Illinois vs. Northwestern Preview: This Time, We're Using Both End Zones!

When Illinois and Northwestern renew their rivalry for the 104th time on Saturday, a lot of things will be different compared to their last meeting.  For starters, this will be the first time since 1998 that the game doesn't fall on the final week of the Big Ten schedule, and with its 11:00 a.m. kickoff, this will be the first ever interdivisional Big Ten game under the new Legends/Leaders format.  As for the game itself, unlike at last year's matchup at Wrigley Field, the teams will be able to run plays in both directions.  But perhaps the biggest difference is that  Northwestern will have its quasi-Heisman Trophy candidate, Dan Persa, starting at quarterback on Saturday.  Will the Illini be able to repeat last year's 48-27 pounding of the Wildcats?  Or will the mere sight of Persa descending from the heavens in his golden chariot inspire the 'cats to a payback win?

Bears Packers Preview - This Time It Counts...A Lot Less Than Last Time

The NFL's longest-standing rivalry resumes this weekend, as the Bears prepare to host the Packers on Sunday.  Of course, the stakes will be a lot lower than they were the last time these two teams met at Soldier Field, and even a Bears win on Sunday wouldn't erase or make up for what happened last January (just like Illinois beating North Carolina in a 2005-06 regular season game didn't make up for what happened when the two teams met in the 2005 NCAA Championship Game).  But we can't change the past (yet - although I do have one of my best men working on it as we speak), so we'll have to hope for a better future - one that includes the Bears and Packers tied at 2-1 in the standings.  Can the Bears make that happen?  There are some encouraging signs:

Illinois vs. Western Michigan Preview: Is it a Trap?

The Illini are coming off of their biggest non-conference home win since...when?  Louisville in 2001?  Eventual National Champion Colorado in 1990?  Whatever benchmark you choose to compare it to, last Saturday's electrifying 17-14 win over Arizona State propelled the Illini into the top 25 for the first time since 2008.  Now, I don't want to be too much of a Debbie Downer here.  But while Illini fans are excited (and rightfully so) about the results of the Arizona State game itself, it doesn't mean that we should start talking about this as a "special season" just yet.  The offense disappeared for a large chunk of the game, and had it not been for a heroic effort by the defense (including a couple of fortuitous bounces that became turnovers) and a missed 32-yard Arizona State field goal, we might be hearing a different narrative this week.  But fate did smile on the Illini, who are 3-0 for the first time since 2001, and are looking to go to 4-0 for the first time since 1951 this Saturday against Western Michigan.  To put that in perspective, the last time the Illini had a 4-0 start, the Cubs were only six years removed from their last World Series game.

So now that the Illini have overcome one bugaboo (the inability to win a closely played big game on a national stage), they'll have to overcome another one against the Broncos on Saturday:  the let-down game.  During the Ron Zook era, the Illini have displayed a particularly aggravating habit of following a big, emotionally charged win with a flat performance against a lesser opponent:  after ruining Michigan State's Homecoming in 2006, the Illini blew a late lead to lose their own Homecoming game against Indiana; in 2007, the Illini followed back-to-back home wins over Penn State and Wisconsin by laying an egg in Iowa City; and after an exhilarating last second win over Iowa in 2008, the Illini lost their next game at Ford Field against...ahem...Western Michigan.  Oh, and one more thing - this week's game is sandwiched in between a game against a ranked team and a game against Big Ten rival Northwestern, so it also has the makings of a dreaded "trap game".

Where does that leave us against this year's incarnation of Western Michigan?  The Broncos enter this game with a 2-1 record, with big wins over relatively similar competition (Central Michigan) and inferior competition (Nicholls), as well as a 34-10 road loss against Michigan, a team in the same league (literally and figuratively) as the Illini.  A look at the box score from that game at the Big House can give us a good idea of what to expect on Saturday.  In a game shortened by severe weather, the underlying numbers looked pretty even - 288 total yards for Michigan, 279 for Western Michigan.  However, while the Broncos were able to move the ball up and down the field, they committed three costly turnovers - two fumbles and one interception - and Michigan tallied two defensive touchdowns in the game.  That could be bad news for the Broncos, as the Illini defense has already forced eight turnovers this season, including three against Arizona State.  Also of note - in three quarters, Western Michigan allowed 190 yards on the ground against the Wolverines (on only 26 carries, for over seven yards per rushing play).  That could also bode well for the Illini's run-oriented offense.

