Brett Beilema already has three Big Ten Championships! Now he has Illinois in contention with easy games versus hapless Northwestern and Nebraska coming up! Shall we crown em champs?
Did anyone on here envision the Illini having this much success?
- Thread starter Titanium999
- Start date
Still a long way to go. If NU only wins one more conference game this season, then let it be against the illini!
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Illinois has obviously gotten better than they were under Lovie Smith (who was just collecting a check on a gig set up by a friend), but I got to see more before I believe they are a true Top 25 team and division leader. Sometimes the schedule sets up for some teams to have a fast start and I don't see where they've beaten anybody especially good this year and they don't have a victory over a power 5 currently with a winning record. Again, not saying they won't be good or great, but they did lose to Indiana and more of the season remains to see how things settle in the Big Ten.
They did beat a team 34-10 and held them to 2 yards rushing that whalloped us 42-7 and who ran all over us and then some. But, I guess that isn't really saying much.
Like him or not, Bret B. is a very good head coach, as if his record at Wisconsin didn't already establish it, this single-season improvement with Illinois leaves no doubt.
I think many of us think he blew it by letting Coach Hank go, but if you remember the other DC at the time was Dave Doeren, who became a head coach in 2010 and has been a head coach ever since, so it's hard to argue that he made a mistake on picking talent when there was an embarrassment of riches.
I think many of us think he blew it by letting Coach Hank go, but if you remember the other DC at the time was Dave Doeren, who became a head coach in 2010 and has been a head coach ever since, so it's hard to argue that he made a mistake on picking talent when there was an embarrassment of riches.
Eventually but certainly not this year. Thought we'd take a step back on defense since we lost quite a few good, experienced guys. Instead we've actually improved.
After 3 games it was clear that Illinois was pretty good.
Blew out Wyoming 38-6 (Wyoming beat Air Force is week 3). Outgained the Cowboys 475-212.
Let Indiana go 75 yards for a TD in the last 2 minutes to lose in Bloomington 23-20. Outgained the Hoosers 448-362, but turned it over 4 times. Fluke loss.
Shut down Virginia 24-3. Outgained the Cavaliers 394-222. Turned it over 4 times, again.
Blew out Wyoming 38-6 (Wyoming beat Air Force is week 3). Outgained the Cowboys 475-212.
Let Indiana go 75 yards for a TD in the last 2 minutes to lose in Bloomington 23-20. Outgained the Hoosers 448-362, but turned it over 4 times. Fluke loss.
Shut down Virginia 24-3. Outgained the Cavaliers 394-222. Turned it over 4 times, again.
Chase Brown is a really good back. They can block for him. The QB play has been outstanding (by B1G standards). But above all, they are playing very good D.
They will smoke us again.
They will smoke us again.
As I wrote, I'm not saying Illinois won't be good or great. But I would want to see more out of them, as to date, they haven't really beaten any really good teams. The transitive property with Illinois>Wisconsin>Northwestern right now could mean a decent or average team blew out a mediocre or bad team that blew out a bad team. On their remaining schedule, games against Minnesota, Purdue, and Michigan will give a stronger understanding of whether Illinois is really good this year or just lower tier bowl worthy and that's assuming they don't have another Indiana-type loss to a team like Nebraska.
