Well, its now official and we are headed to the Texas Bowl to meet up with Baylor.  I personally find it a little ironic that we're facing a Big 12 team just before we take one of the Big 12's best (Oklahoma be damned) as one of our own.  Well, we can now plan a trip to Houston over the Christmas break...OK, those of you still in school.  I'll have to be content to sit in the comfort of my in-laws' place to watch.  It should actually be a pretty good game.  I'm excited to see how Scheelhaase handles the spotlight as a first year starter and really can't wait to watch Leshoure run wild all over the Bears defense.  At least the field should be in slightly better condition this time round.  On a completely different subject...the St Louis Rams became bowl eligible today with their 6th win...oh wait.

A bunch of buddies and I get together every year and play a game to predict the Big Ten final basketball standings (and other leagues).  We assume one big division, we take eight teams only and use conference records only.  Here are my predictions, in order.  Please weigh in if I am off my rocker:

Michigan State or Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana

Thanks.  looking for some help!  This should be a fun year in Big Ten hoops!

Yes, basketball is just around the corner.  Different from previous seasons, our football team is still alive and keeping out attention spans so that we haven't had to revert to the old Illini excuse: "Wait till basketball season".  As excited as I am about the great football season, I've been waiting 3 years to see this team finally and tonight I finally got my chance.  Here are my observations.  Granted it's exhibition and I'm no Joe so you'll have to take my analysis with a grain of salt.

via cdn3.sbnation.com

1) Even with all the talent we had, we are still a totally different team with McCamey on the court.  Surrounded by talent or not, he will always be the heart and soul of this team.  Our team will go as he goes.

2) Mike Tisdale has my early vote for most improved player.  Playing against the likes of Kevin Durant and team USA has really helped his game and improved his confidence for when he plays against the pions in the lowly NCAA.

3) Crandall Head looks very quick/explosive.  Granted I've never seen him play before, but I'd assume that after missing his senior year of HS with a torn ACL, he'd be a little timid or slow.  Nope, he looks quick, and most importantly he appears to have broken the psychological barrier to recovery known as confidence (for examples of players who have not overcome this see Randle, Brian.)

Continue reading this post »

Illinois is a team with a chip on its shoulder this season, trying to avenge from two disappointing seasons in 2008 and 2009.

After the 2009 season, Illinois understood that changes must be made if they wanted to be successful, and many figured that would include the firing of Ron Zook, who complied a 21-39 record in his first five seasons.

But the owner, Ron Guenther, decided it would be best to keep Zook and fire offensive coordinator Mike Schultz, quarterbacks coach Kurt Beathard, wide receivers coach Jim Pry and special teams coach Mike Woodford. They also demoted co-defensive coordinators Dan Disch and Curt Mallory.

The vacancies were filled up as time went by, and the two biggest additions were offensive coordinator Paul Petrino and defensive coordinator Vic Koenning.

From all the moves made during the offseason, expectations were set very low for a talented group of players.

They were expected to finish towards the bottom of the Big Ten and not make a bowl game.

Yet, seven games into the season, Illinois is sitting at a record of 4-3 (2-2) and a bowl game seems highly promising.

The Illini are only two games away from becoming bowl eligible and the rest of its schedule plays out like this: vs. Purdue, at Michigan, vs. Minnesota, at Northwestern, and at Fresno State.

None of the five remaining opponents are ranked in the AP Poll Top 25, and the Illini have the potential to win all five games.

The question is, will they?

Here is my take on all five games and what the final outcome of each game will be.

Saturday, October 30: Purdue at Illinois

The Boilermakers and Fighting Illini both enter next Saturday's contest with a record of 4-3 looking to dramatically improve its chances of making a bowl game. 

The Boilermakers are coming off a tough 49-0 loss at Ohio State, and are currently dealing with some tough injuries, preventing them from reaching their full potential.

Purdue's No. 1 and No. 2 quarterbacks coming into the year are done for the season, and its third-string QB, Rob Henry, is questionable this weekend with a cut on his right index finger.

But don't overlook Purdue quite yet. It has proved it can compete against talented teams—as it proved by winning at Northwestern.

Purdue's strongest phase of its offense is the running attack. It averages 177 yards per game on the ground, but the offense has only put up 19.3 points per game, which ranks 102nd in the nation.

This is why I believe Illinois will have no problem with the Boilermakers; Illinois' defense has proven to one of its strongest points this season, and they should have no problem being able to stop an average offense.

The only fear I have is our current struggles on offense, but Purdue's defense is giving up 24.4 points per game (62nd in the nation).

