Pregame: Illinois at Duke, Saturday, September 6th, 11:00am CT, ESPN

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#276      
Battle89
Piotyr said:
Bill Connelly previews Illinois-Duke in his Week 2 preview, calls it the most interesting game in the noon window (Michigan-Oklahoma is the headliner at 7:30pm):

www.espn.com

College football Week 2 preview: Michigan-Oklahoma, Kansas-Missouri and more

In Week 2, we get a unique helmet game and the Group of 5's biggest weekend.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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The Worldwide Leader (TM)
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#278      
Fighter of the Nightman
blackdog said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1963802799168225464
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FWIW, there is actually a rather sizable alumni base in North Carolina and the surrounding states!

North Carolina: 6,123 UIUC (8,475 System)
South Carolina: 2,338 UIUC (3,331 System)
Virginia: 6,877 UIUC (9,105 System)

Especially when normalizing for the population of a given state, that is a lot more than you usually see outside of the Midwest and obvious population center draws like California. For context, Illinois has 253,264 (457,726), Indiana has 8,210 (12,647) and New York has 7,852 (10,495). So again, definitely a disproportionate number in the Carolinas!

Sounds like folks are taking the opportunity to see the Illini closer to home, and I hope you can see/hear a lot of orange on TV!!
 
#279      
CaptainCrutch
Three things I haven’t seen people talk about in the lead up so wanted to point out myself. Not that I think these are determinative, but I do think they’re “softs” worth mentioning:

1. Advantage Duke - Duke played Thursday. We played Friday. Duke technically has an extra day’s rest on us, plus we had to travel and they didn’t.

2. Advantage Illinois - Duke showed some weaknesses on tape before we came out, and Illinois had a night to digest tape as a staff and possibly prep for things with in-game scenarios the following night. Gamesmanship possibility there.

3. Idk, fun fact? - guess where Darian Monday transferred from? Tulane. Guess where Duke plays – on the road, I might add – next week? Tulane. Do you think there’s a possibility that’s on his mind this week? I think so. Is that game and that trip specifically giving him some trap-game lookaheads?

I doubt that affects it in any way shape or form, but I will just say now that, based on this fact, Monday has an uncharacteristic mistake or two and we capitalize with turnovers. Monday throws 2 picks in this game.
 
#280      
LFOD
CaptainCrutch said:
Three things I haven’t seen people talk about in the lead up so wanted to point out myself. Not that I think these are determinative, but I do think they’re “softs” worth mentioning:

1. Advantage Duke - Duke played Thursday. We played Friday. Duke technically has an extra day’s rest on us, plus we had to travel and they didn’t.

2. Advantage Illinois - Duke showed some weaknesses on tape before we came out, and Illinois had a night to digest tape as a staff and possibly prep for things with in-game scenarios the following night. Gamesmanship possibility there.

3. Idk, fun fact? - guess where Darian Monday transferred from? Tulane. Guess where Duke plays – on the road, I might add – next week? Tulane. Do you think there’s a possibility that’s on his mind this week? I think so. Is that game and that trip specifically giving him some trap-game lookaheads?

I doubt that affects it in any way shape or form, but I will just say now that, based on this fact, Monday has an uncharacteristic mistake or two and we capitalize with turnovers. Monday throws 2 picks in this game.
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I like Darian's new last name. :)

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#284      
KBLEE
RockfordIllini said:
I trust Lunney to come up with a game plan and misdirection, Luke is experienced enough to not get rattled, and I think our experienced O Line will hold up enough that we mostly solve Duke’s defense. Plus, I think I think our 12 and 13 personnel is a good match up because it creates extra gaps the defense has to account for.
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I watched the Duke vs Elon highlights, and Elon gashed them several times with the option. Let Luke keep one early on to make them think about it and then let the backs run wild. That will open up play action and we, hopefully, cruise.
 
