Illinois vs. Penn State Predictions
MY PREDICTION
ILLINOIS 20 PENN STATE 17
Last game I went with my head instead of my gut and that didn't work out well, so this time I'm going to try my gut. I know it's only week 5, but I feel Illinois has their backs against the wall in regards of making a bowl game. This team needs four more wins, and looking at the schedule, it's hard to imagine any of them coming on the road (@ Wisconsin, @ Michigan, @ Ohio State, and @ Northwestern), so they will probably need to sweep the remainder of their home games.
It starts with Penn State, a team that has lost a lot of depth thanks to transfers and departures, but unlike Illinois, has found a way to be competitive in every ball game this season. Their season got off to a poor start with a home loss to Ohio, but to their credit the Bobcast look like a pretty solid football team at 4-0 this season. Penn State has scored 11 offensive touchdowns so far, and QB Matt McGloin has been a part of all of them (nine passing, two rushing). So it seems simple, stop McGloin, stop Penn State.
However, the Illinois have had a rough time stopping opposing offenses at times. They looked good against Western Michigan, but Arizona State and Louisiana Tech are two games to forget about. Which defense will show up this weekend?
Coach Beckman has said despite Nathan Scheelhaase's struggles last week, he is still the guy. If that's the case we will need him to get off to better start, and also not turn the ball over. Illinois had six turnovers against a defense that quite frankly isn't all that good. Is that a sign of things to come or was it a fluke?
I feel like Illinois will do just enough to win this one. I'm also hoping that “Stripe the Stadium” pumps this team up enough to get it done, and give them some confidence before a very tough road trip.
What do you guys think? Is it a Big Ten opening victory, or do we get (insert nasty comment) by Penn State? Let me know with your thoughts and predictions below. Talk to you guys after Saturday.
I-L-L...
If Coach Beckman still can't figure out which quarterback to use, maybe he can find a way to "replace" them with this guy. I hear he also knows Kung Fu...
After last week's debacle, I have no confidence in the team. That is sad but true. Penn State will be fired up because of the illinois coaches "recruiting" players in the offseason (I can see why Penn State is upset by that, but Illinois broke no rules. If you have the opportunity to make your team better while not breaking the rules, why wouldn't you?? Especially when it is your first year at a new program that needs a little reviving. If i'm beckman, I'd do things the exact same way again. Penn State can save their hurt feelings for someone else.)
I've been wrong 2 of the last 3 weeks, hopefully I am wrong again.
Penn State: 10
Illinois: 7
If this happens, it is going to be a loooooooooong year.
Go illini!
I withdrew my guess to think about it some more...to win in football and anything really, you must have the "want to"...Our HS coahes told us that when we showed up at the first practice as snot nosed freshmen trying to figure out how to put those thigh pads correctly into our pants that they only played the guys who had that...they didn't care about names, who your parents were or who were the better athletes. We went 29-4 playing bigger schools in rinky dink HS football my four years. Heard the same thing in Marine Corps boot camp...one was just a game and the other was life and death, but it still boiled down to that "want to" stuff. The Illini have give up 97 points to the two really decent teams we have played...where's the "want to" in that? Until I see it, I can't pick us to win...maybe today we'll see that. I really hope so...if not, I'll come back next year try again with Illini football...so hopng they show up and have the "want to"..
Nittany Lions 20
Illini 14
Catfish vs. Carp both bottom feeders.The QB and the revenge factor is the difference. PSU 24 Illini 21 Sad times are upon us all. Beckman vs. O'Brian = O' Brian --PSU RBs vs.Illini RBs =PSU RBs---Home Field keeps it close,but PSU a "Bottom Feeder" eeks out the win.
I guess some were not watching the game last week, in which our team and coaching staff looked clueless on defense and on the sidelines. This coaching staff's in game performance looks like the Zook regime at its worst.
PSU will suffer the primary consequencesof their sanctions starting next year. This year's PSU team is still reasonably talented and has the hate thing going against the Illini over the stupid decision to send virtually the whole Illini coaching staff to Pervert Valley to recruit a kid who isn't even playing for us this year.
PSU 27 Illini 10
Hmmm, let's see:
1. PSU has a two game win streak going, scoring an average of 29 ppg, while holding their opponents to an average of 10 ppg.
2. This is PSU's first Big Ten opener of the post-Paterno era. They have something to prove to themselves, and they're probably all psyched up to prove it.
3. Saturday's weather forecast looks pretty good for PSU's pro-style offense.
4. There's the whole thing about the Illini coaching staff trying to poach players with their visit to PSU over the summer. Didn't break any NCAA rules, but it was kind of a dumb move. Probably not as big a deal as some make out, but it should give the PSU players a little extra motivation.
5. On the other hand, the Illini should have some motivation to try to break out of their downward spiral. This could be a make or break game for the Illini. Win, and there's hope the season might be salvaged. Lose, and it could be a long, painful season. But, have the Illini had enough time to recover from last Saturday's debacle?
6. The Illini have the home field advantage. But that didn't help last weekend, did it? :-(
Going with my head I say: PSU 27, Illini 14 (but my Illini heart hopes my head is wrong).
