Its in the cards with a win over either IND or USC (or both).
Pregame: Illinois at Indiana, Saturday, September 20th, 6:30pm CT, NBC
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DeonThomas
- South Carolina
And I'm now seeing Indiana -2.5
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
An upset road win in Bloomington would have us "sitting pretty" in the CFP hunt.
Win 3 of these next 5 (at least 2 of the 3 wins will be considered good wins):
@ IND
USC (should be ranked for the 1st time this week)
@ PUR
OSU
@ WASH
Win 4 of these final 4 (with 3 of the 4 at home):
RUTG
MD
@ WIS
NW
A 10-2 regular season likely gets us into the playoff. We'd likely have two pretty good wins and two pretty respectable losses on our resume. Our 9-3 record in 2024 had us sitting near the bubble.
Win 3 of these next 5 (at least 2 of the 3 wins will be considered good wins):
@ IND
USC (should be ranked for the 1st time this week)
@ PUR
OSU
@ WASH
Win 4 of these final 4 (with 3 of the 4 at home):
RUTG
MD
@ WIS
NW
A 10-2 regular season likely gets us into the playoff. We'd likely have two pretty good wins and two pretty respectable losses on our resume. Our 9-3 record in 2024 had us sitting near the bubble.
Unpopular opinion, but the one I’d be least moaned over is Laughery. This is especially true with RBs, but lots of times when you have too many guys, there isn’t enough snaps to go around to adequately allow for guys to catch their rhythm. It always sort of seems one guys in, one guy out. I just think Feagin and Valentine is a heck of a tandem.
Clarke is another one that’s quite concerning, especially with corner not being the greatest strength at the moment.
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Yep, need to split. Would love both, but go 1/2 and would feel very good.
usc did not look great @PU.
True, though that was a weird game with the three-hour delay, which I always thinks cuts against the visiting team. Plus, one of the Purdue TDs was on a bizarro play.
My two biggest concerns right now would be 1. Do we have enough at outside CB and 2. Who is the reliable WR2 after Beatty. The Bowick injury scares me with the latter.
I think the run game/OLine has the least to the with personnel, plus they've been very efficient in 2nd halves.
I think the run game/OLine has the least to the with personnel, plus they've been very efficient in 2nd halves.
I honestly feel lU really had 1 signature win all last season vs Michigan at home. Maybe you can consider the win at Washington. But they didn't play Oregon, PSU, or ILL and lost to OSU. That's why many felt Ole Miss or SC who we obviously beat should've been in.
This yearvthey lost 13 starters off that team and have beaten no one significant either. Now I think we should take them seriously because they did beat some middle tier B10 teams last season but they dropped to barely in the top 25 for a reason and are quite possibly highly over ranked. It not like OsU where they lose 13 starters and put in future NFL guys right back in. Let's prepare take our team that has faced a more difficult schedule over the past 1 1/2 years and twice as many returning starters and show them why the coaches picked us ahead of IU. IU lost a lot on a team that had some good wins but best win was home vs Michigan by 3.
This yearvthey lost 13 starters off that team and have beaten no one significant either. Now I think we should take them seriously because they did beat some middle tier B10 teams last season but they dropped to barely in the top 25 for a reason and are quite possibly highly over ranked. It not like OsU where they lose 13 starters and put in future NFL guys right back in. Let's prepare take our team that has faced a more difficult schedule over the past 1 1/2 years and twice as many returning starters and show them why the coaches picked us ahead of IU. IU lost a lot on a team that had some good wins but best win was home vs Michigan by 3.
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Unless somehow our O line is holding back for conference play, I think they are just average. The receivers seem better at getting open this year. Where are all the wheel routes , swing throws to the running backs ? Indiana is the team I most want to beat this year, mostly because Iowa is not on the schedule. And I want a convincing win , not last second heroics ! I have no patience with Cigneti and his " Remember the Titans " monologue. And finally turn Valentine loose....sick him on the Hoosiers !
washington was a home game.
Bowick's WR2
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Plus having traveled 2500 miles to get to the game.......
Indiana fan here. I don't know what outcome to expect next weekend? But this Indiana team is far more talented than last season. Their OL is miles better. The QB is far more talented. The RBs are a lot better. The WR room is a year older. They brought back 3 Pre-Season All Americans on defense. Probably the most athletic defense we've ever had. I agree we've cleaned up on some cupcakes but Old Dominion just blew out Virginia Tech yesterday and is probably the best team in Virginia and Kennesaw State lost to Wake Forrest by 1 point. Maybe the ACC just sucks? There is no question in my mind that we would beat the living crap out of Duke. So we'll see what happens Saturday. Safe travels if you're coming here. I'll be there.
