Illini Football 2024

#151      
ChiefGritty
mhuml32 said:
You asked for it, here are the bottom eight Illinois teams post-slush fund.

1. '97 (Turner's first season)
2. '69 (Valek's second-to-last season, -191 point differential)
3. '12 (Beckman's first season)
4. '03 (Turner's second-to-last season, -195 point differential)
5. '98 (Turner's second season)
6. '17 (Lovie's second season)
7. '16 (Lovie's first season)
8. '05 (Zook's first season)

For those wondering about Bielema being set up by Lovie, see above. Also, the 2020 season was the 9th worst by SRS, then Bielema took over. Just look, besides Valek getting left holding the bag after the slush fund, this is all after the Tepper era was imploding for the worst seasons that dragged the program into the cellar.
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I'm glad the advanced stats agree with my eye test that for all the bottomless pit seasons of my time as an active fan, 2012 was the worst of the worst.
 
#153      
TheFlyingIllini1317
ChiefGritty said:
Prepare for Peacock would be my advice.

Also, interesting to see a week where Fox very clearly got first pick, hasn't generally felt like the case very often, maybe their picks are saved up for later in the season (Michigan-OSU is already set for 11AM on Fox).
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11am FS1? The 2:30 games take the whole day, and night games the drive back stinks. For TV purposes I definitely understand why we'd want the 2:30 slot tho.
 
#155      
Fighter of the Nightman
For Big Ten games only, these are the average viewers by network through the previous weekend (i.e., Illini/Michigan weekend has not been added).

CBS: 4.49 million average
- High of 6.3 million for #11 USC at #18 Michigan
- Low of 2.9 million for Wisconsin at #13 USC

NBC: 3.98 million average
- High of 9.6 million for #2 Ohio State at #3 Oregon
- Low of 1.3 million for Indiana at UCLA

FOX: 2.80 million average
- High of 4.2 million for #24 Illinois at #22 Nebraska (Friday night)
- Low of 1.5 million for #8 Oregon at UCLA (at 10:00 pm CST Saturday...)

FS1: 640k average
- High of 1.0 million for Rutgers at Nebraska
- Low of 378k for Northwestern at Washington

BTN: 617k average
- High of 1.1 million for Michigan State at Maryland/Eastern Washington at Washington
- Low of 312k for Minnesota at UCLA

Here are the Illini ratings so far, for context:

FOX
4.21 million for #24 Illinois at #22 Nebraska (Friday night)

NBC
3.09 million for #19 Illinois at #9 Penn State

CBS
[TBD] ... Michigan rating should be out tomorrow

BTN
112k for Eastern Illinois at Illinois (Thursday night)

FS1
841k for #19 Kansas at Illinois
440k for Purdue at #23 Illinois
 
#156      
Fighter of the Nightman
Also I have mentioned before that my very good friend's fiancé works at NBC ... and after she texted me to congratulate our Illini on defeating her alma mater (hint, hint!), I asked her for some intel on whether or not Illinois/Minnesota could get that primetime NBC slot.

She confirmed that there will be a Peacock game at 2:30 pm (so if Indiana/MSU is not at 11:00 am on FS1, it will be at 2:30 pm on Peacock), and they were briefed (as we all know) that Illini/Minnesota or Wisconsin/Iowa will be the night game on NBC. She said they didn't receive any indication of which one is more likely, but her exact words for the Illini were, "So, there's a pretty good chance!"

TL;DR

I have very little to share that we didn't already know. :ROFLMAO: However, we can eliminate a 2:30 pm NBC slot, as I think the network wants that time to showcase Peacock. Also, without any assurance, our friend at NBC certainly didn't act like it was any more likely for Wisconsin/Iowa to get that slot than for Illini/Minnesota. So, let's go shock Oregon!
 
#157      
Ramrod2010
Fighter of the Nightman said:
For Big Ten games only, these are the average viewers by network through the previous weekend (i.e., Illini/Michigan weekend has not been added).

CBS: 4.49 million average
- High of 6.3 million for #11 USC at #18 Michigan
- Low of 2.9 million for Wisconsin at #13 USC

NBC: 3.98 million average
- High of 9.6 million for #2 Ohio State at #3 Oregon
- Low of 1.3 million for Indiana at UCLA

FOX: 2.80 million average
- High of 4.2 million for #24 Illinois at #22 Nebraska (Friday night)
- Low of 1.5 million for #8 Oregon at UCLA (at 10:00 pm CST Saturday...)

