Is 2 TDs too generous for an ILLINIOS team that cant be any worse than last year?

[chrisharvard01]

09-04


Will memories of an embarassing 13-35 loss to NAVY to end the season loom MIZZ's start here as two TD favorites?




Will MIZZ roll to another 34.5+ cover like last year vs ILL?? Is there any among you piling on ILL +400??





I wanted to get the boards impression on this game.

[Brock Landers]

Missouri will crush Illinois here

13 1/2 is the play

Illinois QB has never taken a snap in a game in college.

They have a very distinct chance of starting out 0-5

[flyingillini]

go illini

[chrisharvard01]

thinking the same here, brock.


new center, new saftey, red shirted freshman QB.

ILL will have a strong run game going for them and they gain a MLB that they didnt have much of last year.


Only (7) ILL players started 50%+ of games last season.

[timbo46]

all I keep hearing is that Illinois has improved from last year....not sure why, though.

[chrisharvard01]

new OC, new DC

they were one of the worst teams in football last year so how much worse could they get?

[Brock Landers]

Mizzou's top receiver out for Arch Rivalry game;

[flyingillini]

On IL ML

[Brock Landers]

On IL ML

thats stupidity

[TWEETS]

Mizzou wins easy in what is probably the last meeting of this rivalry for a while.

[Jrod124]

Illini can cover in this game

[HoulihansTX]

Once Juice Williams left the Illini program..... they became a much better team.

[BigdaddyQH]

On IL ML

Please continue to post your picks homer, so we know who to fade.

[cooway]

I did the writeup below on another forum...and I know Bigdaddy will disagree....but at least you can have another viewpoint. Also remember that Zook has 2 new coordinators on both sides of the ball....both are being Overpaid to improve on last years dismal performance.

Illinois +14 Over Missouri

This number has been moving fast ever since the Golden Nuggett announced it as +10 a few weeks ago. Obviously, the Public has bought in to the impression that Ron Zook is for the most part a Meat Head. And being a life long Gator fan.....I cannot argue with that assertion. I have never seen a coach do less with more than the Zooker. However....if their is one coach who can get his players to come out swinging when NO ONE believes he has a chance...its RZ. Example: In 2003 the Gators went down to Miami to play the Canes a year after being punked by 28 by the Canes at home in the Swamp. UF entered that game in Miami as a 13 point dog. At the end of the first half Florida who led by a red shirt freshman QB....Ingle Martin...was up on the Canes by 3 scores. Of course we all now how that game ended. Zook was easily out coached in the second half and Brock Berlin looked like Bernie Kosar as he led the Canes back for a last minute TD and win. As inept a coaching job as it was...Zook still managed to get his talent to play up to its capabilities for at least a half and they went on for an easy cover. Later that same season...after RZ was fired (Thank GOD!!!) He took his talented team in to Doke Campbell Stadium and managed to do something the Ol Ball Coach could NEVER do. He beat FSU at their house. RZ never coached another game for UF. On both these situations NOBODY thought he stood a chance. The 4 point swing in the line against MU tells us the same exact thing now. Zook is a Goof Ball and he is gonna get smoked. However, I would not be a bit surprised to see this somewhat talented ILL team...who is just as talented if not more so than MU.... come out swinging in the first half.....and may be even up by a score or two. I would also not be surprised if Pinkel goes in at the half...makes the proper adjustments...and brings his team back for a win in the second half. That being said.....I will be paying close attention to the first half line. The way it looks now...it should be at least +7.5. I made a LOT of my money last season by playing first half lines. I guess you could say its my specialty. I just think its easier for me to predict how a team is going to perform in a smaller amount of time. I will be posting a lot of first half plays this season.

[chrisharvard01]

bump

[steve18]

I could see Illinois covering the game as well. It's too many points for a week one game in a rivalry.

