Pregame: Illinois vs Southern Illinois, Saturday, September 19th, 1:00pm CT, Peacock/YTTV
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Shocked to see we are this close. Band Day and the kid's families to the rescue!
Weather report looks like some AM showers, followed by a spike in heat (and likely humidity).
Winnability of some of those games changed for me. UCLA is looking more like a sure loss, I was very impressed with how they closed out cal and that's west coast on the road. Nebraska has been about as expected. Michigan State took care of business against what I expect will be two middling MAC teams and I now regard them as more of a problem than I did before. Oregon looks more winnable, but we're talking moving that from 2% to 8%. Nern failed to look like a dumpster fire against a good FCS team unfortunstely.
Absolutely must see good tackling this Saturday. Must control the line of scrimmage on both sides. I'll never forget looking evenly matched in the trenches with Western Illinois in 2018. Can't be like that.
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We know what’s wrong with Matelau? Timeline and/or injury?
Gotta have a better performance out of the LBs this week
I really, really want no more injuries.
For the next TWO weeks, it’s the only thing that impacts where this team will finish.
Our next legitimate game is Purdue, Oct. 3. From what I’ve seen (correct me if I’m wrong) — Platt, Henderson, Matelau, Brown should all be back by then. Getting those guys back will be a significant boost, to an offense that’s already pretty good.
Not having more injuries pile up, in two games where everybody knows the outcome, is going to be highly critical.
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In the record book — SIU will be a win and OSU will be a loss. However, if we have no injuries, both games are “wins” in my mind.
We need to avoid the WMU / IND situation from last year, of losing every player that entered the game in the secondary (including X for the year).
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That's because you're an Illinois fan. If you were a Purdue fan instead, you'd be saying Illinois would win by 30.
Your desire is to be pessimistic. Which team bares the brunt of that just comes down to the team you're rooting for (as ironic as that sounds).
We haven't even given up 35 points in a game this season. I mean, be pessimistic, fine. But let's not be stupid about it.
I was at that game too. I went to SIU but have always been an ILLINI fan. SIU was competitive early but Howard Griffith ran for the record books. I think SIUs head coach was Illinois former OC under Mackovic back in 1990. Does anyone remember our TE Ken Dilger? Do we have anybody like him in our TE room right now or that we have recruited?It was my husband’s birthday, a very memorable day.
Me. And I was pretty upset when that Saluki ripped the ball out of Griffin's arms and returned it for a TD to go up 21-7. But the comeback was epic.He used to work for me in the summers on the floor of the CBOT. Great guy. Very smart. Picked up hand signals on the floor faster than any other Illini athlete intern I had. Had the Chicago area football and baskteball players work for me in the 80s and early 90s. Great group of men representing our school.
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Any update on this? Did the game sellout?
Final Gies Memorial Stadium Sellout Watch for Southern Illinois.
This one is about as close as they let it get without being an announced sellout. Should be a good crowd if the rain stays away. My official attendance guess: 59,500
This one is about as close as they let it get without being an announced sellout. Should be a good crowd if the rain stays away. My official attendance guess: 59,500
blackdog
- Champaign
Weather looks real nice! Maybe slightly warm for late September but high of 84 and overcast. No more rain on the horizon. Cooler in the morning to make tailgating not miserably hot.
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