Refuted: 2007 Illinois --Best in Big Ten?

[sandgk]

You have to also consider from a total non biased fan point. That Illinois has beat Penn State and Wisconsin. Both whom were ranked at the time. Ohio State really hasn't beaten anyone of that caliber. You can understand his reasoning even if you don't agree with it.

Wrong - In case you forgot - Purdue was ranked and the only unbeaten team in the Big Ten when Ohio State beat them just two days ago. I'd put that Buckeye win, at Ross-Ade, over Illinois' win over a pretty ordinary Penn State team in Champaign.

 

[bkochmc]

[NEWS FLASH]
It's his opinion!
[/NEWS FLASH]

For every journalist that says Illinois is the Big10 favorite there are at least 50 that are saying "I should know better than to pick against the Sweatervest".

 

[HailToMichigan]

How in the hell else can you make the leap that a 1 loss team is better than an undefeated one when neither team has played anyone all that good yet? You did after all say that the case could be made for UI being the best team in the B10.

I can show you lots of cases where a one-loss team should be considered better than an undefeated team. And I don't think you'd need to believe that the undefeated team's marquee wins mean less than the one loss to do it. You sound pretty defensive and insulted that anyone could believe OSU isn't unanimously the #1 team in the conference. After all, the bettors seemed to like one-loss, unranked Illinois over undefeated, top-5 Wisconsin.....and they were right.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

And how do you compare Illinois' worst game to OSU's best?

When those are against the best opposition those two teams faced. We beat the best opposition we've faced while Illinois lost...next.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Illinois gave up 40 points to Missouri. OSU's defense has given up 41 points...........in 6 games, with 14 of those points coming in garbage time.

Illinois appears to be a solid team, but at this point, I disagree with the writer's assessment that they are the best team in the Big Ten.

 

[Wingate1217]

I can show you lots of cases where a one-loss team should be considered better than an undefeated team. And I don't think you'd need to believe that the undefeated team's marquee wins mean less than the one loss to do it. You sound pretty defensive and insulted that anyone could believe OSU isn't unanimously the #1 team in the conference. After all, the bettors seemed to like one-loss, unranked Illinois over undefeated, top-5 Wisconsin.....and they were right.

Nobody in their right mind would be giving OSU points against the spread and the Illini. If you think that I bet there are about 90%+ of us on this board who will bet the farm.......

Care to take that bet?????

 

[Steve19]

Illinois are a good team. They are playing well. They were impressive in their win over Ohio State.

So, who cares if someone is beating their breast about them? The more noise they make about Zook and Illinois, the more impressive the arse-kicking that the Silver Bullets deliver.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

They were impressive in their win over Ohio State.

Damn.

 

[Steve19]

Blah blah blah, blah, blah...Illinois is now the greatest team in the Big Ten in the past 30 years, they're the new Northwestern 1995, this is just like 2001, they've almost beaten a quality opponent, which is awesome and makes Notre Dame BCS eligible every year, we suck because our Big Ten schedule was front-loaded with the doormats, and since we made Purdue look silly they're not as good, but alas since Illinois beat mammoth Wisconsin that makes them historically great and us mediocre, Benn is the next Gale Sayers and Archie Griffin, all rolled into one, Zook is the greatest recruiter ever since Pete Carroll, if we would have had to play Iowa in 2002 we would have lost and Trev Alberts would have masturbated, Juice Williams keeps cereal crispier in milk than Boeckman ever could, Mendenhall can cut through a tin can as easily as a tomato, Lauranitis couldn't have cracked the 5-deep at LB on any of Gary Moeller's Illinois teams that won 6 games in 3 years...

Come on, does anyone take these media wonks seriuously? Their entire purpose in life is to write dumb shit in an attempt to piss people off so they can feel good about themselves. Why care? Everyone is tired of hearing about OSU and Michigan every year, so every Barry Alvarez Rose Bowl berth or Northwestern revitalization or one-year-flash-in-the-pan like Illinois and Iowa have been or arrival of a "modern" coach like Joe Tiller is treated like the 2nd coming of Jesus (or Notre Dame beating Navy). Aren't we used to this by now?

And don't we play Illinois? So here's the thing, we kick the crap out of them, then everyone will shut up, if they win, well, they were better than us after all. Next.

Trev Alberts?

 

[kippy1040]

Last years game with Illinois was a mystery to me and wondered maybe we were looking past them getting ready for Michigan. What was the score ? 17 -10? Now this year looking at them they may be for real. so far they have played pretty tough and Zook is receiving alot of attention down here in Florida. Gator sport media are saying he is still a choker and that the Big10 is nothing. Florida fans are really areogant when it comes to thier team. Right now
they are somewhat quiet and holding to the fact that the SEC is still the best conference. I hope this year we can prove them wrong when it comes to the bowl matchups. Especially if the Gators wind up having to play Illinois. I am just speculating here but that would be nice.

 

[HailToMichigan]

When those are against the best opposition those two teams faced. We beat the best opposition we've faced while Illinois lost...next.

By the same token, you haven't played opposition as good as that which Illinois has either beaten or lost to. Next.

By the way, anyone bagging on the competition Wisconsin's played in order to downplay the Badgers and the Illinois win over them, might want to also take a look at Purdue's schedule thus far.

 

[Steve19]

Damn.

Yeah, it was all very depressing and all that. Wait, you mean we didn't play yet?

I'm with Bucklion, these buggers sell us down the river repeatedly before we play these teams and you'd think we'd already been blown out. I actually have come to despise the media. Talk, talk, talk...just bring the buggers on. Talk is cheap, our guys will show you.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I can show you lots of cases where a one-loss team should be considered better than an undefeated team. And I don't think you'd need to believe that the undefeated team's marquee wins mean less than the one loss to do it. You sound pretty defensive and insulted that anyone could believe OSU isn't unanimously the #1 team in the conference. After all, the bettors seemed to like one-loss, unranked Illinois over undefeated, top-5 Wisconsin.....and they were right.

I am not defensive or insulted, I just don't deal well with stupidity.

edit**
used projected SOS not current

Lets put it all to bed right here and right now, PM me and we can set up a cash bet for as much as you can handle giving me OSU at home with points.

 

[buckiprof]

All other things being equal, if I were to compare Illinois' worst game to OSU's worst (not their signature wins) I like a closs loss to Mizzou on a neutral field better than an uninspiring win over Akron at home.

Dude, I like your posts and you are a decent skunkbear poster, and I think I know what you are trying to say...Illini is very good and deserving of being considered now as a threat to win the Big Ten...but if it were me, all things being equal, I will always take a win (uninspired, ugly, whatever) over any type of loss. Not so long ago, OSU had many ugly wins in a season where some national media "experts" stated that OSU should decline the invite to the Fiesta Bowl to play Miami and let a more deserving team with a loss, a team with a close loss, go instead. Fucking experts were spot on then too weren't they?!?

Yes, the Illini are vastly improved. Yes, they should be considered now as a threat to win the Big Ten. And I hope they continue to win and come into Columbus in November with an unblemished Big Ten record. That should have them ranked fairly high nationally and should have more "experts" predicting an Illini win over OSU. We will see.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Talk is cheap, our guys will show you.

Damn right.