If the Illini can establish a running game with Mikel LeShoure early and often, Illinois will exit Champaign this weekend one win away from becoming bowl eligible.

Prediction: Illinois by 17+

Saturday, November 6: Illinois at Michigan

Michigan (5-2) is arguably the toughest opponent Illinois has remaining on its schedule.

The Wolverines' are led by sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson, who may be the most explosive athlete that Illinois will face all season.

Robinson leads the Wolverines in both rushing (1,096) and passing (1,319) yards. He makes plays with both his arms and legs and has speed that is very rarely seen in a QB.

Unfortunately for Michigan, Robinson can't also play defense. Michigan's defense has hurt them very often this season; they are giving up 28.4 points per game, which ranks 80th in the nation.

This is another game where Illinois' offense must step-up if they hope to win, because Michigan's offense, which averages 36 points per game, will put points on the board.

It is also essential that Illinois limits the amount of possessions Michigan has, and they must win the turnover battle.

But, when all is said and done, it is actually quite simple for Illinois: if they stop Robinson, they win.

The question is, can they?

Prediction: Michigan by 7

Saturday, November 13: Minnesota at Illinois

It is very likely that Minnesota will enter this game 1-9 and 0-6 in conference play. The Golden Gophers are currently 1-7, and they have to face Ohio State and Michigan State before going up against the Illini.

Minnesota's biggest strength is its passing game, led by senior quarterback Adam Weber, who has thrown for 1,961 and 17 touchdowns.

But even his dominance has not proven to be enough for Minnesota's weak defense, who is giving up 31.9 points per game.

Minnesota's defense has struggled tremendously stopping the run, so exposing that weakness will be important for Illinois. Considering that Illinois has one of the top running backs in the Big Ten—running the ball should not be a problem.

This could also be a game to work with young, redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, especially if the running game is doing its job.

Nobody can overlook an opponent at the collegiate level, but this game should not be a problem for Illinois.

Even an average performance by the Illini should be good enough to get past the Golden Gophers.

Final Prediction: Illinois by 21+

Saturday, November 20: Illinois vs. Northwestern at Wrigley Field

The most exciting part about this game to many people will be that it is play at the old confines of Wrigley Field.

I think many people are overlooking how good of a game this has the potential to be.

Two weeks ago, Northwestern (5-2) took a big step back after losing to Purdue, 20-17. They followed that with another loss to No. 5 Michigan State, 35-27. They did stayed competitive, however, showing that they are a true threat in the Big Ten.

Senior quarterback Dan Persa is leading the Wildcats in both rushing and passing yards. Persa has 1,850 yards in the air and 341 yards on the ground, piling up a total of 16 touchdowns on the season.

The Wildcats poses a strong defense, giving up only 20.7 points per game. Last week against Michigan State, it did a fantastic job shutting down the Spartans strong running game.

The Wildcats key of this game will be to shut down the Illini's running game, hoping to put pressure on Scheelhaase.

I think this game goes down to the wire and it will come down to special teams, which gives the advantage to Illinois.

Prediction: Illinois by 3

Friday, December 3: Illinois at Fresno State

Many may remember this game from last's year shootout in Champaign, where Fresno State won 53-52, and both teams combined for a total of 964 yards.

But, some things have changed for the Bulldogs this season, who currently stand at a record of 5-2.

They are still a strong team, but the rushing attack took a hit after Ryan Matthews left for the draft a year early.

The Bulldogs do return its QB from last year, Ryan Colburn, who has thrown for 1,507 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Fresno State's offense is putting up 34.0 points per game, but its defense is giving up 26.7 points per game, which includes 55 against Mississippi and 49 against Hawaii.

Its biggest test will come up against Boise State—two weeks before they play Illinois—and we will get a feel of how good the Bulldogs really are.

As of right now, I think our defense can contain the Bulldogs, and hopefully our offense will be in sync by this time of the season, giving the Illini another victory.

I also think this will be a close game, but the Illini pull out a tough non-conference road victory.

Prediction: Illinois by 7

Once all games are complete, I think Illinois will finish the season at a final record of 8-4, putting them in the top half of the Big Ten.

Many of these games could be close, so it is possible it may lose some. But I think that winning at least six games is very likely, meaning that the Illini will finally be heading to a bowl again.

The Illinois players, coaching staff, and those always-optimistic fans, were very confident heading into the season, even with all the drama surrounding the program the past few years.

They have proven to be right, though, and it is apparent that a new attitude has taken control of the Illinois football program.

