Duly noted if I take the plunge. It looks like the Illinois schedule matches up pretty well with Northwestern's in terms of seeing both games on most weeks.

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Fire Phil Emery

If you do go that route, I will pay for nice NU jersey for you to wear on non-Illini games! Season tix were like $350, but you get better seats. That may be different given the Wrigley wrinkle... I think they will offer you a package WITH the option to buy Wrigley tix and one without.

The form for last year was closer to $200, but with seven home games (and no Wrigley). I figure $200 will be about right again, plus or minus $25.

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Fire Phil Emery

Last years were cheap by comparison to what I pay

2009 Season Ticket Price Breakdown


Sideline Reserved -- $228
$28 per nonconference game/$36 per conference game

Adult Corner End Zone -- $167 *
$17 per nonconference game/$29 per conference game
Sections 113-115 and Sections 122-124

Child Corner End Zone -- $114 *
$14 per nonconference game/$18 per conference game
Sections 113-115 and Sections 122-124

End Zone -- $132
$16 per nonconference game/$21 per conference game
Sections 116-121

Young Alum (NU classes 2005-09) -- $114
$14 per nonconference game/$18 per conference game
Section 135-136

Family Plan (2 adults and 3 children under the age of 18) -- $420
Add another children's season ticket for an additional $114
$60 per game for a family of five -- that's $12 per person per game
Sections 114-115

Did they mean Illinois? Why would Bears representatives be on hand?

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You know me like that.

Bears will get to face the winner in the International Bowl.

I put Illinois at 8-2 heading into this game.

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You know me like that.

I didn't realize the hoops season started early enough to have 10 games done by that point.

It's a favorable schedule.

If only we could replace OSU and PSU with Iowa and Wisconsin, we'd probably be 10-0.

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You know me like that.

PSU is down. They won't win in Happy Valley but PSU is very down.

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Fire Phil Emery

Sounds like the Purdue-Illinois game this year may decide who goes to the Rose Bowl.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I'll say they lose to OSU and either PSU or MSU on the road, one of the two.

The rest of the schedule lays out pretty well for them if they are able to put anything together whatsoever.

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You know me like that.

Don't get optimistic. 7-5 would be a huge accomplishment. I know it sets up favorably but that doesn't matter. I fear 4-8, 5-7 or so. Maybe a big surprise win at some point, but mostly disappointment, something on the order of Purdue last year.

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Fire Phil Emery

You really don't want that.

I don't need your reality and stats in my trash talking. KEEP IT.

7-5 against that schedule should get Zook fired. 8-4 keeps his job.

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You know me like that.

You can't tailgate @ Wrigley

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1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Now I'm not being a hater here but realistically, I don't see 8-4 for Illinois this year - my first take

Mizzou - L
SIU - W
NIU - W
OSU - L
PSU - L
MSU - L
IU - W
PU - W (could go either way)
UM - L
Minn - W
NU - L
Fresno - L

I think anything better than 500 should be considered a good year. I just don't see how the Illini improved that miuch to go significantly better than last year. it's not like they started a bunch of freshman last year.

I look at it this way Vince. They lost some Seniors and Benn. But, they have a lot of Soph/Juniors to be that are part of those great recruiting classes that Zook has been hanging his hat on. The team was quite a bit younger than you may be giving them credit for.

They have 2 of their supposed best defenders coming back with Wilson and Miami Thomas.

But, Zook is essentially fired. He needs to do something to keep his job, something above average. And, even if you or I think 6-6 would be an improvement, it's not enough. He needs to take this thing up a level as though last year did not happen. He needs to win games you don't expect.

So, I put the season like this -

Must Wins - NIU, SIU, Indiana, Michigan
Could go either way but must win as well but needs at least 2 - Purdue, Minnesota, NW, Fresno State

That leaves -

Mizzou, OSU, PSU, MSU

They have to win at least 1 or 2 of those as well.

That might be enough improvement to keep Zook's job. With the 2 year contracts of the new coordinators, 7-5 probably does keep his job but it shouldn't.

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You know me like that.

Michigan is going to to be way better than the four teams you put in the either way category.

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Fire Phil Emery

I'll believe it when I see it. That program is a mess.

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You know me like that.

They're better than they looked at the end of last season. The defense is a mess but they'll put up points next year. And I hate Michigan.

If I had to make my best guess at the rankings right now, they'd be:

OSU
MSU
Iowa
Wisconsin
Michigan
Penn State
Purdue
Illinois
Indiana
Northwestern
Minnesota

That may change by August, but it's my best guess in April.

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Fire Phil Emery

Also, just think how much fun this is going to be when we get to debate where Rutgers and Syracuse fit into the mix.

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Fire Phil Emery

While I understand your logic, I'm not doing my analysis based on Zook needing it to keep his job. I think that team unless Nate S is a stud (which he might be), this is a team destined for 6-6. Good enough to get to Detroit next December, but not much else. As an outsider looking in, I have little faith that Zook can translate talented recruits into a talented team.

When they add in Connecticut too I'm going to jump up and down that I now live in Big Ten country.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Similar for me but I think it's in tiers

OSU

Iowa/Wisconsin

Penn State/MSU/Michigan (who will be much better this year)

Northwestern/Purdue

Illinois/Indiana/Minnesota

Put it this way, I would expect them to be 5-7 or 6-6 based on the talent and how it has been managed the past few years, combined with the inexperience at QB.

However, I believe that if the team is taught some basics, like how to tackle, and the offensive line (which has some talent) can gel in front of Leshoure and Scheelhaase (both of which I think are reasonable expectations), then they definitely have the talent to go 7-5 to 9-3 with that schedule (huge breaks in missing both Iowa and Wisky) and anything less should be a disappointment.

They are not without athletic talent - can the coaching staff teach them how to use it? The previous group couldn't but I have a little bit of hope for Petrino and Koenning. So, we'll see.

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You know me like that.

I see what you are saying, but not buying it. That's why it is April and we're talking about Big Ten football that's 5 months away.

Is it just me or are you guys finding Hawkeye Vince a tad bit cocky this year?

Not any more so than any other year.