Because there was still a minute plus on the clock and if we had to get a FG that is enough time to get in position for one and win the game. The other team is a lot more conservative if it’s a tie game and a turnover costs them the game in that last drive. If you go for 2 you want it to be a win/lose trade off - not a win/lose/lose scenario, the math doesn’t work then
Illinois 38, Michigan State 37 OT Postgame
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
The worst place on a football team to be bad is quarterback.
The second worst is defensive line, and in the college game it's a closer second than you'd think.
We don't have bulk, don't get push and can't set an edge. Everybody else is helpless and desperately forced to compensate in those circumstances.
If that's it, that's a problem now and going forward. By this point in the season, he should know it backwards and forwards, upside and down. If there's an inability to grasp the concepts, you can't audible, you could go the wrong direction, you can blow blocking schemes...... basically, you'll be the source of turnovers and will get your QB killed.
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Having bad linebackers is right up there. Our inability to find backs out of the backfield or keep the Tight Ends in check is glaring. They just lack the speed, quickness and athleticism to be effective. Its painfully obvious. That's almost impossible to coach. Once we add in the extremely poor tackling(which can be coached up)......this is what we end up with.
As a former coach, I believed that you should always go for the tie at home. You have home field advantage with familiarity with the field, home crowd and momentum and on midday cases homer ref's. On the road you go for win.
This is our ninth straight season with at least one Big Ten win. This is now our longest such stretch since 1979-1996.
Maryland gives us the opportunity to make that nine straight seasons with MULTIPLE big ten wins.
Should we aim higher than this? Sure. Am I gonna celebrate this like i cherish the fact that we’ve never lost to an FCS team? Absolutely.
Maryland gives us the opportunity to make that nine straight seasons with MULTIPLE big ten wins.
Should we aim higher than this? Sure. Am I gonna celebrate this like i cherish the fact that we’ve never lost to an FCS team? Absolutely.
There’s not enough talent on the line, and the talented pieces we do have in the secondary are clearly not meshing with this scheme
Reminded me of the Purdue game several years ago when we sneaked out that win that should have been a gimme.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
This fun fact is not so… fun.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
A good DL that keeps LB's clean can make ordinary talent play up, and indeed has done that for Bielema's defenses here a lot.
The panicked "overreaction" during the portal season at us just being left without sufficient bodies, size or talent along the DL was in fact exactly as consequential in the trajectory of the program as it looked, it was an under-reaction if anything.
RockyMtnIllini81
- Golden, Colorado
It looked to me like the receiver was at the line of scrimmage. However he was not beyond the neutral zone. Good no call.
10000000000000% fact. If your DL can't keep OL from getting to the next level, it doesn't matter what you have. A pass rush makes your corners and safeties better and if the DL that can, at least, fight the OL to a stand still makes the LBs life a lot easier. A great DL removes the necessity to blitz.
You're absolutely on point.
Both
Talent IMO
We need more fans like you.
I wonder if the thinking was that that's the one chance you have in OT to go bold. If you go on offense first, you would need to be crazy to go for two. Its when you're on D first in either the first or second ot that you have your only chance to "steal" a win (the other team no reasonable chance to match you.)
But I agree it was a stupid call in that game, given our d and a backup QB.
Do we have a linebacker that can get off a block?
Appreciate the rule clarification. I stand corrected, as the ball never reached the 3 yard line, even if the receiver did.
This game still has my head spinning a day later.
Was definitely encouraged by the improvement in the defense after 2 weeks. As the game progressed, I started wondering if they can keep it up for the full 4 quarters. Well, no. So maybe next game they will take that next step. I understand the lack of talent, but still, the games must be played.
Clayton, just Clayton.
And Barnett better hurry up and learn how to secure that ball.
Was definitely encouraged by the improvement in the defense after 2 weeks. As the game progressed, I started wondering if they can keep it up for the full 4 quarters. Well, no. So maybe next game they will take that next step. I understand the lack of talent, but still, the games must be played.
Clayton, just Clayton.
And Barnett better hurry up and learn how to secure that ball.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Yes. And while talented D-Linemen are a limited resource, talented LB's are much more common and there is no reason a P4 team should be as deficient as we are in that area
Can someone provide a replay of Barnett's supposed ball - security - concerning runs?? I just re-watched his 15 yarder and 8 yarder and he has the ball cradled as far as I could see on the replays. Somehow that narrative is out there but I would really like to see a clear example of it. Now, if an insider has information that it has been a concern during practices, then that is another matter and I am all ears. But, have we actually seen it in game carries?
TentakilRex
- Land O Insects between Quincy-Macomb-Jacksonville
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