49-13
Illinois vs Oregon, Saturday, October 24th, 2/2:30pm CT
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
well since the new DC was already on staff and this scheme doesn’t seem to work, I’m not super confident, but I’ll join you in the hope.
Well, when the offense was clicking it was indeed really good. Maybe top 10. Yes, with a top 10 offense we would be 5-1. But the fact that we have shown flashes of a fantastic offense doesn't mean we have a fantastic offense.
Nebraska will look great for three quarters, look like they’re horrified playing football in the fourth, will cough up a late lead and the Ducks will come to Champaign less desperate.
I think there is a decent chance that a loss to Nebraska would officially break the Ducks. Might make it easier to beat them next week.
But I'm rooting for Nebraska because it would be awesome if they came to Champaign with only 1 loss, their fans starting to dream about a chance at the playoff, and then we sucker punch them and mess up their season. Same with Iowa.
Seems in the day prior to the UCLA game there were reports of sickness running through the Oregon team. That could explain some of that performance. Oregon has clearly been worse than typical this year, but I’m still leaning towards that game being a major fluke more than anything. They seem pissed off. Hopefully they take out their frustrations on Nebraska- I really don’t want to face a Ducks team trying to take their frustrations out on us.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
At this point in the season, already sitting with a .500 record ... I would sell my soul just to beat Iowa.
Hold onto your soul for now. Maybe in a few years we’ll have a chance at a playoff game that’ll get you a bit more bang for your buck. Friends don’t let friends sell their souls for sub .500 season wins.At this point in the season, already sitting with a .500 record ... I would sell my soul just to beat Iowa.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Hope you are right! As an Illini fan who lived in Iowa City for many years until moving to Chicago in 2019, watching Illinois lose game after game at Kinnick (including an infuriating upset loss during the 2007 Rose Bowl season and a couple close losses in the twilight years of the Big Ten West), I would LOVE to steal one in Iowa City next year, too! Praying that we can start building some momentum to end the year, our donors are convinced that we need a serious infusion of cash for the roster and we can get back to being good next year ... because being good was fun.
The thing is, we didn't need to be fantastic. We only needed to score more than 3 points in 2H against Duke and not s*** the bed on offense against Purdue and we are sitting at 5-1 right now.
Thats been the play of the year IMO. We certainly would have beaten Duke had we not let that happen.
I don’t understand how you ever let that happen. Preventing a first down is always the top priority. The punt return is secondary.
If we didn't "go for it" on 4th down (instead of kicking a field goal) in the 4th quarter against both Duke and Purdue you may very well be right.
BB has rescued this program. But when your defense is your weakness, you take points every time you can get them and make the opposition start from the 25 yard line.
How those 2 decisions were made (given the make up of this team) baffles me.
The play of the year for Illinois in 2024 may have been the fake punt in the Memorial Stadium rededication game. Michigan let it happen.
It’s apparently the 100th anniversary of the Chief when the Ducks come to Champaign in a couple of weeks. Gameday Spirit is having a sale on Chief items. Do you think the university does anything to recognize that milestone or is it just in the past? Would be soooo cool if he did one last dance in honor of that day.
agreed, I'd sub consistent in for fantastic in RMLs initial quote. this team has to be able to score, or at least maintain possession, throughout the entire game to win
I will buy a round for the house at MS if they allow anything chief related to be displayed inside the stadium, let alone a halftime show dance.
Mine is Northwestern.At this point in the season, already sitting with a .500 record ... I would sell my soul just to beat Iowa.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Really, both of those will mean a lot to me this year. However, the NU game seems more important than usual given (A) we had finally established ourselves as clearly above them again after years of sucking and (B) it would be a hilariously awesome memory to beat them in our first trip to their shiny new stadium in front of thousands of orange shirts in the stands!
Regarding (A) ... just look at this shift in the last decade plus.
