Harkless on Purdue. Committed to Illini at some point I believe. Didn’t go to Auburn.
Illini Football 2024
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I saw a post earlier related to our attendance, and I just wanted to make the point once again that while it takes time to build up a consistent ticket base (people go to Iowa games even when they're bad out of habit because of many wins in previous years ... same for us in basketball), the growth in fan enthusiasm is very apparent since Bret got here. I've looked at this a number of ways, but this one was interesting to me. Below are Saturday Big Ten home games from Lovie's last year with fans (2019) to this season. For these purposes, a "bad crowd" is any below 40k, and a "good crowd" is anything above 50k.
2019
High: 44,512 (vs. NEB)
Average: 38,139
Low: 35,895 (vs. NU)
# Good: 0 times
# Bad: 4 times
--- Insert COVID-19 pandemic, a 2-win 2020 season, Lovie being fired and Bret being hired ---
2021
High: 40,168 (vs. WISC)
Average: 36,450
Low: 27,624 (vs. NU)
# Good: 0 times
# Bad: 2 times
--- Illini miss a bowl but show promising flashes in a 5-7 campaign, including two top 25 wins on the road ---
2022
High: 56,092 (vs. MSU)
Average: 48,065
Low: 44,910 (vs. IOWA)
# Good: 1 time
# Bad: 0 times
--- Illini have a surprising, break-out season that leads to a 7-1 start, first top 25 ranking in over a decade and a New Year's Day bowl ---
2023
High: 54,205 (vs. WISC)
Average: 49,693
Low: 42,310 (vs. NU ... like always!)
# Good: 2 times
# Bad: 0 times
--- I always say ticket sales lag success (and failure, for that matter), and this is a great example ... we pretty much are seeing the fruits of 2022 (and not totally falling off in 2023/2024) this year ---
2024
High: 60,670 (vs. MICH)
Average: 58,243
Low: 55,815 (vs. PUR)
# Good: 2 times
# Bad: 0 times
Small sample size? Sure. Arbitrary cutoffs not considering non-conference games and only looking at Saturdays? Maybe. The point is, though, that when Bret Bielema got here, we were very lucky to get over 40k people in the stadium on our best day, and a crowd in the 35k range was depressingly normal. In a few years, he has moved our FLOOR for a Big Ten home game up into the 55k range, and we have sold out (at least) two games halfway through the season.
TL;DR
Since he was hired, Bret Bielema has effectively CREATED 20k new Illini fans that purchase tickets ... while we all hope for this trend to continue and to get back to a place where any given game might sell out, that is nothing short of an incredible improvement.
2019
High: 44,512 (vs. NEB)
Average: 38,139
Low: 35,895 (vs. NU)
# Good: 0 times
# Bad: 4 times
--- Insert COVID-19 pandemic, a 2-win 2020 season, Lovie being fired and Bret being hired ---
2021
High: 40,168 (vs. WISC)
Average: 36,450
Low: 27,624 (vs. NU)
# Good: 0 times
# Bad: 2 times
--- Illini miss a bowl but show promising flashes in a 5-7 campaign, including two top 25 wins on the road ---
2022
High: 56,092 (vs. MSU)
Average: 48,065
Low: 44,910 (vs. IOWA)
# Good: 1 time
# Bad: 0 times
--- Illini have a surprising, break-out season that leads to a 7-1 start, first top 25 ranking in over a decade and a New Year's Day bowl ---
2023
High: 54,205 (vs. WISC)
Average: 49,693
Low: 42,310 (vs. NU ... like always!)
# Good: 2 times
# Bad: 0 times
--- I always say ticket sales lag success (and failure, for that matter), and this is a great example ... we pretty much are seeing the fruits of 2022 (and not totally falling off in 2023/2024) this year ---
2024
High: 60,670 (vs. MICH)
Average: 58,243
Low: 55,815 (vs. PUR)
# Good: 2 times
# Bad: 0 times
Small sample size? Sure. Arbitrary cutoffs not considering non-conference games and only looking at Saturdays? Maybe. The point is, though, that when Bret Bielema got here, we were very lucky to get over 40k people in the stadium on our best day, and a crowd in the 35k range was depressingly normal. In a few years, he has moved our FLOOR for a Big Ten home game up into the 55k range, and we have sold out (at least) two games halfway through the season.
TL;DR
Since he was hired, Bret Bielema has effectively CREATED 20k new Illini fans that purchase tickets ... while we all hope for this trend to continue and to get back to a place where any given game might sell out, that is nothing short of an incredible improvement.
If this continues, it will only increase the hype surrounding the program. I can’t wait to experience the atmosphere on Saturday.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
More random Illini stats ... games on "major/national networks" (defined as FOX, CBS, NBC or ABC) since Lovie's last year and excluding 2020:
2019: 2 (including a bowl game on FOX)
2021: 2
2022: 2
2023: 2
2024: 4 ... with 4 games not announced
Great exposure! If we can beat one of Michigan or Oregon, there is at least a chance we can get one of our remaining 4 (vs. Minnesota, vs. Michigan State, at Rutgers and vs. Northwestern at Wrigley) on a big-time channel, but it would require some heavy lifting from our opponents, too.
