools’ Homecoming contests were announced".
However- Illinois, Purdue, Ohio State, Iowa, Maryland, Wisconsin & Nebraska do not have a HC kickoff time & will have to wait until 12 days prior to kickoff for the announcement.
Pardon for the hot take but listing a game as an 11:00am or 2:30pm or 3:00pm kickoff time is not a helpful announcement.
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AM radio is free. Additional streaming subscriptions determine whether or not I watch a video feed while listening to Brian. I already pay a small fortune to Comcast. If I can’t watch the Illini then that will probably be the last straw. Honestly, I can’t remember the last time anyone watched tv in our house. Maybe one of the boys watching a YouTube video, or streaming church when we can’t make it. I honestly don’t think we’ve watched a “show” in two months. Meh. Good riddance.
I think most will feel this way but if it's a way to get to watch Illinois and by default - Illinois benefits from the massive TV payout - I'll do it. It's better than than the alternative - being in a conference other than the B1G or SEC.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Just in case anyone's wondering, wolverines are the largest members of the weasel family.
If weasel is just another, nicer way of saying d0uchebag, then we already instinctively knew.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
I tried to project out the remaining schedule of Peacock games (6 of them), ensuring there was only one appearance on Peacock for each team, and no more than 1 Peacock game per week. This was a lot harder than I expected, so maybe some of these games feel like they don't fit. But under the constraints I assumed, and also considering the games that have already been assigned to a network, this was I think the best I could do:
Already Scheduled
Week 1: East Carolina at Michigan
Week 2: Delaware at Penn State
Week 3: Washington at Michigan State
Prediction
Week 4: FAU at Illinois (I did not try to have this be the final non-conference Peacock game, but this ended up being the only solution I could find. Its very possible considering the first three games they schedule that they'd rather have a bigger draw (like a Wisco or Nebraska) as a non-conference game and put us in a conference matchup. But like I said, this ended up being the only solution I could find.)
Week 5: Indiana at Maryland
Week 6: None (Too many homecoming games this week, and I think its possible that they avoid putting homecoming games on Peacock.)
Week 7: Iowa at Wisconsin (Maybe too high profile of a game for Peacock, but I think its possible if they really try to have each team play only 1 game on Peacock. They may also want to test having one signature rivalry game on the calendar this year to see how the ratings go, and this is probably a game they'd sacrifice for that experiment.)
Week 8: Northwestern at Nebraska
Week 9: None
Week 10: Ohio State at Rutgers (If there is a OSU conference game that ends up on Peacock, it feels like this has to be the one.)
Week 11: Minnesota at Purdue
Week 12: None
Week 13: None (I'm fairly confident they wouldn't put any rivalry week games on here. Though if they did, that would definitely open the door for Maryland at Rutgers, and unlock a ton of other scenarios.)
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
^ Just FTR, we draw about the same as Wisconsin when given the same "opportunity," just sayin:
Illinois
512k at 3:00 pm on BTN vs. Wyoming
855k at 6:30 pm on BTN vs. Iowa
928k at 2:30 pm on BTN vs. Michigan State
965k at 7:00 pm on BTN at Indiana (Friday)
2.48 million at 2:30 pm on ABC vs. Nebraska
5.47 million at 11:00 am on ABC at Michigan
Wisconsin
426k at 2:30 pm on BTN vs. New Mexico State
572k at 2:30 pm on BTN at Northwestern
576k at 11:00 am on BTN vs. Maryland
1.01 million at 2:30 pm on FS1 at Iowa
4.59 million at 6:30 pm on ABC vs. Ohio State
In the one game we both played vs. a "Blue Blood" in the Big Ten on ABC, we outdrew them at 11:00 am while they played in prime time (I do not think the difference in OSU vs. Michigan viewers is material).
