BEAT ILLINOIS
Everyone wants IU to go to a bowl, and I do, too, but they won't (or shouldn't) if they don't beat Illinois this week. They didn't blow out the three non-conference opponents so far, other than woeful Indiana State, and their schedule doesn't offer them too many chances if they don't beat a badly coached Illinois team.
The other reason I care little about football, either the Bears or IU, is that the Cubs are in FIRST PLACE, and as long as they are playing meaningful games, the football schedule will just have to wait. For example, I usually go to the Indiana-Illinois football game (or at least to a bar to watch), but I have Cubs tickets, so I will DVR the game and hoe to see it without learning the score after the Cubs game.
2 comments:
Recently, I was talking with a co-worker about IU football.
I said: "Well IU has beaten everybody that they were supposed to beat so far this year. That's better than last year." This was my effort to state that the IU football program has improved even over last year.
He then said: "Well, the Illinois game is going to be a tough one." I replied: "Jiminy Christmas. If IU can't beat Illinois, then who ARE they going to beat in the Big Ten?"
What is my point? ...
The IU football program still has a ways to go before it is truly competitive in the Big Ten like it was in the early 90's. Let's not go overboard with our expectations just yet.
By the way, I thought that the loss of Terry Hoeppner would be truly devastating to the IU football program this year. I predicted a 4-8 or 3-9 record. IU is 3-0 now, but they have eight Big Ten games and one more non-conference game against Ball State, who is 2-1. I've been wrong so far, as I predicted that IU would go 2-1 or 1-2 in their first three games this year.
It's ugly to say, but going 0-8 or 1-7 in the Big Ten and losing to Ball State is not out of the realm of possibility. It's also possible that IU could go 5-4 or 6-3 during the rest of the season. Because of IU's weak schedule so far this year and their potential on the other hand, it's very dfficult to know where this team stands.
My prediction, at this point in time, for IU football in 2007:
6-6 with a bowl loss to finish 6-7
Illinois - W
@ Iowa - L
Minnesota - W (blowout)
@ Michigan State - L (blowout)
Penn St. - L (unexpectedly close game, possible upset)
@ Wisconsin - L (blowout)
Ball St. - W
@ Northwestern - L
Purdue - L
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