Play each of the FCS Illinois state schools at Huskie Stadium on a revolving basis once per year. Have it always be the home opener for guaranteed large attendance. Every five years play NIU v Illinois at Soldier Field. If NW can be shoehorned in to OOC here and there, even better.

(06-24-2013 01:31 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  Play each of the FCS Illinois state schools at Huskie Stadium on a revolving basis once per year. Have it always be the home opener for guaranteed large attendance. Every five years play NIU v Illinois at Soldier Field. If NW can be shoehorned in to OOC here and there, even better.

I doubt Illinois will play us at SF. And I wonder if we'd sell enough tickets.

Illinois will NEVER play NIU at Huskie Stadium or Soldier Field. Book it.

(06-24-2013 02:30 PM)beachboy Wrote:  Illinois will NEVER play NIU at Huskie Stadium or Soldier Field. Book it.

That is really the reason it isn't talked about because we know that NU and Illinois wont have the courage to play Illinois, especially now since NIU football has advanced well ahead of both those programs. Chances of even getting a road game would be minute now. Hard to blame them though, I probably would do the same thing.

In a few states the Governor has mandated that the taxpayer state funded schools play each other. One reason it keeps the $$ revenue from the game in state. I believe this happens in Michigan and perhaps Kentucky.

Would like to see our state government step up to the plate here and do the same thing. However there are just so many problems in state this is the least of their worries.

It would leave us with a Illinois vs. NIU game every year though.

I am reminded of that scene in Rocky III, where Clubber Lang interrupted Rocky's statue ceremony and acted like arrogant jerk in the public eye, but it did serve to secure a match against a champ who had previously been ignoring him.

NIU was a more attractive opponent for Northwestern and Illinois twenty years ago, when the Huskies could play the role of sparring partner in a tune-up game. Now that little brother is all grown up, it would take a bowl game to get NIU on the field with one of those other schools. It does not seem very likely, especially with the demise of the LCPB, but then travel back in time one year ago and predict the Huskies go to the Orange Bowl and imagine how silly that would sound.

Either that, or NU and the Illini would have to start losing too many recruits to NIU.

NU should play us one and one 2 out of every 4/5 years. We would both bring good numbers into each other's stadiums, and it would pump up instate interest in college football having a cyclical game to jabber jaw about. Too bad greed and fear get in the way.

(06-24-2013 02:33 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(06-24-2013 02:30 PM)beachboy Wrote:  Illinois will NEVER play NIU at Huskie Stadium or Soldier Field. Book it.

That is really the reason it isn't talked about because we know that NU and Illinois wont have the courage to play Illinois, especially now since NIU football has advanced well ahead of both those programs. Chances of even getting a road game would be minute now. Hard to blame them though, I probably would do the same thing.

Earth to MD, Phillips offered NIU a game this year and got No for an answer. It's takes 2 to make an agreement. NU has stepped up it's OOC scheduling, last year the Cats played 3 BCS opponents and has Cal & Syracuse this year. Cats are playing WMU which is likely the game date Phillips wanted with NIU. Too bad that couldn't happen

(06-24-2013 02:30 PM)beachboy Wrote:  Illinois will NEVER play NIU at Huskie Stadium or Soldier Field. Book it.

Stranger things have happened. For instance, NIU playing in a BCS bowl.

EIU has more FCS playoff appearances than any of the other instate FCS teams. Panthers will bring plenty of fans to DeKalb this September.

(06-24-2013 04:13 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  

(06-24-2013 02:33 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(06-24-2013 02:30 PM)beachboy Wrote:  Illinois will NEVER play NIU at Huskie Stadium or Soldier Field. Book it.

That is really the reason it isn't talked about because we know that NU and Illinois wont have the courage to play Illinois, especially now since NIU football has advanced well ahead of both those programs. Chances of even getting a road game would be minute now. Hard to blame them though, I probably would do the same thing.

Earth to MD, Phillips offered NIU a game this year and got No for an answer. It's takes 2 to make an agreement. NU has stepped up it's OOC scheduling, last year the Cats played 3 BCS opponents and has Cal & Syracuse this year. Cats are playing WMU which is likely the game date Phillips wanted with NIU. Too bad that couldn't happen

Well good for us then, its time that 2 for 1's be accepted.

(06-24-2013 07:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  EIU has more FCS playoff appearances than any of the other instate FCS teams. Panthers will bring plenty of fans to DeKalb this September.

They are ranked in the FCS preseason polls also.

(06-24-2013 07:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  EIU has more FCS playoff appearances than any of the other instate FCS teams. Panthers will bring plenty of fans to DeKalb this September.

That's great but if this is the big game in DeKalb, we have some issues.

(06-25-2013 11:10 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(06-24-2013 07:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  EIU has more FCS playoff appearances than any of the other instate FCS teams. Panthers will bring plenty of fans to DeKalb this September.

That's great but if this is the big game in DeKalb, we have some issues.

The only good thing about this game is all the money NIU will get from the EIU fans showing up to the game.

Since we'll never really be able to get the Illness or Northwestern (honestly I don't know a NIU student that has hate for NU, i actually support them). this forum is for in-state, but i have to say it would just be a lot easier to get a possible rivalry with Kansas or Iowa State, it even seems like it would be easier with Iowa than u of i or nu. Since NIU will also never get in the Big Ten, having a rivalry with Kansas and Iowa State would help a bit if were trying to ever appeal to the Big 12 (everyone knows the Big 12 could desperately use the Chicago market). Could just make it a season rivalry (each team plays each other and whoever has the best winning percentage of the 3 gets the trophy ex: if we beat both teams, we get it, if each team beats each other but loses to the next, then the math is done and the trophy goes to the team who statistically did the best of the 3). I'd rather see us play those 2 every year than get my hopes up about ever having a fair rivalry (Illness traveling to NIU every other year) with U of I or NU.

(06-25-2013 11:13 AM)GjlNIU Wrote:  

(06-25-2013 11:10 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(06-24-2013 07:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  EIU has more FCS playoff appearances than any of the other instate FCS teams. Panthers will bring plenty of fans to DeKalb this September.

That's great but if this is the big game in DeKalb, we have some issues.

The only good thing about this game is all the money NIU will get from the EIU fans showing up to the game.

sadly, the only home game that might be better than us stomping EIU will be our rivalry (which isn't even as real as people want it to be) with Ball St.

(06-25-2013 08:29 PM)4PhaseDelta Wrote:  

(06-25-2013 11:13 AM)GjlNIU Wrote:  

(06-25-2013 11:10 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(06-24-2013 07:00 PM)Poliicious Wrote:  EIU has more FCS playoff appearances than any of the other instate FCS teams. Panthers will bring plenty of fans to DeKalb this September.

That's great but if this is the big game in DeKalb, we have some issues.

The only good thing about this game is all the money NIU will get from the EIU fans showing up to the game.

sadly, the only home game that might be better than us stomping EIU will be our rivalry (which isn't even as real as people want it to be) with Ball St.

Hey, don't diss the corn stalk.

I'd love to see NIU's AD go off the rails and send out a press release declaring NIU the best football program in the great of state Illinois and challenging any instate program who disagrees to come take the title.

what's Tim Beckman going to say? but but but but we're a B1G team. sports media would eat it up.

Getting NU to DeKalb is not impossible. It just requires our new AD to be one heck of a salesman...and the fans may be asked to pay a premium for the ticket.

(06-26-2013 08:16 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Getting NU to DeKalb is not impossible. It just requires our new AD to be one heck of a salesman...and the fans may be asked to pay a premium for the ticket.

And they wouldn't have to worry about the tickets selling poorly as much since they're included in student fees.