As of the official grid in one of this morning's ny tabs . Money must be coming in heavy on Illinois . If it gets over 7, I am tempted to take the home team. .
Line moving . Illinois -6
- Thread starter Plum Street
- Start date
I disagree. I wouldn't bet the house, but I think we cover this week, if not win outright. Go RU!!!!
I thought it was +6 as far back as Tuesday. Started around +3 and jumped immediately.
Rutgers will face everyone's best effort here on out. No one wants to lose to Rutgers after the beating Michigan put on us. It is unthinkable and fear of that happening to teams fairly close to us in level, will spur them on. Likewise, if Illinois really is our clear best hope to win a game, maybe we'll see Rutgers best effort.
People have believed it since the summer. And since then the best player on the team is out for the season. Nothing to see here IMO. Just a line.
Historically, they don't get psyched against weak opponents so it plays in RU's favor. Still, without a QB, their D can stop the run all day. On the other hand, if they can't rush our QB like the better teams, we might see a different passing game. RU with 7 is ok for me.
Maybe I am in delusional fan mode here, but I think we're going to win outright. We're going to be ticked after the last two weeks and play with desperation to show the college football world that we are better than that. Illinois has to have at least some thoughts in their minds that we may be easy pickings based on our last two games. Punch them in the mouth early, move the ball on the ground and against their weak back seven (according to at least one Illini visitor this week), and get that 3rd win.
I don't bet on sports, though, so don't blame me if I'm wrong!
I don't bet on sports, though, so don't blame me if I'm wrong!
But this is not that.. this is a blood-in-the-water kind of thing. Perhaps even Michigan had a little more "shark" in them after seeing us get smacked around by Ohio State.
but these are not sharks, these are kids who know a W is a W and they get up or not based on the toughness of the opponent. If everyone is betting one way, the percentages say go the other way, as the public is more often wrong than Vegas.
lav will look like the 2015 Indiana kid against the Illini.
I hope so but the O just seems so out of synch the last two weeks. I think if Lav can perform on the New Mex level we might have a shot.
They have 2 good DE's. That's it. The rest of their D is suspect - with their back 7 being very much so - as per an Illini poster in another thread. Take a look at the team stat thread I posted the other day comparing their D with Iowa's. If - IF - Laviano can hit open receivers, early, we should be able to run on them. We've got to win the TO battle, the penalty battle, and execute. Both teams are God-awful on ST's, too, so that could be interesting!
I spoke to a former high school head coach this morning who is now enjoying retirement.
He watches most RU games and a lot of CFB.
He has no connection to RU but he pulls for them.
He thinks RU will lose by 3 or 4 TDs tomorrow.
Thinks in additon to having little depth, they are too fragile and lack confidence to rebound.
He watches most RU games and a lot of CFB.
He has no connection to RU but he pulls for them.
He thinks RU will lose by 3 or 4 TDs tomorrow.
Thinks in additon to having little depth, they are too fragile and lack confidence to rebound.
I have a funny feeling Rutgers is going to smack The snot out of them. After playing two power houses like Michigan and Ohio state, Illinois is going to feel like a scrimmage. I feel bad for Lovie Lee Smith because Chris Ash is going to unload a lot of that pent-up anger on him. This game will remembered as the beat down in Piscataway (NJ style). Rutgers will win this game by at least two touchdowns
What have you seen that convinces you Lav can hit a receiver even if they can get open?
Because as lousy as I think he is, along with most others here, he HAS done it in the past.
A decent QB ? I would be thrilled if we had close to a medicore QB. If so, we win this game easily.
Hear ya and I mean without " an even mediocre QB". .... which is even below a decent QB.
We need to fix this position first.
Our OL was better last year and we still had the lowest QB rating in the B1G.
Sorry QB need is 1a.
It is with utmost sincerity that I say we need more fans like you and fewer cranky pessimistic bastards like me.
The Big Ten official site had him at 6th.
PASS EFFICIENCY G COMP.-ATT.-INT. PCT. YARDS TD LONG RATING
Nate Sudfeld, Indiana 12 247-412-7 60.0 3573 27 72 151.0
Jake Rudock, Michigan 13 249-389-9 64.0 3017 20 64 141.5
Cardale Jones, Ohio State 10 110-176-5 62.5 1460 8 54 141.5
C.J. Beathard, Iowa 14 223-362-5 61.6 2809 17 85 139.5
Connor Cook, Michigan State 13 229-408-7 56.1 3131 24 74 136.6
Chris Laviano, Rutgers 12 187-307-12 60.9 2247 16 58 131.8
Armstrong Jr., Nebraska 12 222-402-16 55.2 3030 22 55 128.6
Joel Stave, Wisconsin 13 225-370-11 60.8 2687 11 45 125.7
Christian Hackenberg, Penn State 13 192-359-6 53.5 2525 16 59 123.9
Mitch Leidner, Minnesota 13 242-407-11 59.5 2701 14 57 121
Those QB stats are silly. The guy he's ahead of has 800 more yards and six more touchdowns, and probably didn't play Howard.
Anyway, I wouldn't touch this game. I can't see any logical reason to bet on us -- spread or outright -- and there's no way in hell I can bet against us. So I'll just stay away and watch. And hope.
Anyway, I wouldn't touch this game. I can't see any logical reason to bet on us -- spread or outright -- and there's no way in hell I can bet against us. So I'll just stay away and watch. And hope.
A little background: because we suck and our fans don't have the "outward pride" of most fan bases (in addition to so many of our fans being in pro-sports areas, which I know you guys can relate to), people don't realize just how huge of a fan base we have, at least if you count casual fans. We have a massive alumni base, and our state of 13 million doesn't have any other major state schools.
Illinois is ALWAYS given a more favorable line than they deserve, or at least it moves toward us as the game gets closer. The most likely explanation is casual Illini fans betting on the Illini and often losing!
Illinois is ALWAYS given a more favorable line than they deserve, or at least it moves toward us as the game gets closer. The most likely explanation is casual Illini fans betting on the Illini and often losing!
