My son (not an Illini) came with me to the USC game. I had told him going in that OL has been the area struggling, and I was surprised by how they had played so far. During the game we both commented that it looks like the OL is playing terrific. Now I'm wondering if USC's defensive front was just that weak? We still THAT OL.
Pregame: Illinois vs Ohio State, Saturday, October 11th, 11:00am CT, FOX
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OSU's D is too good for us to try to get in a shootout and we don't have the personnel to keep possessions low and win an ugly ball control game.
But the latter is what we should try to do. Make OSU string together long drives to get theirs and do what we can to burn up the clock when we have the ball.
Go into the 4th with a score like 21-7 and then anything can happen. Pick six, scoop and score, blocked kick, kick return TD...pressure shifts to OSU and then we ride that momentum to a stop and a score. Only way I see us winning.
Not that this is necessarily some David vs Goliath matchup. But as good as we are, we don't IMO, have a team strength or a unit that we can lean on to flip the game. We're really good in a lot of areas but I don't know that we're great at anything.
Should be fun. It's all upside for us. And it's a huge upside.
But the latter is what we should try to do. Make OSU string together long drives to get theirs and do what we can to burn up the clock when we have the ball.
Go into the 4th with a score like 21-7 and then anything can happen. Pick six, scoop and score, blocked kick, kick return TD...pressure shifts to OSU and then we ride that momentum to a stop and a score. Only way I see us winning.
Not that this is necessarily some David vs Goliath matchup. But as good as we are, we don't IMO, have a team strength or a unit that we can lean on to flip the game. We're really good in a lot of areas but I don't know that we're great at anything.
Should be fun. It's all upside for us. And it's a huge upside.
What’s with the doom and gloom in here. We are on the verge of having another winning season and it feels like it’s opposite with some of your reactions. 
I hate to say it, but if we can keep it respectable and not end up with an Indiana type game it’s a win. I’d love an upset, but OSU is a beast and we don’t have the horses to pull off an upset.
Let’s look the part of a top 25 team, then beat Washington.
Let’s look the part of a top 25 team, then beat Washington.
Based on 2 weeks ago, Vegas just set the over/under line for the number of times Illinois will be mentioned on the BNK at 1.5
Illwinsagain
- Cary, IL
If I could take that right now, I would.
I don't think our pass coverage (and defense in general) has been very good as many of you do also, however per CBS Sports - the Big Ten has the five top rated quarterbacks per QBR. We have played number #1 -Indiana and #3 - USC already. Unfortunately, we play #2 - Ohio St. this week and number #12 - Washington two weeks after that, then things get a little easier. Altmyer is currently ranked #4.
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
I think this game is why BB didn't play Laughery against purdont.....with all 3 RB's available we can rotate them and have a fresh RB ready to find some crease's and holes to exploit.........each of our RB's brings a different skillset and hopefully can bust a long one or 10 to keep us in the game..........
starting later this morning I'm going to start with the endless podcasts and shows to see what the rest of college football's spin doctors feel about our game......it probably will be kind of depressing to hear on and on about the supermen from ohio........
doesn't bother me at all , as I'm a dieharder than most Illini Fanatic and will never predict against the Illini or even let doubt creep into my fragile little mind........there is enough in this world to be depressed about right now and with BB elevating the Illini to even being talked about for the CFP makes my homer attitude about the Illini even stronger than ever.....
I'm enjoying where the Illini are right now in the college FB landscape and never want us to descend to those dark seasons of time past......my advice is to enjoy this era of Illini FB and try to shake the negative vibes of yesteryear........
I didn't think ucla had a snowballs chance in Hades against psu and looky looky looky what happened Saturday...........I will spend the rest of this week thinking positive thoughts , channeling the Ancients for celestial help and doing wake and bakes every morning to face each day with a big smile on my face looking forward to our chance to pull a mega upset of the gods from Mount Columbus................. we've done it before and we can do it again....................we really really can....................
Believe....Believe....Believe.....
starting later this morning I'm going to start with the endless podcasts and shows to see what the rest of college football's spin doctors feel about our game......it probably will be kind of depressing to hear on and on about the supermen from ohio........
doesn't bother me at all , as I'm a dieharder than most Illini Fanatic and will never predict against the Illini or even let doubt creep into my fragile little mind........there is enough in this world to be depressed about right now and with BB elevating the Illini to even being talked about for the CFP makes my homer attitude about the Illini even stronger than ever.....
I'm enjoying where the Illini are right now in the college FB landscape and never want us to descend to those dark seasons of time past......my advice is to enjoy this era of Illini FB and try to shake the negative vibes of yesteryear........
