Illini Football 2023
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lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
This type of preseason award hype is new for us, right?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
So based on some of the other comments about which rows are underneath the overhang, would it be fair to assume that both East Main and West Main will look about full, given those numbers? West Main kind of speaks for itself, but using Section 105 as an example for East Main, about 78% of tickets in that section have been sold; I would HAVE to figure that extends WELL into the "underneath rows" that will not be visible to anyone who is not sitting there himself!
So now the battle for a good TV showing appears to pretty much be in the East Balcony (I am VERY confident the Horseshoe will fill up, as it always seems to regardless of whether or not we get over 50k), as is often the case. Using those estimates, the East Balcony would be about 55% full, which looks about right if we have sold around 45k tickets, as that is about what we drew for Iowa, Minnesota and Purdue last year, and all had the lower bowl full and an East Balcony that was a little over half full. Need to get above 50k for sure to avoid a bit of an embarrassment for Big Noon Kickoff, IMO.
I will take only one game on Peacock for now! Here is an updated Illini TV schedule through that date, for those trying to plan ahead:
Saturday 9/2: vs. Toledo - 6:30 pm on BTN
Friday 9/8: at Kansas - 6:30 pm on ESPN2
Saturday 9/16: vs. #7 Penn State - 11:00 am on FOX (Big Noon Kickoff)
Saturday 9/23: vs. Florida Atlantic - Time and TV TBD
Saturday 9/30: at Purdue - 6:30 pm on NBC
Friday 10/6: vs. Nebraska - 7:00 pm on FS1
Saturday 10/14: at Maryland - 11:00 am on Peacock
Agreed!! Toledo is a solid football team that is more than capable of beating us in Champaign. If we can come out and play the type of fundamentally sound and disciplined football that we are growing accustomed to and can score a relatively comfortable victory, it should give us some real confidence heading into a tough test in Lawrence. I have this sinking feeling that our game at KU could turn out like our game at IU last year, but that is probably the emotionally scarred Illini fan in me. If this squad starts off 2-0 and looks good doing it, I think the atmosphere for the PSU game will be insane enough that we can knock them off ... and then look out. But it all starts with Toledo, and I think we learn a lot about this team in Week 1!
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Yet Blake Brockermeyer doesn’t put Johnny in the top 100? Keith at 77 is maybe a little low.
Timmy Lasagnas would 100% get whooped by his old team in some alternate nightmare timeline where we could never fire him despite being a sideline chewing, player abusing sunuvagun
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Looking back, I was pretty spoiled by Zook, as funny as that sounds ... I thought talent was never going to be much of an issue, and Ron was just really THAT bad of a coach. All we needed to do was get a more fundamentally sound Xs and Os guy in there, and we'd be back in the top third of the league!! We beat Western Michigan 24-7 at home in Beckman's first game, and I remember (at least forcing myself into a state of) being impressed enough. Even the blowout loss at ASU in game two could be forgiven.
Then my family and I traveled to Champaign to watch us lose 52-24 to frickin' Louisiana Tech. We would go on to finish 2-10 and lose most of our games by well over two touchdowns, including some really fun ones like 45-0 vs. an unranked Michigan team...
Sometimes I truly cannot believe we have Bielema as our coach and that he has publicly stated this is "home" for him and that he seems GENUINELY intent on building a winner here ... we are so lucky.
We are trending in a way I haven't felt since honestly Lovie was hired(before the actual games got played lol).
I think if we hit some really high ceiling under Bielema there would be a few gigs I would be surprised for him to turn down, but he's not getting any younger and I think he really does like it here so.... I'm optimistic by the time he decides he's done we'll have a good pick of candidates(who will already be on staff).
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Given our history of utter futility in the modern era, it is always possible that Bret gets a bit frustrated not playing in front of 90k+ crowds, having unlimited NIL war chests, having a Blue Blood name that practically recruits itself, etc .... we have likely squandered our opportunity to become an Alabama or Michigan (although who knows if things hadn't gone south after the 1980s?