It is an attitude missed greatly by Illinois fans for a while now, and it is helping with the players, coaches, and recruits looking to become a part of Illinois.

Just sit back, relax, and enjoy Illinois fans—the program will only continue to go up from here.

Mike Shaw—a 6'8", 213-pound, power forward—will make his decision regarding where he will attend college this Thursday night.

Rivals.com rates senior high school recruit as a 4-star recruit and ranks him as the 58th best player in the nation

Shaw narrowed his list of teams down to Marquette, Illinois and DePaul after taking an official visit to all three schools.

According to Michael O'Brien of the Chicago Sun Times, a source says Shaw is likely to choose Illinois on Thursday.

This may not come as a surprise, though. Shaw's latest visit came to Illinois this past weekend, when Illinois hosted its annual Blue & Orange Scrimmage.

"This is your classic old school recruiting," recruiting analyst Joe Henricksen said. "It's gone down to the wire. I, personally, think it is going to come down to the school that has been in on him since the beginning. I think that is going to pay dividends for Illinois when it is all said and done."

Whether Shaw decides Illinois or not, it will end a four-year battle between the Illini and DePaul for the highly praised recruit out of De La Salle, Illinois.

"We're not used to these recruitments anymore," Henricksen said. "We're so used to kids deciding early. This has been a fight to the finish that has intensified because it's the first time DePaul and Illinois have gone head to head for a recruit in years."

Mac Irvin Fire's head coach, Michael Irvin, has had the pleasure of having one of the nation's best players on his AAU team, and he understands the importance of Shaw's decision.

"This is a big decision for Mike," Mike Irvin said. "He's been one of the elite players in the state for a long time. Whatever he chooses, those are three good schools."

After a 43-13 thrashing of the Indiana Hoosiers, Illinois has found itself receiving two votes in the USA Today Top 25 Coaches Poll.

To many other teams around the country, this may not seem like a monumental moment, but to all the Illini faithful, this news has the potential to make your day.

After two disappointing seasons in 2008 and 2009 since making it to a Rose Bowl in 2007, Illinois appears as if it will to be heading to a bowl game again.

The Illini are seven games into the season and three games into conference play, and it stands at an appealing record of 4-3 overall and 2-2 against conference teams.

According to CBSSports.com, Illinois has the No. 1 SOS in the nation—meaning that they have had the toughest schedule of any team so far this season.

Continue reading this post »

The latest buzz among Illinois fans is the way their schedule is laying out for them in the future—more specifically the next 12 games.

In the Illini's remaining six games this year and first six games next year—excluding a possible bowl game this season—they face no opponent currently ranked in the Top 25.

This can only bring out positives vibes from the fans and players, knowing that winning a large portion of these games is possible if they play to their full potential.

But, before everyone decides to look that far ahead, I think it is important that Illinois take it week-by-week, game-by-game, which begins with Indiana.

It would mean nothing more to the Hoosiers (4-2) to come into Champaign and ruin homecoming week, with an upset against an upstart Illini team.

And if Illinois overlooks the Hoosiers, that is exactly what is going to happen.

Homecoming is known as a week to show off school spirit and have a fun time. Students have various activities during the week, and there is a large excitement heading into the game.

Yet, I have not always looked at homecoming as being a great week for football players. There is always a concern of whether or not the players will attain full concentration during practice.

I am afraid that Illinois may come out flat against Indiana, but to college players, homecoming does not have the meaning it does in high school, therefore that complication is still not my biggest fear heading into the weekend.

Illinois' biggest strength on the defensive side is stopping the run, and Indiana has arguably the strongest passing attack they will go up against all season.

The last time Illinois went against a strong passing attack was its season opener vs. Missouri.

The defense held its ground only giving up 23 points, but Missouri's quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, still produced impressive stats, completing 34 of 48 (70.8%) passes for 281 yards and zero interceptions.

Indiana's senior quarterback Ben Chappell comes into Champaign as the 20th ranked quarterback in the nation, averaging 309.7 passing yards per game. He has 16 touchdowns, three interceptions and is completing a remarkable 68.7% of his passes.

If Illinois wants to win, it is necessary for them to contain Chappell and hold them to a low amount of points.

Now as for Illinois, its offense has gone through many struggles this season, and it has been very inconsistent every week. They are only managing to put up 21.3 points per game, which ranks 92nd in the nation.

They are facing a defense that has struggled this season, giving up 28.7 points per contest, and if Illinois wants to win, they must either not give up many points on defense, or their offense must produce bigger numbers.

