Wow, check this out;
the Orlando Sentinel pre-ranks Illinois at 105.
I know it's just the OS and it's just an extremely early preseason ranking....just a conversation piece really....but...on a national scale, perception of Illinois appears way down.
If that's the case, this becomes an extremely important OOC game if we're serious about moving the perception of the program to a more national level.
Wow, that's low. Illinois isn't going to be a powerhouse this year, but 106? Kent State is 107 and EMU is 110. Yikes.
Illini look like they might win 2-3 games.
They will be fine in a couple years. They really needed a culture change.
(05-12-2016 12:41 PM)Hiller4Hyz09 Wrote: [ -> ]Wow, check this out; the Orlando Sentinel pre-ranks Illinois at 105.
I know it's just the OS and it's just an extremely early preseason ranking....just a conversation piece really....but...on a national scale, perception of Illinois appears way down.
If that's the case, this becomes an extremely important OOC game if we're serious about moving the perception of the program to a more national level.
It would be a nice win, but not as important as any MAC win.
Look back to when we beat Illinois last time, or Iowa, but did not make it to the MAC Championship Game. Nobody cared, unfortunately.
The MAC is the meat & potatoes. OCC games are just really good gravy.
^agreed.
If we win the MAC nobody will even remember this game.
Cubit beat one of Illinois better teams. This team is rebuilding from a sub 500 year. If he loses I'd be concerned.
(05-12-2016 07:39 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote: [ -> ]Cubit beat one of Illinois better teams. This team is rebuilding from a sub 500 year. If he loses I'd be concerned.
Illinois was 5-7 in 2008. It was not a good football team.
I do agree WMU should beat Illinois this fall. There will be much tougher teams in the MAC. However, I'm not going to get too upset if it does not. A Division of League championship will overshadow it quickly.
(05-12-2016 09:09 PM)GullLake Wrote: [ -> ] (05-12-2016 07:39 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote: [ -> ]Cubit beat one of Illinois better teams. This team is rebuilding from a sub 500 year. If he loses I'd be concerned.
Illinois was 5-7 in 2008. It was not a good football team.
I do agree WMU should beat Illinois this fall. There will be much tougher teams in the MAC. However, I'm not going to get too upset if it does not. A Division of League championship will overshadow it quickly.
If we can't beat a bottom 25 team, what would our odds of winning the MAC be?
Sure I'll be upset if we lose. But our season would be far from over.
A bottom of the barrel Big Ten team is still better than probably two-thirds of MAC teams.
(05-12-2016 09:09 PM)GullLake Wrote: [ -> ] (05-12-2016 07:39 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote: [ -> ]Cubit beat one of Illinois better teams. This team is rebuilding from a sub 500 year. If he loses I'd be concerned.
Illinois was 5-7 in 2008. It was not a good football team.
I do agree WMU should beat Illinois this fall. There will be much tougher teams in the MAC. However, I'm not going to get too upset if it does not. A Division of League championship will overshadow it quickly.
Would've been a bowl team if they beat us.
Can't be "ELITE" if you lose to Bottom 25 teams regardless what league they're in.
(05-13-2016 07:21 AM)MajorHoople Wrote: [ -> ]Can't be "ELITE" if you lose to Bottom 25 teams regardless what league they're in.
WMU football never has been "Elite," and hasn't won a MAC Championship since the Reagan Administration. It last appeared in a MAC Championship Game 16 years ago.
Since then WMU hasn't been any better than decent (the last two years and 2006-2008).
As much as I would enjoy seeing WMU go undefeated in non-conference and BLOW-OUT Big Ten bastards, it is v-e-r-y secondary to winning the division and league (as we found out last time we beat a bad Illinois team). WMU has got to get over that hump and a win or loss to Illinois will have little bearing on it.
If you don't understand that, you have another agenda.
(05-13-2016 07:38 AM)GullLake Wrote: [ -> ]As much as I would enjoy seeing WMU go undefeated in non-conference and BLOW-OUT Big Ten bastards, it is v-e-r-y secondary to winning the division and league (as we found out last time we beat a bad Illinois team). WMU has got to get over that hump and a win or loss to Illinois will have little bearing on it.
If you don't understand that, you have another agenda.
Just because you say so?
Been following Bronco Football a lot longer than you, Junior. Don't need YOU to explain it to me.
I'm just going by what our head football coach says is HIS vision for what our program should-will be.
Go peddle your papers.
(05-13-2016 07:48 AM)MajorHoople Wrote: [ -> ] (05-13-2016 07:38 AM)GullLake Wrote: [ -> ]As much as I would enjoy seeing WMU go undefeated in non-conference and BLOW-OUT Big Ten bastards, it is v-e-r-y secondary to winning the division and league (as we found out last time we beat a bad Illinois team). WMU has got to get over that hump and a win or loss to Illinois will have little bearing on it.
If you don't understand that, you have another agenda.
Just because you say so?
Been following Bronco Football a lot longer than you, Junior. Don't need YOU to explain it to me.
I'm just going by what our head football coach says is HIS vision for what our program should-will be.
Go peddle your papers.
Glad to have the opportunity to educate and enlighten you...son.
(05-13-2016 08:04 AM)GullLake Wrote: [ -> ]Glad to have the opportunity to educate and enlighten you...son.
I think you mean Fleck. Explain to him how we can be "Elite" (his term-goal) without beating a bad Illinois team.
Your efforts are wasted on me. and obviously others.
I'm hoping we run the ball way more than we throw it against Illinois. We are going to punish their defense on the ground.
I get the impression that there are posters here who would be giddy if we lose to Illinois...The fleck hatred supersedes any loyalty to WMU....
Keep up the good work Gull.
(05-13-2016 08:51 AM)broncojohnny Wrote: [ -> ]I get the impression that there are posters here who would be giddy if we lose to Illinois...The fleck hatred supersedes any loyalty to WMU....
Keep up the good work Gull.
Your boy "Gull" is the one saying losing to Illinois will be no big deal.
I suspect the coaches-players and many of us true fans will beg to differ.
(05-13-2016 08:56 AM)MajorHoople Wrote: [ -> ] (05-13-2016 08:51 AM)broncojohnny Wrote: [ -> ]I get the impression that there are posters here who would be giddy if we lose to Illinois...The fleck hatred supersedes any loyalty to WMU....
Keep up the good work Gull.
Your boy "Gull" is the one saying losing to Illinois will be no big deal.
I suspect the coaches-players and many of us true fans will beg to differ.
Our coaches and players are going to roll into Champaign looking to pummel Illinois. Hopefully they save some of that whoopin for a little payback against GASO.