Other comparisons are difficult because they played on ESPN a lot (we played on ESPN zero times), but they averaged 1.59 million viewers vs. our 1.24 million. Considering we had some SERIOUSLY awful TV slots (Virginia on ESPNU drew just 159k and Chattanooga on a Thursday night on BTN drew 176k), we displayed quite clearly that the Illini are a good draw when they get to play on a channel that actually reaches a national audience. Also, before anyone just chalks our best rating up to Michigan fans, it is interesting comparing Michigan's MANY 11:00 am starts on national TV:
17.14 million at #2 Ohio State (FOX - obviously far and away #1)
6.45 million vs. #10 Penn State (FOX)
5.47 million vs. Illinois (ABC)
4.38 million vs. Maryland (FOX)
4.20 million at Iowa (FOX)
4.01 million at Indiana (FOX)
2.01 million vs. UConn (ABC)
So, even though FOX outdrew ABC for Michigan by quite a lot, Illinois slides into a clear third place - significantly closer to Penn State than to Iowa. All of this rambling is to say that we might BE a good draw ... we are just now receiving the proof, because NOBODY is a good draw on BTN and FS1 every week, and that is where bad teams get put. Hell, Penn State only drew 628k for their one non-conference BTN game vs. Central Michigan.
Illinois
512k at 3:00 pm on BTN vs. Wyoming
855k at 6:30 pm on BTN vs. Iowa
928k at 2:30 pm on BTN vs. Michigan State
965k at 7:00 pm on BTN at Indiana (Friday)
2.48 million at 2:30 pm on ABC vs. Nebraska
5.47 million at 11:00 am on ABC at Michigan
Wisconsin
426k at 2:30 pm on BTN vs. New Mexico State
572k at 2:30 pm on BTN at Northwestern
576k at 11:00 am on BTN vs. Maryland
1.01 million at 2:30 pm on FS1 at Iowa
4.59 million at 6:30 pm on ABC vs. Ohio State
In the one game we both played vs. a "Blue Blood" in the Big Ten on ABC, we outdrew them at 11:00 am while they played in prime time (I do not think the difference in OSU vs. Michigan viewers is material).
Other comparisons are difficult because they played on ESPN a lot (we played on ESPN zero times), but they averaged 1.59 million viewers vs. our 1.24 million. Considering we had some SERIOUSLY awful TV slots (Virginia on ESPNU drew just 159k and Chattanooga on a Thursday night on BTN drew 176k), we displayed quite clearly that the Illini are a good draw when they get to play on a channel that actually reaches a national audience. Also, before anyone just chalks our best rating up to Michigan fans, it is interesting comparing Michigan's MANY 11:00 am starts on national TV:
17.14 million at #2 Ohio State (FOX - obviously far and away #1)
6.45 million vs. #10 Penn State (FOX)
5.47 million vs. Illinois (ABC)
4.38 million vs. Maryland (FOX)
4.20 million at Iowa (FOX)
4.01 million at Indiana (FOX)
2.01 million vs. UConn (ABC)
So, even though FOX outdrew ABC for Michigan by quite a lot, Illinois slides into a clear third place - significantly closer to Penn State than to Iowa. All of this rambling is to say that we might BE a good draw ... we are just now receiving the proof, because NOBODY is a good draw on BTN and FS1 every week, and that is where bad teams get put. Hell, Penn State only drew 628k for their one non-conference BTN game vs. Central Michigan.
Saw Duley kick in HS a couple times. Kid has a rocket launcher for a leg…. Could be the Illini’s answer for years to come at punter.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
feature on the program in The Athletic ($):
My source told me he has a big leg, but needs to work on consistency. That can only come with practice and another year of seasoning.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Relevant to my post above, no Illini fan should EVER forget the high ceiling here!!!
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
not pimping for 247, but this is a great primer on the current state of the team (and it's free!): https://247sports.com/college/illin...breaking-down-new-scholarship-play-211231704/
Surprised if Elzy steps on the field? I don't follow this take one bit
- Status