That all that being said, I ultimately believe the outcome of the game will likely come down to Chappell's performance.

If the Illini offense continues its struggles and the defense is not able to stop Chappell, it is possible for the Hoosiers to dominate the Illini.

Chappell, standing at 6'3", 239 pounds, is having the best year of his career and is looking to take the Hoosiers to a bowl game for the second time since 1993.

The Hoosiers come into this game two wins away from being bowl eligible, knowing that a win is critical, because their schedule becomes difficult from this point on.

After Illinois, Indiana has games vs. Northwestern, vs. Iowa, at Wisconsin, vs. Penn State and at Purdue.

If the Hoosiers can pick up a victory against the Illini, they will have momentum going into a winnable game at home against Northwestern.

So, if you don't understand my point yet, this is a huge game for Indiana in their search for a bowl game, and they will certainly be aware of that as they face Illinois.

I expect this to be a tougher game for the Illini than many people expect, but I think the defense will continue to look impressive, and Illinois will come out with a victory, putting them at 4-3—making them one game closer to the ultimate goal: a bowl game.

As you contemplate over Illinois' performance after its first five games, they have by far exceeded the expectations of everyone across the country.

Coming into Week 7, not a single person would have expected Illinois to be 3-2 and look like a team that has the potential to be among the top teams in the Big Ten.

But, here we are, one day before Illinois' sixth game of the season, and they are sitting at 1-1 in conference play and looking to upset the Michigan State Spartans on its Homecoming Week.

Just like Illinois, Michigan State has gone far beyond everyone's expectations and is arguably one of the most underrated teams in the country.

With six games already complete, Michigan State is sitting at 6-0—tied for first place in the Big Ten—with big wins vs. Notre Dame, vs. Wisconsin, and at Michigan.

If one is to quickly glance at the Illinois vs. Michigan State contest coming up, it would appear as if Michigan State should be able to win this game and possibly with ease.

Michigan State is running and passing the ball effectively, and its defense continues to look impressive. They have taken down two ranked opponents, and held Heisman candidate Denard Robinson in check at the Big House.

And their opposition, Illinois, is a young team standing at a record of 3-2, whose victories came against two non-BCS opponents and an inexperienced, injury-ridden Penn State team.

But, do not count out the Fighting Illini quite yet.

Even in Illinois' two defeats against ranked opponents—Missouri and Ohio State—they have been competitive and had the opportunity to win both games.

So before you automatically give Michigan State a victory, understand that Illinois will not go away quietly, as they have proved so far this season.

Illinois will have to execute on all aspects on the game, and here are my five most important keys to Illinois being able to pull of the upset.

1-Run the Ball Effectively

Being able to run the ball has been a strength for Illinois ever since Ron Zook took over the job in 2005. Even when his teams were the worst in the Big Ten, rushing was always the strength.

And Zook has been able to keep that tradition alive this season as his junior running back, Mikel LeShoure, has been the backbone of the offense.

On 104 rushes, LeShoure has 597 yards on the ground, averaging 5.7 yards a carry. He has had 100 or more yards in every game against Ohio State, one of the best defenses in the country.

Behind LeShoure, Jason Ford and Troy Pollard have shown that they are capable of running the ball aggressively and picking up good yardage.

Illinois must establish a running game early and often against Michigan State on Saturday. It is necessary that they give the ball to LeShoure and get him going.

If the Illini are able to run the ball effectively, it will take the pressure off redshirt-freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who has progressively improved by each week.

2-Don't Make Offense Too Predictable

One thing that I have noticed so far this season is when our offense is struggling to move the ball, the play-calling will often get very predictable.

With a young quarterback still trying to develop trust in the coaching staff, it is noticeable that Paul Petrino does not always have complete confidence in Scheelhaase, so he converts to running it on the early downs and relying on the pass on third down.

This predictable play-calling was most noticeable against Missouri and Ohio State. First and second down would often be a run, and then a pass play would be called on third down.

Against Michigan State, Illinois must be able to establish the running game, but do not be too predictable with what play will be called. Petrino will need to vary up passing and running plays by passing it more on first and second down, which will also help the running attack by keeping the defense guessing.

3-Control the Time of Possession

Illinois' offense would not be considered an explosive threat too many people, because they often struggle to put big points on the board.

They only put 24.4 points per game, which ranks 81st in the nation. They have a strong running attack, but the passing game has held them back from reaching their full potential.

This is not the case for the Spartans.

Michigan State has had a very strong offense this season, averaging 35.8 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the nation.