#286      
LFOD
KBLEE said:
I watched the Duke vs Elon highlights, and Elon gashed them several times with the option. Let Luke keep one early on to make them think about it and then let the backs run wild. That will open up play action and we, hopefully, cruise.
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I really want to see some O-line domination at some point. This might be the year, and this game would be a perfect time to start.
 
#287      
Hingle McCringleberry
LFOD said:
I really want to see some O-line domination at some point. This might be the year, and this game would be a perfect time to start.
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I think we establish the run, wear them down a bit and then a heavy dose of RPO's and I think Luke breaks one for 20+ yds.

Closer game in the 1st half, good guys up 17 - 10, but then we put them away in the late 3rd & 4th Quarter. Final 27 - 17 as they add a late meaningless TD.

No way the left side of their line can handle Game & Tomi.
 
#288      
WhereDoWeStandWithStorr?
The more I think about it the more I see: better team Illinois, but matchup better favors Duke, which has been a theme of so many of our previous losses. And we’ve historically not done well in these environments - coming off of such a “riding high” of the off-season, early game, first road game, etc.

My UNBIASED prediction would be 27-17 Duke.

Regardless of how you look at it, I think it’s pretty concludable that if we lose, there would be a major “doubtful” feeling amongst the outside perception, fans, etc. The staff and team may not feel as such, but from the outside. Its an absolutely massive game in terms of perception - regardless of whether or not one feels that’s legitimately meaningful.
 
#291      
skyIdub
There is only one thing "scary" about this Duke team...their QB. He can win a game by himself if you give him time and space.

We will give him neither.

He will make a few big plays...but he will also be forced into a few mistakes.

You nervous nellies need to remember how much better this Illinois Football program is coached now.

I've never been more confident in our football program...not even the White and Zook runs.


I'm a Bielever.

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#296      
Fighter of the Nightman
From what I could find, visiting fans are usually sat in Sections 1-2 and then 31-32 if there are enough of them at Duke games:

WallaceWadeStadium_Football_2015-09-17_2015-09-17_0940_SVGC_tn.gif


And based on some pictures online, it seems if there are a lot of visiting fans, they then fill up Sections 3-9 or so (10 is where the student section starts) - as seen in this picture below, where Clemson fans really invade the place:
wwstad.jpg


In other words, they have a true "visitors side" like Northwestern, haha. With that in mind, and as was posted on the home page, this is the current ticket availability by section for tomorrow's game...
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FYI, the gray areas are for students, so no "normal" sections have sold out. 8 sections on the "Duke side" have "Medium" or above availability, compared to zero on the "visitors side." When you click on a section and get to see the little green dots (shoutout @IlliniInBuckeyeState), Section 1 (the most Illini-filled section) is pretty much sold out, and 2-4 look like they'll be decently full. TONS of availability on the other side, comparatively.

Getting my hopes up for a mini Illini fan invasion!!
 

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#297      
kmunt09
Fighter of the Nightman said:
From what I could find, visiting fans are usually sat in Sections 1-2 and then 31-32 if there are enough of them at Duke games:

WallaceWadeStadium_Football_2015-09-17_2015-09-17_0940_SVGC_tn.gif


And based on some pictures online, it seems if there are a lot of visiting fans, they then fill up Sections 3-9 or so (10 is where the student section starts) - as seen in this picture below, where Clemson fans really invade the place:
wwstad.jpg


In other words, they have a true "visitors side" like Northwestern, haha. With that in mind, and as was posted on the home page, this is the current ticket availability by section for tomorrow's game...
View attachment 43440

FYI, the gray areas are for students, so no "normal" sections have sold out. 8 sections on the "Duke side" have "Medium" or above availability, compared to zero on the "visitors side." When you click on a section and get to see the little green dots (shoutout @IlliniInBuckeyeState), Section 1 (the most Illini-filled section) is pretty much sold out, and 2-4 look like they'll be decently full. TONS of availability on the other side, comparatively.

Getting my hopes up for a mini Illini fan invasion!!
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The orientation of the Duke logo and the press-box means our fans may be shown in the background of many TV shots!
 
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