I didn't think ucla had a snowballs chance in Hades against psu and looky looky looky what happened Saturday...........I will spend the rest of this week thinking positive thoughts , channeling the Ancients for celestial help and doing wake and bakes every morning to face each day with a big smile on my face looking forward to our chance to pull a mega upset of the gods from Mount Columbus................. we've done it before and we can do it again....................we really really can....................
Believe....Believe....Believe.....
This is the first Illini team in many years to start a season with really high expectations. Other than the dinosaur-sized egg they laid at Indiana, they have passed every test to get to this game. After decades of following sports, I'm convinced the burden of high expectations is real, especially for teams not used to that. This will be the first game where they are huge underdogs. I expect them to embrace that status and play loose and free. They kind of did that against USC after the Indiana debacle. Hang around for three quarters and anything can happen...
34-14 them
What’s with the doom and gloom in here. We are on the verge of having another winning season and it feels like it’s opposite with some of your reactions.
because we're talking about this specific game, and our defense looks terrible. ohio state has more talent, on paper, than indiana and they seem to be showing that in games, as well. as someone else wrote, staying within 20 would be an accomplishment.
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I don't think we will win, but let's hope for some goal line stands against them, and some key plays from our passing game to keep it interesting. You never know, if we do keep it close, we have one of the best QB/Kicker combos around!
This is a make or break game for us to get into the playoffs. If we don't show a truly competitive game where we at least are within one score of winning the game and show that we are truly a team to be considered for the playoffs, even if we run the table and finish with only 2 losses, I would find it hard as a committee to pen us into a playoff spot given that we lost handily to two playoff teams. I'm not bullish that the defense nor the offensive line will keep us in the game. O-line showed one really good game, but OSU is on another level. Guys and coaches really need to step-up.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
I’m glad Coach Bielema and the team aren’t living in the same Beckman/Lovie alternate timeline that a large portion of this message board apparently are. I’d hate to think they’d be working this week with the mindset that if we can just keep it within 20, that’s a win. 
Obviously it will depend on how other teams do, but I generally agree with this - it will be interesting if Michigan and us both finish 10-2 and OSU beats them as well, so we have losses to IU and OSU, they've lost to Oklahoma and OSU. We would have a lot of overlap in opponents and essentially an almost identical profile - the fact that they would lose late (last game of season) might help us, but it would also seem the human element of picking Michigan as the fourth big ten team over us would probably win out.
We really need USC to beat Michigan on Saturday to keep a path to the playoffs open to us if we don't beat OSU
there is very little chance we would get in over Michigan in that scenario. Even if OU ends up 7-5. The CFP bureaucrats would never let a 10-2 UI team in over a 10-2 scUM.
You are right - usually to upset a better team, you should shorten the game, have a bend but don't break defense and hope you get some turnovers and can run the ball enough to sustain drives and keep the ball away from them. I don't know if that strategy works against OSU - sitting back in a zone and rushing 4 sounds like a disaster and won't stop them in the least even if it requires them to run a few more plays to score. I think we should go for broke and try more blitzing and man coverage to try to force some mistakes from them. I don't think we can win the game playing conservative.
But we do need to move the pocket, get the ball out of Luke's hands quickly and have an offensive gameplan that can score against an awesome OSU defense. I have more confidence in our ability to move the ball and score on them than I do in our ability to stop them
Luke is playing at a level we haven’t seen from the qb position in a long time. Lunney is calling a great game as well and Valentine has provided a huge spark to the running game.
I don’t want to pin a ton on Henry but this defense is brutal. Purdue made so many unforced mistakes, could’ve easily put up 40 against us. Secondary is really hard to watch, we just don’t have the guys.
I’d love to believe we can win this game, but barring some major malfunctions by OSU and some career games on our side, we couldn’t ask for a much worse matchup.
I’m looking for Altmyer to continue to excel and moving the chains and not forcing balls. I think a good offensive showing, regardless of score, would be a good checkmark.
I don’t want to pin a ton on Henry but this defense is brutal. Purdue made so many unforced mistakes, could’ve easily put up 40 against us. Secondary is really hard to watch, we just don’t have the guys.
I’d love to believe we can win this game, but barring some major malfunctions by OSU and some career games on our side, we couldn’t ask for a much worse matchup.
I’m looking for Altmyer to continue to excel and moving the chains and not forcing balls. I think a good offensive showing, regardless of score, would be a good checkmark.
What’s with the doom and gloom in here. We are on the verge of having another winning season and it feels like it’s opposite with some of your reactions.
this is really interesting... i have also probably had more fun in the last 3 years than i did the previous 20! wow! that's a staggering thought
Better be the biggest adjustment possible in our defense.
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