Regarding your 4th point Bernie: Yes, the Illini coaches swooping into Penn State WAS a major deal and not one PSU will soon forget. If the tables were turned and if for example Obrien was coaching at Illinois and Beckman and his mid-major coaching lackies were hired at Penn State and they were caught at Willard Airport in a gang of eight with the intent to steal players, Illini coaches, players and fans would be in an uproar and hating Penn State for a long, long time. Only Beckman (especially at Thomas' urging) would make such an incredibly dumb move and it will come back to bite the Illini in sports and more than just football too.
Extra Charged PSU - 35
Listless Illinois - 11
Penn State 24
Illinois 10
I firmly believe Tim Beckman already put this game in the loss column when he showed up enmasse at State College, PA with a 7 man assault staff in a most embarrasing display which has only served to rile and motivate PSU to come out and play their fiercest and clobber Illinois. Penn State won't soon forget that major faux pas, affront and all out assault and will use it against Illinois for years. Plus PSU is playing way better than Illinois right now to begin with and though their coaches are also brand new, they have gotten way better coaching than Illini.
Really can't say I'm a big fan of "stripe the stadium". I thought it was pretty ridiculous to move away from the "just wear orange, especially when Michigan and Penn State are in town". In fact, why are we striping the stadium for Penn State who actually wear the same dark blue color jerseys we do? I swear some of these new things Thomas has instituted to increase fan support are just plain hokey and maladjusted. Paint the Hall Orange? Great idea. Pink Out against cancer? Great cause, great support, reasonable though non-traditional idea. Student organized Black Out at halftime for removal of the Chief. Freakin' tremendous idea. Heck, based on how our teams have played since then, we might as well have just decided to not only remove Chief Illiniwek but also remove the football and basketball programs altogether... But anyways, what do those three organized events have in common? They show uniformity. Everyone wearing the same color acting like a deranged and crazed mob. It works. This stripe the stadium thing though is just foolish. It asks you to dress in a non-uniform nature and wear the opponent's main color. That just seems incredulously stupid to me and a gimmick that might be necessary for a high school jv team, but here at Illinois? Seriously? Well, at least we have the playing like a jv high school team down pat... Heyyyyyyy-yooooo!!! *rimshot*
Anyways, my prediction: You know what, I have no idea why I'm picking Illinois because they're going to lose this game. They just are. There's no justification at all for it other than if our defense can't stop this offense, we're going to lose every single game this year, including Indiana. So you know what? It's a return to last year's terribly ugly game, but I think we come out on top. Barely.
Illinois: 10
Penn State: 7
I'm 2 and 2 going into week 5. Not sure what to think about the football team? I think they have some very good players on this team. just not sure they are living up to the hype.
Illini - 24
PSU - 14
If we loss this one basketball can't get here soon enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PSU 17
Illini 9
Really won't seem that close. This coaching staff will be shown to outclassed by another "rookie" coach. No longer worrying about being bowl eligble after this, maybe the staff will start to play to win rather than play to no lose. going to be a painful 4 more years until we get anew coaching staff AGAIN.
PSU 17
Illini 9
Really won't seem that close. This coaching staff will be shown to outclassed by another "rookie" coach. No longer worrying about being bowl eligble after this, maybe the staff will start to play to win rather than play to no lose. going to be a painful 4 more years until we get anew coaching staff AGAIN.
Made the trip with the kiddos from St. Louis to experience a fun filled Saturday.. Instead it was a total disaster. First of all the Illini Tailgate fest was an utter joke. Pace fainting for the kids took 1hr 30 minutes because they had one face painter and all of the adults had to get their faces painted. I've been to at least 100 games in my life and the ushers tried to tell me I was in the wrong section. So I obliged and sat in my seats and 1/2 way through the first quarter another asked for my tickets. I was correct, I was sitting in the wrong section. So I then take my kids and their food, drinks, posters, trinkets and go back to the section I was supposed to be in. My row was full. The ushers then came down and told me I was in the wrong section and after five minutes they finally figured it out. It took ten minutes to move the other people out of their seats and I finally settled in the 2nd quarter. It was already 21- 7.... My kids were tired, cranky, etc.. My support for the U of I football team will continue but not from Memorial Stadium. Act like a Big Ten School and put on a kid friendly tailgate as you promote and I will see you again once the program gets their crap together. Disappointed for Illini Nation and sad to say we will only win 2 big ten games this year and the first won't come until Indiana.
Penn State 30
Illinois 16
Got to go with what I see on the field and it isn't good. Prove me wrong Illini. Prove me wrong.
Lose this game and I may not make another this year. May even decided to finally drop the season tix which I nearly did last year but wanted to see what TB could do. Not impressed so far. Why pay $40 for seats I can get for half price of less on the street and not just this year but for most of the last 5 years. (Actually for much of the last 20 years). It sucks to be an Illini fan right now.
PSU: 21
IL: 17
I can see Penn St. missing an extra point and playing a slug-it-out, old school football game, but I can't get over all of the visions of scorched Illini DBs from last game out of my head.
The Illini RBs looked pretty good last game but can we pass without throwing picks?
Penn St. 27
Illini 23
Sorry 'bout that!
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