Bill Cubit Interim Era
2015 - L 14-24 vs. #17 Northwestern (Soldier Field)
---> Illini finish the year at 5-7 (2-6) in front of a pathetically small crowd at Soldier Field
Lovie Smith Era
2016 - L 21-42 at Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 3-9 (2-7)
2017 - L 7-42 vs. #23 Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 2-10 (0-9)
2018 - L 16-24 at #20 Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 4-8 (2-7)
2019 - L 10-29 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 6-6 (4-5) and proceed to lose 20-35 vs. Cal in the Redbox Bowl
2020 - L 10-28 at #14 Northwestern
---> Illini drop to 2-5 and go on the road for one final 21-56 loss at Penn State in the freezing cold to finish at 2-6 (2-6), leading to Lovie Smith's firing ... the losing streak to NU is now at 6 in a row...
Bret Bielema Era
2021 - W 47-14 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini finish at 5-7 (4-5) but show some real promise in Bret's first season
2022 - W 41-3 at Northwestern
---> Illini finish at 8-4 (5-4), securing our first 8-win season in 15 years, but ultimately fall 10-19 to #22 Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest Bowl
2023 - L 43-45 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini finish at 5-7 (3-6) after dropping two wild heart-breakers to end the year (lost 13-15 at #16 Iowa the week before, coughing up a late lead)
2024 - W 38-28 vs. Northwestern (Wrigley Field)
---> Illini improve to 9-3 (6-3), rise to #20 in the rankings and secure a 10th win by beating #15 South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl
2025 - W 20-13 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini improve to 8-4 (5-4), having won 4 of the last 5 vs. Northwestern, and go on to earn win #9 by beating Tennessee in the Music City Bowl, getting 9+ wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in decades
I mean, the post-Lovie shift is just dramatic as hell ... even with the blip on the radar that was our messy loss in 2023. It would REALLY suck for a resurgent Northwestern program to take such a big leap forward in a year where we can't make a bowl.
So, you're still looking for work?Really, both of those will mean a lot to me this year. However, the NU game seems more important than usual given (A) we had finally established ourselves as clearly above them again after years of sucking and (B) it would be a hilariously awesome memory to beat them in our first trip to their shiny new stadium in front of thousands of orange shirts in the stands!
Regarding (A) ... just look at this shift in the last decade plus.
Bill Cubit Interim Era
2015 - L 14-24 vs. #17 Northwestern (Soldier Field)
---> Illini finish the year at 5-7 (2-6) in front of a pathetically small crowd at Soldier Field
Lovie Smith Era
2016 - L 21-42 at Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 3-9 (2-7)
2017 - L 7-42 vs. #23 Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 2-10 (0-9)
2018 - L 16-24 at #20 Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 4-8 (2-7)
2019 - L 10-29 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini finish the year at 6-6 (4-5) and proceed to lose 20-35 vs. Cal in the Redbox Bowl
2020 - L 10-28 at #14 Northwestern
---> Illini drop to 2-5 and go on the road for one final 21-56 loss at Penn State in the freezing cold to finish at 2-6 (2-6), leading to Lovie Smith's firing ... the losing streak to NU is now at 6 in a row...
Bret Bielema Era
2021 - W 47-14 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini finish at 5-7 (4-5) but show some real promise in Bret's first season
2022 - W 41-3 at Northwestern
---> Illini finish at 8-4 (5-4), securing our first 8-win season in 15 years, but ultimately fall 10-19 to #22 Mississippi State in the ReliaQuest Bowl
2023 - L 43-45 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini finish at 5-7 (3-6) after dropping two wild heart-breakers to end the year (lost 13-15 at #16 Iowa the week before, coughing up a late lead)
2024 - W 38-28 vs. Northwestern (Wrigley Field)
---> Illini improve to 9-3 (6-3), rise to #20 in the rankings and secure a 10th win by beating #15 South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl
2025 - W 20-13 vs. Northwestern
---> Illini improve to 8-4 (5-4), having won 4 of the last 5 vs. Northwestern, and go on to earn win #9 by beating Tennessee in the Music City Bowl, getting 9+ wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in decades
I mean, the post-Lovie shift is just dramatic as hell ... even with the blip on the radar that was our messy loss in 2023. It would REALLY suck for a resurgent Northwestern program to take such a big leap forward in a year where we can't make a bowl.
