Purdue 31, Illinois 24 Postgame

#34      

TheChief4Life

TheChief4Life
TheChief4Life
I really just don’t know what to feel. Illinois shot themselves in the foot SOOO much last week and this week. But, it didn’t feel “like typical Illinois”, which is good.

But man…. What could have been this year.

But on the other hand, what this year can still be! If things go our way still (and by that, I mean the Illini playing the way they can), we could still have a very special season.

This has been the first year my son has been this interested in Illini football in his 12 years (he’s been to every home game since birth). Super upset today, but he’s excited that he can watch Illini football in December! That warms my heart.

Finally… good lord… please Chase… don’t be injured for long! Didn’t look good at the stadium, but he was walking a little in his own on the sideline (not in a necessarily “good” way).

Love this team, and always will. But sometimes… they just rip my heart out. Ugh.
 
#37      

Old.Edgy

O
Old.Edgy
This year we were able to out Wisconsin, Wisconsin... Out Iowa, Iowa... Out Minnesota, Minnesota... BUT we also out Illinois, Illinois ... Yet, when the season began, most people were just looking for a 'winning season and a bowl'.... and in the end, that's what we got... Sadly, we've only been able to catch lightning in the bottle a few times in the past 3 decades, and this time some of that lightning escaped that bottle...
 
#39      

FloridaMan

F
FloridaMan
We are just not good enough as a program to overcome the adversity multiple blown calls (both officials and coaching), baiting/bs d line calling out snaps/making illegal movements/faking injuries, etc. by opponents, and off games by key players have presented to us this year. Just have to become tougher mentally, and that goes for myself as a fan as well. It is a very big ask after the last 20+ seasons of incompetence. We flashed serious signs of competence in the first two months and a favorable schedule, but have slipped back to the old IL Football the past 2 games. Really frustrating as a fan begging for some sustained success. I guess at least making a bowl is something to build on hopefully; but quite a letdown probably letting a new year's day bowl appearance - in a location I could actually attend - slip away. Sucks.

The last two games have really highlighted our lack of talented depth on both lines. I worried those would be weaknesses for us this year, and was fooled by lack of competition in those areas during our early B10 schedule. Losing a couple studs has not helped either. But the last two weeks both units have been badly overmatched. When you give a sixth year QB a day and a half to throw it he's gonna find somebody open, and even if they aren't today's crew was gonna call a PI. Gotta hope the young guys can get up to speed quickly and provide some depth because that is where the last two game have been lost IMO.

I am going to refrain from any more comments about officiating other than to say that the collapse started from the moment the BS PI call happened. Granted, we let opportunities slip early again (thus my coaching calls comment). Touchdown next play and game over playing catch up the rest of the way. Those calls do not happen in a vacuum and teams like us can't just say "oh well on to the next play" after something that egregious. But it will never change and it has basically ruined both sports for me personally. Wish it were not so.
 
#41      

NASchamp

NASchamp
Atlanta
NASchamp
This one is on the coaches. Period. Absolutely no game plan. No adjustments during the game. Terrible discipline. And allowing our star player to get hurt with :22 left in a two possession game. Are you serious?!
 
#43      

D1959

D
D1959
All the marbles were on the table today and the only bodies that came to play were the officials and Purdue
 
#44      

Chief512

Chief512
Chief512
jason sudeikis fox GIF by The Last Man On Earth
 
#47      

aiwpfan

aiwpfan
Springfield, Il
aiwpfan
I'm thinking Chase Brown got a severe ankle sprain? If so, he's probably done for the season.
 
#50      

JSpence

J
Evansville, IN
JSpence
illinidarrin said:
Chase Brown getting hurt at the end just made everything that much worse now.
Click to expand...
Sure. It's crushing on the sentimental side, but it's only a glancing blow to the trajectory of this team. Chase doesn't make the offense go. He makes the line look better than they are and gets a ton of touches to do so. If he was going to be the guy to beat Michigan or stomp Northwestern, he would have had 6ypc and 100 in the 1st half.

Losing a talented back on a thin team sucks. Hate me if you want to, but I don't see it making much of a difference. This team is the defense first and second and executing clean plays for DeVito third.