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Refuted: 2007 Illinois --Best in Big Ten?

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Big Papa

Big Papa

Urban!!!!
:huh: I would like to know what this guy is smoking. Indeed I agree that Illinois is a vastly improved team and I see them as a worthy opponent on Nov. 10th; but the best team in the Big Ten?? Come on now.

SN: Yes, Illinois is Big Ten's best team - College football - MSNBC.com

Here's some noise: Illinois has better wins than anyone in the Big Ten. Illinois will score, with a punishing ground game, on anyone in the Big Ten.

Illinois is -- ahem! the best team in the Big Ten.
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This guy probably picked the Buckeyes to finish 4th in the Big Ten too. :roll1:
 
Article written by:

msnbc_hayes_matt.thumb.jpg

Matt Gays
 
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Why not? Underestimate them at your peril. Frankly, they're looking excellent this year, and it's not a stretch to call them the best in the conference. That one close loss to Missouri is looking better and better all the time, with Mizzou looking like the odds-on favorite in the B12 North.

You don't have to take this article as disrespecting OSU.
 
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It's typical for a columnist to right something righteous just to get it read. I have been here and there and come to realization that most people just don't like OSU. Any chance of bringing down OSU fans is a delight for everyone else.

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.

To say that Illinois CAN win the big ten isn't totally unrealistic,but I don't think they will personally.This year in college football would be cap the big 10 off even more awkwardly if it did occur.
 
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HailToMichigan;953199; said:
Why not? Underestimate them at your peril. Frankly, they're looking excellent this year, and it's not a stretch to call them the best in the conference. That one close loss to Missouri is looking better and better all the time, with Mizzou looking like the odds-on favorite in the B12 North.

You don't have to take this article as disrespecting OSU.
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Your logic is dangerously close to saying that Illinois' loss is of greater quality than any of OSU's wins. Now when was the last time I heard people making similar comments...oh yeah, it was 2002.
 
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Meh, right now Illinois has beaten a better opponent than anyone else in the Big 10. We've beaten Washington and Purdue, Purdue was ranked 23rd, and Washington was unranked. Take it for what it's worth, some writer hoping to jump on a bandwagon early and stay there. They come to our house, and I do believe they will be our toughest game, they played us well last year and I expect the same this year.

I am not going to take it as an insult to the Bucks, I am going to take it as someone giving props to Zook and his team. Will they win the Big10? Who knows, but I do know it's nice to have their program back on the upswing. I hated the "Big 2" days of scUM and the Bucks being the only teams worth talking about.
 
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HailToMichigan;953199; said:
Why not? Underestimate them at your peril. Frankly, they're looking excellent this year, and it's not a stretch to call them the best in the conference. That one close loss to Missouri is looking better and better all the time, with Mizzou looking like the odds-on favorite in the B12 North.

You don't have to take this article as disrespecting OSU.
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The favorite in the B12 north? :lol:

Hmm...

Lets change the direction of these thread....

"Big 12 North: Football conference or Kennel? Discuss."
 
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He appears to be a SEC guy.....and since Zook used to coach in the SEC he has to be better than all of the other Big Ten coaches combined....:(

Matt Hayes has covered college football since 1990 and has worked at Sporting News since 2000. He covered college football and the NFL at the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Fla., and has been Sporting News' college football insider since 2003. He lives in Orlando.
 
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buckeyegrad;953204; said:
Your logic is dangerously close to saying that Illinois' loss is of great quality than any of OSU's wins. Now when was the last time I heard people making similar comments...oh yeah, it was 2002.
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My logic has nothing to do with 2002 and everything to do with the fact that losing to Missouri early in the year made them look like the same old Illini until Missouri made it known they weren't to be taken lightly either.
 
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IMO, sure Illinois is better this year than in many previous. However, to make this leap in judgment is fallacious at best. Wisconsin has been overrated since the second week of the season. They were a team waiting for someone to step up and finish them off. We've all seen what Penn State has become (i.e. nothing). The situation will become desperate for these teams as the year progresses. As tOSU continues through the schedule, they'll be getting more of the desperation of these teams that were supposed to have had good seasons. That will make it tough, but I'm not really that worried. The mental toughness of Tressel and the teams he fields is unparalleled. Illinois will play tOSU well; however, the outcome will be the same in the win department.
 
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Benn easily is the most talented freshman -- and maybe player -- in the Big Ten.
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Okay, this guy needs to ease up on the hyperbole. I think Mike Hart and James Laurinaitis have a little something to say about who is the best player in the Big Ten.

As for Illinois, I think they have a lot of talented players of the calibar you would normally see at Ohio State or Michigan. On defense, they have Vontae Davis and J Leman, and Martez Wilson has made some big plays. On offense, obviously Mendenhall and Benn could play for just about anybody in the country. So they have athletes to line up with the Buckeyes. What they don't have is the beef. And that's where Ohio State will dominate the Illini.
 
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AKAKBUCK;953214; said:
The favorite in the B12 north? :lol:

Hmm...

Lets change the direction of these thread....

"Big 12 North: Football conference or Kennel? Discuss."
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Pffft. Other than the blowout loss to USC, the 1-point home victory over Ball State and the annihilation at the hands of Missouri, Nebraska looks good. :slappy:
 
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methomps;953219; said:
The North isn't looking that bad this year. Mizzou and Kansas are undefeated, and KState and Colorado have beaten the class of the B12 South.
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Well... lets take the "North" out of my "discussion" idea then.:wink2:
 
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