Illinois 21, Michigan 7

[THE_WIZARD_]

Yes your wife just called in a bone-in order...

[Jeff Buchanan]

How successful Illinois will be in stringing drives together that pay-off in the endzone, is going to depend on how quickly, the Illini QB, Luke Altmeyer can get the ball out of his hand accurately. M's defensive strength is the pressure it can exert at the LOS. M's losses came to offenses that were able to negate M's pressure with quick throws. Washington's Jedd Fisch did just that with his approach to beating Wink Martindale. Wink has yet to figure out how to paste over the weaknesses of Zeke Berry and Jyaire Hill. Two M players that Fisch abused with his play calling.

Illinois' best RB is out. Bert's play-book has a nice combination of beefy Wisconsinesque plays and a lot of RPOs and planned QB runs but this offense is pass heavy - it's not a Badgers look-alike. Bert surely has seen Jedd's approach to beating M on film and will try to duplicate the success Washington had offensively v. M. Bert's a good football coach who intensely dislikes Michigan. I've read on-line that Bert has had his team ultra-focused on beating M this season. The team has been practicing plays just for this game since the start of the season. In Illinois' game v. Purdue, several new offensive play designs we're revealed. Analysts think these plays were intended for the Michigan game but got pulled out of the bag early to overcome an unexpected 40 point, 2nd have explosion by Purdue.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Bert about to get SHERRONED!!!!!!!

[lineygoblue]

Nah.

It might be close like the Purdue game was to Illinois, but the home advantage will give the Biting Illini the edge they need.

With the exception of the last 3 seasons, M has been a horrible road team. Those guys are gone.

[THE_WIZARD_]

MY SHERRONA!!!!!!! 34 BERT 17

[lineygoblue]

You need to stop taking BBQ sauce intravenously.

[THE_WIZARD_]

why?

[Jeff Buchanan]

Weather in Champaign won't be an issue: Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Also of note, U of Illinois replaced Memorial Stadium's turf with FieldTurf in 2022. It is an identical surface to that installed in the Big House in 2018. M had slipping issues when they went to Washington and played in Seattle at Husky Stadium on AstroTurf installed in 2021. Footwear? Shouldn't be an issue this Saturday.

[Mike]

We’re gonna roll those fuckers.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Correct...but shaddup.

[Jeff Buchanan]

FFF - Illinois Defense posted today at mgo. Brian, based on Thursday's podcast, has been absolutely down on M football. To the point where comments to posts he writes are fed up with his negativity and suggest he take some time off. Seth, who does the FFF pieces is more balanced in his analytic posts. He sees and articulates M's weaknesses and strengths. His post on Illinois' defense that has, in his opinion, some exploitable weaknesses that M can take advantage of ...... caveat will they?

While M doesn't have receivers capable of beating two Illinois CBs - one just a guy the other NFL ready - what it does have that matches up well with an Illini weakness to defend the middle of the field is Donovan Edwards, Colston Loveland and Samaj Morgan. All 3 of those guys can beat the Illini LBs. Still waiting to see Campbell call a play that puts Edwards in space to reel in quick throws from Tuttle.

Illinois rushes 5 a lot and will press that call given M's problems at OT. M can implement a dink and dunk scheme integrated with power from Mullings that can negate that approach. Purdue created massive run lanes and got several big plays along with a run offense that moved the chains.

All of this sounds good and points to an M win if the Illinois defense can be got. That depends on Moore's/Cambell's willingness to make play calls that advantage M's skill players....... that is very much in doubt based on the offensive struggles that can be traced back to incoherent playcalling. I think that's a bigger problem than those predicting an easy win for M than they are accounting for. Yes, the Illinois defense isn't great but M's offense has been all-around clunky. Can Tuttle change that dynamic? I'm not moved to change my prediction of a big victory for Bert involving an M offense that just can't keep up with a solid Illinois' effort.

[Dr. Strangelove]

HARBAUGH!!!'s Legacy: 38
Bert's BBQ: 13

[klondike]

So UM has the 3rd worse passing offense in college football div. 1. Yeah, just behind Army and Air Force and in front of Navy. All without any of the exciting triple option play.

I expect that to change. The passing will get better the running worse and the defense is middle of the pack which is the most disappointing.

[lineygoblue]

When an aging and fragile Jack Tuttle is your best hope for a passing game, it means the previous staff failed to provide future talent, and that your current season is in the crapper.

I hope Tuttle can be the guy who took Michigan to overtime a few years ago. He was a great QB back then. I'll be happy with a Orlando NYD bowl at this point, and I'll hope that LSU and Brian Kelly will go easy on Michigan.

[klondike]

UCLA qb today vs. pretty good defense at Rutgers. 32-38 400 yards and 5 td's. Wow. How come UM can't find one like that.