Therefore, when Illinois does not put up a great deal of points and Michigan State does, it is essential that Illinois keeps the Michigan State's offense off the field.

If they can keep Michigan State off the field, it will take tremendous pressure off the Illinois offense and put more pressure on Michigan State's defense to stop Illinois.

It may lead to a low scoring event, but that will be necessary if Illinois hopes to compete with the Spartans.

4-The Defense Must Stand Its Ground

If you had told me that Illinois' defense would be one of its strongest attributes coming into the season, I would have called you crazy. 

But, to the surprise of many, the defense has been arguably the main reason Illinois has had so much success so far this season.

The defense--ranked 20th nationally in total defense, allowing 304.8 yards per game--will have their hands full going against Michigan State's offense.

As mentioned earlier, the Spartan offense has been dominant this season, averaging 35.8 points a contest.

Much of this is credited to Edwin Baker (683 yards) and Le'Veon Bell (549yards), who have carried the ball very productively for Michigan State this season.

Michigan State's rushing attack is ranked 14th nationally, rushing for 225 yards per game.

But, I have confidence that Illinois will be able to stop their rushing attack, forcing Michigan State to rely on junior quarterback Kirk Cousins to led the offense.

My confidence is due to Illinois' success on stopping rushing attacks so far this season. It has been obvious that the defenses' biggest strength is stopping the run, and they proved this last Saturday when they held Penn State's Evan Royster to 35 yards on 11 carries.

If the Spartan's rushing attack is contained, I feel much more confident that the Illini will exit East Lancing with a victory.

5-Continue Special Teams' Dominance

Special teams was another point of concern heading into the season, but Ron Zook has proven many of us wrong, as special teams is taking a large part in Illinois' success.

Most of this special teams' dominance is attributed to junior punter, Anthony Santella.

Santella is the second-ranked punter in the nation, averaging 47.9 yards per punt on 24 punts. Nine of his 24 punts have been 50 or more yards, and six have landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

This week Santella was named to Rivals.com Midseason All-American Team.

Field position will be a very important aspect in this game, making Michigan State start its possessions deep in its territory will be a boost to Illinois' defense.

It not only makes Michigan State have to drive much further to get down the field, but it takes pressure off the defense.

Santella has done a fantastic job helping the Illini win the field position battle, and he must continue to do that again this week to help Illinois' chances.

Before we give all the credit to Santella, we must not also look past the incredible kicking of Derek Dimke.

Dimke is 10-11 on field goals this season (90.9%), and his season long is 52. Against Penn State, he was 4-4 from 50, 31, 41, and 37 yards.

Field goals may take a big role in the game against Michigan State if it is a low scoring game, so having a reliable kicker is a huge advantage for Illinois.

I advise you to pay attention to special teams for this game, because that could be a determining factor in ultimately deciding who comes out as the victor.

Final Prediction: Illinois-24 Michigan State-30

Special teams was expected to be a major point of concern for Illinois heading into this season, but surprisingly, that has arguably been one of its biggest strengths.

Much of this is due to Illinois' punter, Anthony Santella.

Santella, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound, senior punter from Wauconda, IL, was named to Rivals.com Midseason All-American Team.

Santella has been Illinois' punter for all four years and is having the best year of his career. He is currently the second-ranked punter in the nation, averaging 47.92 yards per punt on 24 punts.

Last season, special teams plagued the Illini. They were constantly losing the battle of field position, which put tremendous pressure on a struggling defense.

But things have changed this season, and special teams are no longer pestering Illinois, which has affected both the offense and defense of the Illini in a positive way.

Special teams is one of the most important aspects in a teams' success, and if Illinois wants to continue its winning ways, the special teams must continue to be effective.

<!--Session data-->

Coming into this season, Illinois faithful already had their bags packed and were ready to call it quits even before the first game began.

The staff had a surplus of questions surrounding it, as six new coordinators were brought in during the offseason, including the two biggest acquisitions—Paul Petrino and Vic Koenning.

A month before the season, I asked an Illinois fan what he thought his favorite part of the season would be.

He thought about it for a brief moment, and responded, "To be honest, it is likely my favorite part will be the end of the season."

Looking through predictions and analysis before the season began, no one gave Illinois a chance to be atop the Big Ten, or even to make a bowl game, and it seemed as if the firing of Ron Zook was almost imminent.

Who wouldn't expect that with a team that had a 3-win season last year, a coach sitting on the proverbial "hot seat", and a whole new coaching staff taking over?

Continue reading this post »