Congrats Pat. Now catch some TDs playing for Denver.
Illini Football 2025
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GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
He still gets to wear O & B!
Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
Anyone here familiar enough with the roster to say with confidence what the WR depth chart will look like on August 30?
Who will be Illinois' top 3 in receptions this year (including tight ends)?
Who will be Illinois' top 3 in receptions this year (including tight ends)?
Since I’m bored I want to make my time and TV predictions for each game this year
8/30 Vs Western Illinois 11:00AM CT BTN
9/6 @ Duke 11:00AM CT ESPN2
9/13 Vs Western Michigan 11:00AM BTN
9/20 @ Indiana 2:30PM CT CBS
9/27 vs USC 11:00AM CT FOX
10/4 @ Purdue 2:30PM CT Peacock
10/11 Vs Ohio State 6:30PM CT NBC
Fri 10/24 @ Washington 9:30PM CT FOX
11/1 Vs Rutgers 2:30PM CT FS1
11/15 Vs Maryland 11:00AM CT NBC
11/22 @ Wisconsin 2:30PM CBS
11/29 vs Northwestern 6:30PM BTN
8/30 Vs Western Illinois 11:00AM CT BTN
9/6 @ Duke 11:00AM CT ESPN2
9/13 Vs Western Michigan 11:00AM BTN
9/20 @ Indiana 2:30PM CT CBS
9/27 vs USC 11:00AM CT FOX
10/4 @ Purdue 2:30PM CT Peacock
10/11 Vs Ohio State 6:30PM CT NBC
Fri 10/24 @ Washington 9:30PM CT FOX
11/1 Vs Rutgers 2:30PM CT FS1
11/15 Vs Maryland 11:00AM CT NBC
11/22 @ Wisconsin 2:30PM CBS
11/29 vs Northwestern 6:30PM BTN
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
Yes, I’m pretty sure the USC vs Rutgers game started that late on a Friday night last year
WR1: Clement
WR2: Bolleck/Elzy/Dixon
Slot: Beatty/Dixon
Brayden Trimble also in there; depth really good. IMO Clement's the clear-cut WR1.
There's probably not the top-tier duo combination of Bryant/Franklin, but lots to be excited about. And there's always room for a breakout. I think Bolleck's a real high-ceiling player; tons of "boom" potential there if it works out. Most likely will be just a very serviceable rotation guy, but would not surprise me if he works himself into an A-tier type target.
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Alex Capka-Jones will play a ton as well
Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
I'd forgotten all about Clement. That was a big addition.
If I'm not mistaken, I think it started around 11 PM Eastern but that was because they had it air after Game 1 of the World Series.
Bowick. Justin Bowick.
illinidarrin
- from parts unknown
I want to believe. Surprised IU isn't in the top 25. Their schedule is a bit more challenging this year, but still fairly manageable.
blackdog
- Champaign
A top 10 matchup in Champaign? Give me all of that and more.
Also it feels wrong and maybe bait at first but then think about where Illinois finished the season ranked and what they are returning.
I actually clicked to open this because I have been conditioned to look lower in the polls and automatically went to look at the 21 - 25 range.
What a strange and beautiful sight that is.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Spectacular. But, as Master Yoda noted, there is no "preseason ranking," only "do." I want to believe.
Which one of these is not like the other....
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Not trying to get ahead of ourselves, as we proved even last year that we can easily lose games to teams we "should beat" ... cough cough, Minnesota at home. However, when people are getting jittery about predicting a really good record for next year, it is worth noting that we are #9 on that list and play ONE ranked team all year ... and it is at home.
Will games at Duke, Washington, especially Indiana, etc. be tough? Of course. Will a very talented USC team be capable of beating us in Champaign? Sure. But MAN does it feel good to look at a schedule and truly believe that we at least theoretically *should* win a whole lot of games!
Fichigan?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
While I agree and feel like this is an awesome daydream myself, this just goes to show that all you need is the right coach in place and a commitment to football by the athletic department. Sure, there are "Blue Bloods" like Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Alabama, etc. on there and many "New Bloods" programs like Oregon and Clemson. However, we are not alone in "breaking through" (*knock on wood*) ... we are just the latest to do so!
#12 South Carolina: Went through a stretch of 6 losing seasons in 9 years before Spurrier unexpectedly went there in the mid-2000s, and they still had 5 losing seasons in the last 10 years before being super hyped last season (heh heh, sorry about ruining your party, Shane!!). Their all-time stats are not any better, as they finished the season ranked just three times EVER before 2000.
#14 SMU: The last two seasons were the first time they have finished the season ranked in FORTY YEARS. Before Lashlee took over in 2022, they had missed a bowl game in 7 of the previous 9 seasons.
#16 Arizona State: ASU had been decent in the 2000s and 2010s, but it is worth noting that they were coming off of 2 straight 3-9 seasons before they broke through last year.
#19 Ole Miss: While Ole Miss has always had a decent football history (something like a pre-Lickliter Iowa Basketball in my mind, lol...), they had missed a bowl games for 4 years in a row before Kiffin arrived.
#23 Iowa State: Until Campbell's second season, they had missed a bowl game for 4 straight years. Iowa State also has one of the worst all-time histories in college football, with an example being ZERO bowl appearances between 1979 and 1999 ZERO conference championships since 1912.
Point being, of course, that while we are indeed sort of the new kid on the block (and it feels great, IMO!), we are also sort of following a blueprint that we all knew was possible.
We will certainly have a target on our back next season. Will be a true test of how far we have come as a program. I'm cautiously optimistic that we will win at least 10.
Depth is nice.
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