It’s been a rough year for Illini football. It’s been an even rougher year for Purdue. Both of these schools are tradition rich in college basketball; both have been Big Ten powers year in and year out on the hardwood. On the gridiron, not so much. The biggest story surrounding Illini football right now is whether or not Tim Beckman will keep his job at the end of the year.
The biggest story surrounding Purdue football is how the found the end zone finally. Actually, they spent a lot of time without even finding the red zone.
Why am I previewing Illini football versus Purdue? Uhm, cuz I have to go, I guess? Why would I do a game preview on this pillow fight? Maybe because of the fun of the unintentional comedy
TV Big Ten Network 11 CST
spread: Illini football -7
Purdue football preview:
As Chris Emma from Boiler Sports Report noted, the U.S. Federal Government shut down and returned to work since the last time the Purdue offense made trips into the red zone. They were shellacked 56-0 by Ohio State. Their only win on the season was a very narrow escape versus an FCS team.
As Travis Miller from Hammer and Rails pointed out, you can get tickets to the Illini football clash of the titans with the Boilers for 38 cents. That’s right, under 40 cents! And look at how many tickets are available in that price range!
See the amazing Purdue offense that didn’t run a play inside the red zone in 40 days vs the Illinois defense of Coordinator Tim Banks, who let Connor Cook break numerous Michigan State passing records. Illini football has surrendered, and really I mean surrendered 34+ points in 8/10 games this season. 50+ points in three games.
You can get Illini football tickets at Purdue by the bunches for under $2. Lots available under a $1 If you want to take about 25 people to this game, it might end up costing about $35 in total; before fees.
So if Beckman wins this game on Nov 23rd, does he keep his job?
That would be 4 wins on the season; double what Illini football produced last season. I’m not so sure it’s enough. Can you call beating this Purdue team a sign of progress? Cincinnati beat the Boilers 42-7 in week one. The Illini beat Cincy 45-17 the following week. Therefore…well, not so fast, Purdue has beaten the Illini football team in 10 of the last 11 meetings; so anything is up for grabs in this Ross-Ade Stadium pillow fight.
Get your tickets now! They’re going…very slowly.
Not sure which campus is more involved with hoops season now and expunging football season from their brain.
Season previews for hoops:
Okay so Purdue went a zillion quarters without scoring, and an entire epoch without a touchdown, but as Hammer and Rails said And yes, it CAN get worse this football season. Even the mascot broke down! Or as Matt Lindner writes:
The Purdue football program, mired in a steady state of mediocrity since it was announced that Joe Tiller was going to be succeeded by the ironically named Danny Hope, has taken a steady and sharp nose dive since the calendar changed to 2013. Things started with a 58-14 blowout loss to Oklahoma State in the Heart of Dallas Bowl, a game the 6-6 Boilermakers really shouldn’t have even bothered taking part in.
Since then, there’s been a glimmer of hope for Purdue football in the form of a new coach with experience rebuilding at least one train wreck – and yes, the pun is intentional – of a program.
Darrell Hazell turned Kent State around, every alum said the moment it was announced Hazell was going to succeed Danny Hope as head of the Boilermaker eleven, he’ll whip our program into shape in no time flat!
After all, how much worse could it get than getting eviscerated by a second-tier Big-12 team in a bottom of the barrel bowl game?
That fleeting glimmer of hope that accompanied Hazell’s hiring would soon been flattened by a cement truck of sad trombone
Illini football preview:
Tim Beckman vs Bill Cubit, on the Illini football sideline. Here’s a GIF of the heated exchange, as the Illinois Head Coach had to be separated from his offensive coordinator by Illini assistants. Yes, that’s what it’s come to. Just in case my alma mater didn’t absorb enough body blows (and blows to the head) in both college football and college basketball, we see this too.
Apparently, Tim Beckman and Bill Cubit got into a very heated argument over a play call; a play that ended in disaster. And the ESPN cameras caught it for the country to see. Funny,. both ESPN and Big Ten Network ignored this incident when showing highlights of the Ohio State vs Illini game. Tim Beckman & Bill Cubit having a heated argument only further validates my Elders Cunningham & Price from the Book of Mormon analogy.
Think of the lyrics to the third song from BOM “You and me (but mostly me)”
Price/Cubit “as long as we stick together.”
Beckman/Cunningham “and I stay out of your way”
Price/Cubit: “And I can do most anything”
Beckman/Cunningham “And I can stand next to you and watch”
Well at least the weekend of disaster for Illini football and an even more devastating weekend for Illini basketball recruiting is over. And Sunday was a bit if redemption as Illinois hoops blew Bradley out of the building. Just lowly Bradley I know, but they were undefeated. Bottom line, Beckman stays because the Illini football program will not pay three coaches at one time, they have the money to buy him out, but won’t. Tim Banks will get fired. And……wait for it, wait for…………………..it…………
Brutally Honest record: 71-26
Prediction:
Illini football 37, Purdue 31 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it’s been 20 games, October 8, 2011 was the last time Illini football won a league game. Dolphin Tale was the number one movie in America that weekend, Grenade by Bruno Mars was the nation’s #1 single. But I’m predicting a victory AT LAST!
Can you feel a new brand day Illini football fans??
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bears for WAOR 95.7 The Fan