FS1: 640k average
- High of 1.0 million for Rutgers at Nebraska
- Low of 378k for Northwestern at Washington

BTN: 617k average
- High of 1.1 million for Michigan State at Maryland/Eastern Washington at Washington
- Low of 312k for Minnesota at UCLA

Here are the Illini ratings so far, for context:

FOX
4.21 million for #24 Illinois at #22 Nebraska (Friday night)

NBC
3.09 million for #19 Illinois at #9 Penn State

CBS
[TBD] ... Michigan rating should be out tomorrow

BTN
112k for Eastern Illinois at Illinois (Thursday night)

FS1
841k for #19 Kansas at Illinois
440k for Purdue at #23 Illinois
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I'm going to assume our Penn State game on NBC beats the median viewership (as I'm guessing the average is skewed due to OSU/Oregon).
 
#159      
aaeismacgychel
They were talking about our season on BTN and their projection is if we finish 10-2 with a loss to Oregon (big big if obviously), that we will be a playoff team. That said, obviously there is a long long way to go, and every single one of our remaining games could trip us up, but hey, we've given ourselves a shot. Gotta do whatever we can to take advantage of it.
 
#160      
Illini2010-11
aaeismacgychel said:
They were talking about our season on BTN and their projection is if we finish 10-2 with a loss to Oregon (big big if obviously), that we will be a playoff team. That said, obviously there is a long long way to go, and every single one of our remaining games could trip us up, but hey, we've given ourselves a shot. Gotta do whatever we can to take advantage of it.
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If we go 10-2, and just miss out on the playoffs, it will still be an exceptional program-building year. Crazy how we hit late October and a 9 win season would feel like somewhat of a disappointment, as it would mean the team tripped up in a winnable game. All four November games classify as very winnable/should be win games. That is a far change from the expectations going into the season. First and foremost, the goal has to be getting to 7-0 at home, and then taking the final two games one week at a time. 10 wins is possible, with 9 wins being most probable outcome. Still a foundational year after a very disappointing 2023 campaign.
 
#161      
ChiefGritty
Us (or Indiana) at 10-2 would be a pretty interesting test case for how the playoff committee is going to operate.

How much stomach do they have for letting in "deserving" cannon fodder over SEC teams everyone knows will create great games and have a legitimate chance to win the thing?

Because at least one or two of the very best teams in the country are going to be 9-3 in the SEC now. Tricky situation.
 
#162      
Illini2010-11
ChiefGritty said:
Us (or Indiana) at 10-2 would be a pretty interesting test case for how the playoff committee is going to operate.

How much stomach do they have for letting in "deserving" cannon fodder over SEC teams everyone knows will create great games and have a legitimate chance to win the thing?

Because at least one or two of the very best teams in the country are going to be 9-3 in the SEC now. Tricky situation.
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Indiana at 10-2 would easily get set aside to a superior 9-3 SEC team, nothing tricky about that. IU has dominated everyone on their schedule to this point, but it would mean that they tripped up against a team around the bowl bubble or worse, and their SOS has been terrible (might be second guessing their ultra weak non-conference schedule). Indiana would feel much better at 10-0 going into Columbus, where a competitive loss, would mean that I think they would be in the situation of beat Purdue and in at 11-1.

A 10-2 Illini team vs 9-3 SEC team...that would definitely be a tricky situation, but one I would applaud, as it would mean Illinois handled business down the stretch.
 
#163      
ChiefGritty
Illini2010-11 said:
Indiana at 10-2 would easily get set aside to a superior 9-3 SEC team, nothing tricky about that. IU has dominated everyone on their schedule to this point, but it would mean that they tripped up against a team around the bowl bubble or worse, and their SOS has been terrible (might be second guessing their ultra weak non-conference schedule). Indiana would feel much better at 10-0 going into Columbus, where a competitive loss, would mean that I think they would be in the situation of beat Purdue and in at 11-1.

A 10-2 Illini team vs 9-3 SEC team...that would definitely be a tricky situation, but one I would applaud, as it would mean Illinois handled business down the stretch.
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It would depend on how it shakes out, sure. But part of IU dominating their schedule is Vegas and all the advanced stats believe Indiana is much better than us, and the committee isn't blind to that.

Kurtis Rourke is hurt, imagine they slip up this week, he comes back and they resume their reign of terror among the B1G middle class besides losing a close one at the Horseshoe. Again, the committee won't be blind to that (as is true of the basketball committee).

Illinois (maybe not Indiana) would be a double digit underdog to LSU or Ole Miss though.
 
#165      
Toews
I think Illinois at 10-2 would have very little shot at the Playoff unless like a ton of teams lost.
 
#166      
ChiefGritty
Toews said:
I think Illinois at 10-2 would have very little shot at the Playoff unless like a ton of teams lost.
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Look at the schedule and think about the conference title games. A ton of teams are going to lose.

Notre Dame being good enough for a spot and the very high likelihood the ACC gets (at least) two spots definitely shrinks the bubble at the moment, though that can change.
 
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