The NU game at Wrigley is destined for a bad channel, IMO, since NU draws terribly and there are so many better rivalries on that day, unfortunately. Minnesota and MSU at home are unlikely to be super enticing matchups, but you never know. The away game at Rutgers could be interesting ... not the BEST matchups that day (Indiana/OSU is likely a big one, but even USC/UCLA does not have that much juice this year), but I still would assume we are stuck on BTN or FS1 for this one.
With that said, if we just win all of our games, the networks will want us ... so let's do that.
2019: 2 (including a bowl game on FOX)
2021: 2
2022: 2
2023: 2
2024: 4 ... with 4 games not announced
Great exposure! If we can beat one of Michigan or Oregon, there is at least a chance we can get one of our remaining 4 (vs. Minnesota, vs. Michigan State, at Rutgers and vs. Northwestern at Wrigley) on a big-time channel, but it would require some heavy lifting from our opponents, too.
The NU game at Wrigley is destined for a bad channel, IMO, since NU draws terribly and there are so many better rivalries on that day, unfortunately. Minnesota and MSU at home are unlikely to be super enticing matchups, but you never know. The away game at Rutgers could be interesting ... not the BEST matchups that day (Indiana/OSU is likely a big one, but even USC/UCLA does not have that much juice this year), but I still would assume we are stuck on BTN or FS1 for this one.
With that said, if we just win all of our games, the networks will want us ... so let's do that.
PizzaHutParkingLot
- McPherson, KS
More random Illini stats ... games on "major/national networks" (defined as FOX, CBS, NBC or ABC) since Lovie's last year and excluding 2020:
2019: 2 (including a bowl game on FOX)
2021: 2
2022: 2
2023: 2
2024: 4 ... with 4 games not announced
Great exposure! If we can beat one of Michigan or Oregon, there is at least a chance we can get one of our remaining 4 (vs. Minnesota, vs. Michigan State, at Rutgers and vs. Northwestern at Wrigley) on a big-time channel, but it would require some heavy lifting from our opponents, too.
The NU game at Wrigley is destined for a bad channel, IMO, since NU draws terribly and there are so many better rivalries on that day, unfortunately. Minnesota and MSU at home are unlikely to be super enticing matchups, but you never know. The away game at Rutgers could be interesting ... not the BEST matchups that day (Indiana/OSU is likely a big one, but even USC/UCLA does not have that much juice this year), but I still would assume we are stuck on BTN or FS1 for this one.
With that said, if we just win all of our games, the networks will want us ... so let's do that.
Sorry if this has been talked about in another thread, but where is Daniel Brown? Doesn't look like he has played a down of football in the Orange and Blue. From his recruiting process and offseason talk I thought they would try to put some more muscle and weight on him and he would see the field a little bit. Anyone have information on this?
Back issue
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
I did really like the idea mentioned in the past of Illinois-Northwestern becoming a Black Friday game so that we could get a little bit better exposure. But in a year that the game is the day after Thanksgiving in Champaign we are probably still destined to have dreadful attendance, even if we are a good team. So this would really only make sense if the game became an annual Chicago game (Wrigley, or eventual new Bears stadium), or if the game was in Evanston. Honestly if they want to rotate games in to be the second Black Friday game in addition to Iowa-Nebraska, maybe that would make sense to have every other year it be Illinois @ Northwestern. But if we didn't offer to take that slot this year, its probably not the desire of one or both schools.More random Illini stats ... games on "major/national networks" (defined as FOX, CBS, NBC or ABC) since Lovie's last year and excluding 2020:
2019: 2 (including a bowl game on FOX)
2021: 2
2022: 2
2023: 2
2024: 4 ... with 4 games not announced
Great exposure! If we can beat one of Michigan or Oregon, there is at least a chance we can get one of our remaining 4 (vs. Minnesota, vs. Michigan State, at Rutgers and vs. Northwestern at Wrigley) on a big-time channel, but it would require some heavy lifting from our opponents, too.
The NU game at Wrigley is destined for a bad channel, IMO, since NU draws terribly and there are so many better rivalries on that day, unfortunately. Minnesota and MSU at home are unlikely to be super enticing matchups, but you never know. The away game at Rutgers could be interesting ... not the BEST matchups that day (Indiana/OSU is likely a big one, but even USC/UCLA does not have that much juice this year), but I still would assume we are stuck on BTN or FS1 for this one.
With that said, if we just win all of our games, the networks will want us ... so let's do that.