Hudson Clement , your table is ready
Yeah. But they did amazing in the portal.
QB from Cal. RB from Maryland. C from Notre Dame. RT from Colorado. TE from Wisconsin. TE from Tennessee. Slot CB from NC State. DE from Maryland. CB from Pitt.
So assume they were all starters at previous stops?
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
The boys won't get away with stumbling through 2-1/2 quarters in Bloomington and then skipping away to victory as they did at Duke. Four quarters of focused execution is required. If we are truly arriving as a program then this Saturday is a crucial milestone to show those watching on national TV that we are.
I watched us a year ago at Penn State go toe to toe with a ferocious defense and give away a game that was ours to win on their turf. Indiana is an inferior opponent to that PSU team. It's important not only that we win but that we do so firmly.
Let's show up in Bloomington and cheer our men hoarse to Victory Illinois Varsity. Can't wait. Shivers writing this, I'm so excited for the trip and kickoff.
I watched us a year ago at Penn State go toe to toe with a ferocious defense and give away a game that was ours to win on their turf. Indiana is an inferior opponent to that PSU team. It's important not only that we win but that we do so firmly.
Let's show up in Bloomington and cheer our men hoarse to Victory Illinois Varsity. Can't wait. Shivers writing this, I'm so excited for the trip and kickoff.
All that matters is winning especially on the road.
Indiana RB Suffered Non-Contact Injury vs. Indiana State https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...er-indiana-state-with-leg-injury/86036783007/
Thanks for the post. The Illini may be over rated but the win last year in the bowl.over a very good proven SCarolina is why I like our chances. Granted that was our only win I believe vs a team that finished the year in the top 25. Indiana didn't beat anyone that finished the year there last year and avoided everyone but OSU. It is really hard to tell what IU has and I view IU as slightly better than Duke much like Tulane.. The line has been shifting with money on Illini already. I hope you leave unhappy but thanks for the post.
I do hope we get all our rbs, lbs and wrs back so we are ready to go. This is a big one and I think Illini are the best team IU has played outside of the playoffs and OSU where they lost by double digits in a great year for the Hoosiers
Wasn't the return of the starters of the offensive line suppose to be our strong point his year and why we were ranked so high to start the season?? I bet the coaches did too and had Bielma dreaming dominating the offensive line of scrimmage , establishing a solid running game early, setting up the passing game for Luke.
Unfortunately, After the first 3 quarters against Duke and the first half against an underweight defensive line of Western Michigan, our offensive line has been brutal...As such, we have had to adjust, and add more blockers to control the blitzes and have a pass first mentality in order to open up the run. Thank god for our coaching adjustments (shout out to Barry Lunney Jr) and a huge shout out to Luke Altmyer and his performance during our last two games. (IMHO our MVP this year).
I can only imagine that Indiana coaches have been watching the game tape and will stack the line (like WM) and we will be blitzed a lot. Hopefully we make a lot of pre-game adjustments to account for this. On defense, I have not been overly impressed and see Indiana scoring a ton of points on us. Thankfully, from what I have seen of their games (Indiana St is a highschool team), Indiana's defense has not been impressive either
The end result, I see a shoot-out with unfortunately us on the losing end...52-49 Indiana.. My best bet is pick the over for this game and make a ton of money..
Unfortunately, After the first 3 quarters against Duke and the first half against an underweight defensive line of Western Michigan, our offensive line has been brutal...As such, we have had to adjust, and add more blockers to control the blitzes and have a pass first mentality in order to open up the run. Thank god for our coaching adjustments (shout out to Barry Lunney Jr) and a huge shout out to Luke Altmyer and his performance during our last two games. (IMHO our MVP this year).
I can only imagine that Indiana coaches have been watching the game tape and will stack the line (like WM) and we will be blitzed a lot. Hopefully we make a lot of pre-game adjustments to account for this. On defense, I have not been overly impressed and see Indiana scoring a ton of points on us. Thankfully, from what I have seen of their games (Indiana St is a highschool team), Indiana's defense has not been impressive either
The end result, I see a shoot-out with unfortunately us on the losing end...52-49 Indiana.. My best bet is pick the over for this game and make a ton of money..
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i am still waiting for the supposed brilliance of ol coach bart miller to show. i guess if coach bielema is satisfied, that works for me, but o-line play has been surprisingly bad since he's been here.
don't get me wrong, i love what bielema's done here. just a glaring/surprising weakness so far.
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