Holy crap. Was just discussing U of I's football woes with a friend of mine who is a U of I fan.

I was trying to reassure them that they are 2-1 and should do pretty well...and then I looked up their season schedule. I'm pretty sure NIU could pull at least bowl eligibility with this schedule, and possibly go as high as 9-3:

(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

I would go with 1 more loss as a toss up between @Neb, Iowa and Penn St.

Washington would be a W

the penn state game i could see as a loss, but later in the season i would give us a win. I think we would embarrass Nebraska. Iowa, maaaybe.

(09-19-2014 11:59 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  Holy crap. Was just discussing U of I's football woes with a friend of mine who is a U of I fan.

I was trying to reassure them that they are 2-1 and should do pretty well...and then I looked up their season schedule. I'm pretty sure NIU could pull at least bowl eligibility with this schedule, and possibly go as high as 9-3:

(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

I'm not a big fan of judging a team at its worst. We almost lost to a FCS team last year. That's not the norm for them as it wasn't for us last year.

(09-19-2014 12:12 PM)PrideinthePack Wrote:  

(09-19-2014 11:59 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  Holy crap. Was just discussing U of I's football woes with a friend of mine who is a U of I fan.

I was trying to reassure them that they are 2-1 and should do pretty well...and then I looked up their season schedule. I'm pretty sure NIU could pull at least bowl eligibility with this schedule, and possibly go as high as 9-3:

(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

I'm not a big fan of judging a team at its worst. We almost lost to a FCS team last year. That's not the norm for them as it wasn't for us last year.

And mcneese st may be comparable to what eiu was last year...top tier Fcs. Definitely a dangerous statement...thy bounced back nicely last week.

I'd say 7-5 floor with 10-2 ceiling.

I'd probably set the total at 7.5 if I was an oddsmaker.

The best U of I will go this year is 5-7.

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7-5, 8-4.

the part of this that discuss me more is ..yeah we'd be bowl eligible and get a better bowl then we would in the MAC.

In the end .. Illinois will play a weak schedule and make more coin then we will .. that is what is sad.

I wish they just simplify the money part of this game. If they want two tiers then great.. top 50% are tier 1 and bottom are the other. pool the money and split accordingly.

minimum 6-6. Best probably 9-3. Most likely: 8-4

(09-19-2014 11:59 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  Holy crap. Was just discussing U of I's football woes with a friend of mine who is a U of I fan.

I was trying to reassure them that they are 2-1 and should do pretty well...and then I looked up their season schedule. I'm pretty sure NIU could pull at least bowl eligibility with this schedule, and possibly go as high as 9-3:

(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

The Illness has 2 wins because they played 2 cupcakes. They will NOT do pretty well this year as they are pathetic at best. I see them MAYBE winning 1 more...maybe.

NIU would go 8-4 or 9-3 with the Illness schedule. And NIU would beat them if they played us.

(09-19-2014 11:59 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  Holy crap. Was just discussing U of I's football woes with a friend of mine who is a U of I fan.

I was trying to reassure them that they are 2-1 and should do pretty well...and then I looked up their season schedule. I'm pretty sure NIU could pull at least bowl eligibility with this schedule, and possibly go as high as 9-3:

(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

Possible, but too optimistic, imo.

Quote:(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

Too optimistic. My dad's a massive Illini fan (he went there; grew up in southern illinois). I keep my eye on that team. I thought they would lose to W. Kentucky seeing BGSU get blown out by them... (But to be fair, first game on road with new BGSU coach + BGSU got stomped by Indiana in 2013 but won the East; they are capable of laying eggs)....

... and they almost DID lose to W. Kentucky but needed 21 points in the 4th Q to take the lead & solidify a win. And they were not impressive against #16 Youngstown State (see how Toledo CRUSHED #4 FCS team).

And the butt kicking they took to Washington, was quite embarassing. Yes, in Washington... but WA barely beat Hawaii. Granted @Hawaii is more than a standard 3pt shift in point spread, but still.

Cubit, their OC (WMU's former HC) -- is a good offensive coach if he gels with the players. I just don't think he has the players to put it all together yet, with a new QB and all, though. But during the year they will be able to put up points and will get better on that front -- but what can you expect overall, though? Toledo's former HC and now Illini HC is not good.

Here's my predictions:
Youngstown (W) 28-17
W. Kentucky (W) 42-34
@Washington (L) 19-44
Texas State (W) 34-21
@Nebraska (L) 24-41
Purdue (W) 41-34
@Wisconsin (L) 20-38
Minnesota (L) 24-28*
@Ohio State (L) 20-44
Iowa (L) 21-23*
Penn State (L) 20-24*
@Northwestern (L) 24-28*

*4 games that will be games that I say Illini will be favored to lose, but if they get things clicking and improve this year (no real indications they will, but too early to tell) -- they will actually win half of those games.

So...
Low-End: 4-8
High-End: 6-6
Too Optimistic: 7-5
You're High, Dude: 8-4

(09-20-2014 11:02 AM)toddjnsn Wrote:  

Quote:(w) Youngstown State
(w) Western Kentucky
(l) Washington
(w) Texas State
(w) Nebraska (this is a team that almost lost to a FCS program)
(w) Purdue
(l) Wisconsin
(w) Minnesota
(l) Ohio State
(w) Iowa
(w) Penn State
(w) Northwestern

Too optimistic. My dad's a massive Illini fan (he went there; grew up in southern illinois). I keep my eye on that team. I thought they would lose to W. Kentucky seeing BGSU get blown out by them... (But to be fair, first game on road with new BGSU coach + BGSU got stomped by Indiana in 2013 but won the East; they are capable of laying eggs)....

... and they almost DID lose to W. Kentucky but needed 21 points in the 4th Q to take the lead & solidify a win. And they were not impressive against #16 Youngstown State (see how Toledo CRUSHED #4 FCS team).

And the butt kicking they took to Washington, was quite embarassing. Yes, in Washington... but WA barely beat Hawaii. Granted @Hawaii is more than a standard 3pt shift in point spread, but still.

Cubit, their OC (WMU's former HC) -- is a good offensive coach if he gels with the players. I just don't think he has the players to put it all together yet, with a new QB and all, though. But during the year they will be able to put up points and will get better on that front -- but what can you expect overall, though? Toledo's former HC and now Illini HC is not good.

Here's my predictions:
Youngstown (W) 28-17
W. Kentucky (W) 42-34
@Washington (L) 19-44
Texas State (W) 34-21
@Nebraska (L) 24-41
Purdue (W) 41-34
@Wisconsin (L) 20-38
Minnesota (L) 24-28*
@Ohio State (L) 20-44
Iowa (L) 21-23*
Penn State (L) 20-24*
@Northwestern (L) 24-28*

*4 games that will be games that I say Illini will be favored to lose, but if they get things clicking and improve this year (no real indications they will, but too early to tell) -- they will actually win half of those games.

So...
Low-End: 4-8
High-End: 6-6
Too Optimistic: 7-5
You're High, Dude: 8-4

the question was ...IF NIU played the Illini's schedule, how many would NIU win?
We aren't guessing about Illini wins. They're going to suck again this year.

Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we'd beat Texas State.