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Prediction: Illinois will beat Cincinnati

  • lhslep134
    I think that Illinois is finally starting to score a bit, and catch Cinci looking ahead to Pitt.

    I've been predicting this for a few weeks, thought I would make it public.

    And if Cincinnati wins, I will eat crow.
  • ytownfootball
    This would be the biggest upset that would surprise me the least this weekend.
  • devil1197
    IF Illinois wins which I don't think they will personally, it won't be such a shocker. If Williams is playing well the Illinois offense can be very effective. But that is easier said than done apparently.
  • Tigerfan00
    If they can play the way they did against UM in the second half of that game then I think they could give UC a game.
  • 3reppom
    Illinois can't stop anyone right now. Their stats are horrid and they haven't faced anything aproximating an elite offense. Now they have to go one the road against a top five team with the most efficient offense in the country. That's not a rewcipe for success. Jucie williams could light it up and the illini whouldn't have a shot. UC could hang half a hundred with ease.
  • captvern
    Remeber crow is best served with a red chardenay... GO Bearcats
  • Red_Skin_Pride
    ^It'd be more effective if you knew how to spell Chardonnay.
  • CinciX12
    No one dislikes UC more than me, but there is no way the University of Clifton comes anywhere near losing to Illinois.
  • Mr. 300
    Cincy wins this. Collares playing or Pike???
  • CinciX12
    Mr. 300 wrote: Cincy wins this. Collares playing or Pike???
    I'm assuming Pike.
  • Little Danny
    Pike's the starter. Kelly has already stated that as fact. Another thing to consider is this will be Senior Day for the Bearcats and Illinois really has nothing left to play for as they are no longer bowl eligible.

    The Cats last two games on national TV (UCONN and WV) were wins, but everyone come out thinking UC's defense was not that good. I suspect the Cats will try to win this one with style points in order to leapfrong TCU.
  • Citybuck
    I just can't see Illinois winning this game, they are very bad.
  • thedynasty1998
    I think Cincinnati blows them out. But anything can happen. Although I'm interested in seeing what all the Cincinnati haters say, if Illinois gets blown out. Does it become a quality win, or a win against a bad Big 10 team?
  • Little Danny
    Nah, UC could beat the 85 Bears and the haters would say they were not impressed. I imagine we will hear a lot of comments about how bad the Illini are this season (3-7).

    Btw, here is a nice article by Josh Katzowitz from GoBearcats.com regarding tomorrow's game.

    http://www.gobearcats.com/blog/2009/11/uc-illinois-preview.html
  • Mulva
    thedynasty1998 wrote: I think Cincinnati blows them out. But anything can happen. Although I'm interested in seeing what all the Cincinnati haters say, if Illinois gets blown out. Does it become a quality win, or a win against a bad Big 10 team?
    I'm not sure how you could consider that a quality win regardless of your feelings about Cinci?

    I also can't see Illinois winning this, but I do like them +21.
  • athlete37
    Agreed Mulva, I took Illinois +21. Hope we're right lol
  • holy_buckeye
    Just have a bad feeling for Cincy in this game. Senior Day so a bit of pressure / emotions there. A possible trap game with Pitt looming next week. A short week to boot. Hope Cincy can pull it off but would not be surprised to see Illinois take it or make a serious game of it.
  • tcby99
    It will be a game for e half, but Illinois is too inconisistent to play a whole game at a decent level.
  • thedynasty1998
    It wouldn't be a "good win" for Cincinnati. However, the perception seems to be that Illinois is a Big 10 team, therefore better than any Big East team.
  • goosebumps
    holy_buckeye wrote: Just have a bad feeling for Cincy in this game. Senior Day so a bit of pressure / emotions there. A possible trap game with Pitt looming next week. A short week to boot. Hope Cincy can pull it off but would not be surprised to see Illinois take it or make a serious game of it.
    UC was off last weekend, so not a short week for them, they've had time to prepare, I expect a win, 35-14
  • 2shoes
    Can't see UC losing this game, but anything is possible.
    UC would need to play very sloppy, penalties and turnovers, Juice would have to play a "career" game like he put up two years ago in Columbus, and Rashard Mendenhall needs to rush for, um......oh yeah....NEVERMIND!
    Bearcats roll!
  • lhslep134
    Listen, I'm definitely not hating on Cincinnati with this pick. I'm not one of those OSU fans that are upset that there's two good teams in Ohio this year.

    I'm making this pick because I just have one of those unexplainable gut feelings about this game, because I think Cinci could be looking ahead to Pitt.

    I think Illinois' awful record works in their favor (like Purdue's did against Ohio State), and not to mention the Bearcats #5 ranking is plenty of motivation for the Illini (in my opinion).

    I have problem eating crow if I'm wrong, this wasn't a pick made out of spite.
  • ytownfootball
    This is a huge trap game for UC. If Kelly is as good as everyone seems to think then there should be no reason for them to not drop 40+ and keep Juice & Benn in check.
  • Swamp Fox
    ytownfootball wrote: This is a huge trap game for UC. If Kelly is as good as everyone seems to think then there should be no reason for them to not drop 40+ and keep Juice & Benn in check.
    I agree with ytownfootball. Cincinnati needs to be very wary of this opponent. Illinois's entire season has been an abysmal failure. there is no Bowl Game for Illinois this season, and so the Cincinnati game becomes the Illini's Bowl Game. I understand that it shouldn't even be a game. The Bearcats should and probably will roll. They are just so much better than the bumbling, stumbling, Illini. That said, if I were the Bearcats, I would play this game like it's a Bowl Game. It may well be in the final analysis.
  • LJ
    ytownfootball wrote: This is a huge trap game for UC. If Kelly is as good as everyone seems to think then there should be no reason for them to not drop 40+ and keep Juice & Benn in check.
    Too bad their defense isn't all that good. What UC HAS to do against Illinois is to lay on it hard and fast. Illinois has too good of athletes that are too experienced (while yes inconsistent) to be in a 4th quarter shootout. If Illinois keeps it very close through 2 1/2 quarters, they could very easily win.

    Now, if Cincy wins will it be a quality win? Well it would be an OOC win against a BCS conference team, but that's as far as it goes. I mean, Illinois is 3-7, I'm not sure how anyone would call that a quality win in whichever way you try to spin it.