Projecting way ahead, here is what I would guess the networks would be for Thanksgiving weekend games (bold already locked into slots):
Friday
CBS @ 11:00: Minnesota @ Wisconsin
NBC @ 6:30: Nebraska @ Iowa
Saturday
FOX @ 11:00: Michigan @ Ohio State
FS1 @ 11:00: Maryland @ Penn State
BTN @ 11:00: Rutgers @ Michigan State
CBS @ 2:30: Washington @ Oregon
FS1 @ 3:00: Illinois @ Northwestern (Wrigley Field)
BTN @ 2:30 Purdue @ Indiana
NBC @ 6:30: Notre Dame @ USC
BTN @ 7:00: Fresno State @ UCLA
My guess is no Peacock game the last game of the year, but you never know. We are probably competing for one of the FS1 slots with Penn State & Maryland, Purdue & Indiana, and Rutgers & MSU. Rutgers and MSU is probably the worst game at play, so they get early BTN. Maryland @ Penn State will be brutal, but Penn State will probably be playoff bound, so they will get a non-BTN slot. And I gave us the nod over Purdue @ Indiana because Purdue will be absolute trash while Northwestern have a couple of games on Purdue, and for the pageantry of the game at Wrigley.
Back injury … Plan is to redshirt …
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I’ve been in favor of moving the NU game to Chicago for a longggg time, and the only good reason I’ve EVER heard why it might not work is this … NU is building a brand new indoor stadium for a lot of money, and they might not be too excited to go play us at a different new indoor stadium (i.e., the Bears’ stadium-to-be) where we’ll have most of the crowd in years where it’s their home game. However … I still think you do everything possible to make it happen and - if at all feasible - move it to the Friday. These arguments are for the integrity of the game, not pinching pennies for one more home game with minimal concession revenue, lol.
1. Something like 65-70% of U of I students are from Chicagoland the last time I saw stats, and there are no doubt more than a few C-U locals that travel up there to see family on Thanksgiving. When we were 10-1 and playing to clinch a Big Ten title in 2001, this game drew like 45k fans … it just simply will never draw well in Champaign.
2. This just isn’t an emotion-stirring rivalry, and we frankly need some kind of gimmick to give it some juice. Making it a Chicagoland family tradition after Thanksgiving to train into the city for the Illini Black Friday game at least turns it into a consistent party/event beyond just the merits of the football game itself. Plus, if we stay competitive/good, this could at least achieve Egg Bowl-level integrity with the exposure and ties to Chicago for the matchup and the unique setup.
3. It would literally give us a better home field atmosphere to play NU in Chicago (indoors) every year. Sure, no one wanted to go watch a bad Tim Beckman squad in freezing cold weather at Soldier Field … but a Bret Bielema squad ranked in the top 25 in a cozey new state-of-the-art dome? Those sentimentally different. Enough folks would show up each year as an excuse for Black Friday drinking with friends and family vs. only caring about the football. If it’s an exciting matchup, even better, you get a huge crowd!
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
What are the chances of sneaking into the playoff at 10-2?
10-2 with an Oregon upset but a let down after?
10-2 losing competitive to Oregon and then looking solid the last 4 games?
10-2 with an Oregon upset but a let down after?
10-2 losing competitive to Oregon and then looking solid the last 4 games?
Just posted this in another thread, but if we DO go 10-2, our only losses would be to the likely #1 and #2 teams in the country heading into conf. champ. week, with three top 25 wins under our belt.
Gotta count for something.
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
You’re right - I look at the schedules and it doesn’t seem like it’s a guarantee but there will be upsets elsewhere.
Hard to imagine a 10 win big ten team not getting in.
Did BB say today was the 77th sellout of MS?
Seriously, is our coach some sort of Messiah? I can't believe all the stuff that came together today.
Seriously, is our coach some sort of Messiah? I can't believe all the stuff that came together today.
There are other considerations that might impact that decision. Suites run ~$60k/year (about $10k/game). Are those owners eager to give up one of those games every other year? What about the local vendors? If, say, 10,000 hotel rooms would be sold for that game then those hoteliers are foregoing a couple million $ for the missed game. So too, restaurants, gas stations, etc. Do the pros exceed the cons? I don't know but certainly they are considerations.
How many BIG teams would get in though? I would say right now we are behind Oregon, Penn St, and Indiana when it comes to getting into the playoff.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
So hard to predict right now. 11 wins is pretty much a lock. 10 wins is probably a little less than 50%.
Illinois has three ranked wins, but of them, there is a good chance two of them don't even qualify for a bowl (Kansas and Michigan).
The problem with the November games is that all four of the teams are to near bubble bowl teams at the moment. Losses there would really hurt.
Therefore, the only way I am comfortable in making playoff is with at least 11 wins.
And I reckon if we win out from here, we're not merely scraping our way in... we'd be comfortably in, right?
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Win out and lose in B1G Champ game, should be still safely in (might just end up on road first round game).
11 wins and no B1G Champ game appearance, I think a very good chance of hosting first round game.
Obviously win out and win B1G champ, bye into second round bowl game.
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So I posted the numbers of the past 25 or so years. If we were to magically go 10-2, there's a strong chance we get in just because teams trip up. It happens every year and as such, a 2 loss B10 team will be thought of very highly as most seasons not going with that 2 loss team means you're taking a 3 loss team or a Group of 5 2 loss team ahead of them. For perspective, in many season a 2 loss major conference team was considered a Top 4 team. As such, we just have to keep winning. You do that and you make your own destiny.
Oh and for added perspective, those final 4 games after Oregon have a lot of opportunities to trip a team up. Most teams will trip at least once against those 4. We just need to be the exception in this magical season