Prediction
To make my call on this potential trap game, let's turn to the ultimate authority.  What do you think, Admiral Ackbar - is this a trap?

It's NOT a trap!
Illini 27
Broncos 17

Illinois vs. Arizona State; Bears vs. Saints: Buy One Football Game Preview, Get the Second One Free!

Both the Illini and the Bears dominated their opposition last weekend, but both teams will face tougher tests this weekend:  the Illini will be hosting a top-25 team (Arizona State), while the Bears journey to the Superdome, where the Saints of football play.  Rather than write out separate previews (and predictions), I'm just going to combine previews for both games into one huge honkin' post.

Illinois vs. South Dakota State - a Preview of Sorts

We're hunting wabbits!

For the second consecutive year, the Fighting Illini host a Missouri Valley Conference school in their second non-conference game.  Last year, it was Southern Illinois; this year, it's South Dakota State.  But unlike last year, this year's schedule featured a winnable opening game, so a win on Saturday would move the Illini to 2-0, which would be their first 2-0 start since 2005.

I usually like to take a look at each team's statistics in my pregame write-ups as a way to learn about the opponent and to figure out how the match-ups will play out.  But, please - we're talking about South Dakota State here.  They're an FCS team (and not a particularly good FCS team at that).  So here's what I've got for you instead:

• South Dakota State's team nickname is the "Jackrabbits", and their cleverly-named mascot is Jack Rabbit.
• South Dakota State actually has an alum in the Pro Football Hall of Fame - Jim Langer, who played center for the Miami Dolphins' Super Bowl teams during the 1970s.  Colts' kicker Adam Vinatieri also played his college football for the Jackrabbits.  
• In 2010, the Jackrabbits finished with the exact same overall record (5-6) and conference record (4-4) as Southern Illinois did.  You know, the same Southern Illinois team the Illini beat 35-3 last year.
• The Jackrabbits nearly blew a 22-point 4th quarter lead against mighty Southern Utah in their home opener last week.  They managed to hold on for a 29-28 win by breaking up a two-point conversion play with two seconds left in the game.

Prediction
Under Ron Zook, the Illini are 5-0 against FCS teams, and all of those wins have been by at least 21 points.  Unless the two teams decide to not play an actual football game on Saturday, and instead go with an "alumni who currently play in the AFC South" field goal kicking contest between Vinatieri and Neil Rackers, this will be easy.

Illini 38
'rabbits 6

2011 NFL Predictions

One of the best parts of being a sports fan is the way the seasons overlap, so that just as the baseball season winds down, football gets going, and when football ends, basketball takes over and leads right into spring, when baseball begins again.  It's a beautiful "Circle of Life" kind of thing.  True, it didn't work out so well for me this year, seeing as how the Cubs haven't played a meaningful game since, what, Mother's Day?  But that's not important right now.  What is important is that the NFL season kicks off on Thursday night.

In an attempt to predict the 2011 NFL season, I created an elaborate computer simulation that played out every game on the regular season schedule, as well as the postseason.  Unfortunately, since I have no idea how to write a computer program, I ended up with a Cincinnati vs. Carolina Super Bowl matchup.  So I decided to junk that whole set of predictions and just wing it instead.  And without further ado, here are my forecasted 2011 records for every team - and I'm giving out playoff prognostications too, at no extra charge!  Bears fans, I hope you're sitting down for this.

R.I.P. 2011 Chicago Cubs

After a protracted illness lasting the entire 2011 season, the Cubs were mathematically eliminated from postseason play on Tuesday night.  Elimination occurred at home, where the Cubs were surrounded by a few thousand of their closest friends.  The Cubs were preceded in elimination by the Houston Astros, and are survived by every other team in the National League.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Please Hire a General Manager Who Knows How to Build a Productive Farm System Fund.