). So, there is always the possibility that Bret takes us to heights never before seen for modern Illinois, and he wants to try his hand at the SEC again or something like that.With that said, ALL of the pieces are here to reach MSU-under-Dantonio levels or something like that. This should be a better job than Iowa or Wisconsin, and the only reason anyone would say it isn't is because we have had so many incompetent coaches in a row that we have systematically beaten the passion out of our more casual fans, and we are now still digging ourselves out of that hole. I think another 7+ win season officially changes the narrative about Illini football and gets the casual fan to think of us as a consistent/competitive program and not view last year as a fluke because of Chase Brown or something. And if we can take that next step in perception, I think our recruiting will continue to improve, our attendance and ratings will continue to improve, the NIL donations will keep coming in, and all of a sudden you can really build something here. And I think Bret gets that and has no interest (fingers crossed!!) at leaving for a "better" program like Iowa or Auburn, because he knows he can build that same thing here where it might be more meaningful to him.
If Bret sticks around and keeps this up, it's not hard to imagine Big Ten football fans in 2025 talking about how Memorial Stadium is one of the most underrated venues in the conference ... look at how quickly the reputation of the RAC changed just because Rutgers finally had some decent teams! We are on the cusp, and it's exciting and scary!
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
The future of college football is 2 power conferences: The B1G and the SEC.
I don’t see him leaving for another B1G team. And he’s tried the SEC thing and it didn’t work out.
I think we’re in perfect position to keep him for a long time so long as he continues to win.
illini80
- Forgottonia
I Coach B can’t win here, no one can. I firmly believe that.
I love the overall diss on the Illini. Instead of all the
expected adulation and rankings for both team and players, and for the 0-3 or 1-2 prediction for the start of the season.....great. Instead of big heads, I'd rather have them play with a chip on their shoulders.
expected adulation and rankings for both team and players, and for the 0-3 or 1-2 prediction for the start of the season.....great. Instead of big heads, I'd rather have them play with a chip on their shoulders.
IlliniSaluki
- IL metro east burbs of St. Louis
Agreed. If we end up 2-1, I'll be deliriously happy.
I agree! My goal is to just be competitive in all games and the really good times could ensue.
Expected? Did you think this team would be ranked preseason? I’m optimistic about the team, but definitely thought voters would take a wait and see approach. Have there been other “snubs” as far as the players go? I know IW was left off an award watch list, but seems like the others have been well represented on lists.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Me, too ... and it would vary somewhat depending on the wins. If one of those two is against PSU, the loss will be as negligible as the Indiana loss was last year when we were sitting at 7-1! Beating Toledo and Kansas and losing to PSU in a tough game is probably my "A-" scenario in all of this. 1-2 would suck more just because it might deflate the general optimism around the program, but it is by no means a deal breaker for a successful season or a West title. We HAVE to somehow avoid 0-3, IMO ... they're all tough games, but we have to find a way to win one.
If we start out 3-0, the hype machine will go into overdrive.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
We’ve always been East Balcony people, preferring to look down onto the entire field. We bought our first West Balcony tickets (season) for September shade and better concessions.
For single game tickets I’d much prefer even the most remote East Balcony seats over the horseshoe. Can you see the game unfold from there? My depth perception isn’t the best due to lack of stereo vision. Horseshoe must be a price thing? If so, consider discounting the upper balcony too? But maybe it’s a zero sum process. Just musing over the options. In the end we need more fans.
Not necessarily ranked. More about the quality of returners and more than capable newcomers (frosh and transfers). I thought there would be more talk of the offensive line, especially Adams, Pearl, Crisler.
More love for IW, Jacas, Bailey (even hurt), more for Randolph. Seems like Newton gets more pub and yet gets a top 100 snub.
Just my opinion, media more concerned about QB position, questions at RB and a almost new secondary.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I have only been to a handful of games "as an adult," but I have sat in the Horseshoe twice (cheapest tickets with friends), East Main underneath the overhang once (with my family) and in West Main once. I definitely think the Horseshoe view is a lot better than it looks in pictures and stuff, but they are not great seats. West Main is great, but we wanted to sit in East Main this time to look at the pressbox and avoid having my wife see a potentially half-empty East Balcony when I start asking her, "Isn't this atmosphere awesome?!"
I really should give the East Balcony another try. If you could get a seat in the first couple rows, I feel like that would be an awesome view for a game.
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