[larojoes]

On paper, Missouri's talent outshines Illinois' and they should win and cover handily in this one. I think it will ultimately negate the possibility that Illinois plays over their heads for the rivalry. Mizzou has owned Illinois of late and should also have a significant edge in the trenches this year.

[Brock Landers]

Illinois will not be close in this game. PERIOD

[cooway]

So i take it that Mizzu will be one of your plays Brock?

[Outhouse Tim]

The line is heavily inflated, but that is because the public sees Zook/Illinois as a burn the $$$ team. Usually the Illini find ways to lose games. The 1st half theory may hold some water here. Missouri has owned them at the neutral site but I never bet into bad lines and this line is unfair (win or lose) according to any logical power rating #'s.

[Uncle Harv]

Gabbert is a very talented QB, and with a year under his belt, I could see him dominating Illinois again this year....especially with the lack of experience at QB for the Illini. Wouldnt be afraid to lay the 13.5.

[The DiB]

Illinois just lost another starter in the secondary, this time starting corner Terry Hawthorne. Lost their starting SS earlier in the week. Definitely not good news for a secondary that has to line up against Mizzou's passing attack.

[FrozenMAN]

washington on mizzou is in trouble and will probably miss the game but still, gabbert is too much and our lack of any DB's will allow for a big day through the air.....i hope i'm wrong though and my boy steelhaase leads us to FINALLY a W vs mizzou....been there for the last 3 blowouts in the 1st row behind the bench and it hasn't been pleasant lol

[FrozenMAN]

Missouri will crush Illinois here

13 1/2 is the play

Illinois QB has never taken a snap in a game in college.

They have a very distinct chance of starting out 0-5

starting 0-5 lol, no way we crush SIU and will beat NIU though we will probably be dogs

no faith in this team from you i see....awful, i'm calling 8 wins this year IF we can stay healthy and beat Mizzou to start but that is a stretch in reality i think

[jml7z2]

I am a Mizzou fan as I graduated from there 3 years ago, but I never bet on Mizzou. I figure a loss is bad enough without losing money too, and I don't want to be disappointed in a win just because they don't cover the line. So I don't bet on them. That said, we have absolutely owned Illinois the last several years. With Sheelhaase in his first game and with Illinois being down 2 in the secondary (Hawthorne was one of the few bright spots for Illinois last year) I expect the Illini to try to run a lot and play keep away. Mizzou didn't have a very good defense at all last year, but they were 100 times better against the run than they were against the pass and we return 9 starters on defense so I expect something similar this year. Gabbert is probably the best QB in the Big 12 and I believe he will be able to do anything he wants against that secondary as at least 2 of them will be second teamers.

Losing Washington hurts for sure, he was down about 15 lbs and running the best of his career. He is 100% out of this game, they are trying to get it dropped to a misdemeanor and at the very least he will be out 4 games (All OOC). Kendial Lawrence is his backup and he is a sophmore out of Dallas that is probably one of the 2 or 3 quickest players on the team. He is unproven, but personally I think he will do just fine against the Illini defense (I can see something like 15 carries for 70 yards and a score). As for Jerrell Jackson our WR that broke his wrist in camp about 3 weeks ago, he had surgery shortly there after and is already back running routes and catching passes. He's not lining up and going against live competition yet, but Gary Pinkel came out last week and after first saying he would be out the first 2 weeks of the season when he first had the surgery, he is now saying that he is not ruling Jackson out of the Illinois game. I doubt he plays, but that is definitely something to think about if you are planning on betting on this game.

Since Zook has been at Illinois there is one thing that all Mizzou fans can count on, he will find some way to have Illinois unprepared for that game. Pinkel is not the best coach in the country by any means, but he owns Ron Zook. Most Mizzou and Illinois fans don't even think about the Mizzou Illinois football game as a rivalry (it's mostly on the basketball side), so I don't really think Illinois will play up for this game like you see in a lot of rivalry games. Illinois was 7.5 point favorite last year and Mizzou won 37-9.

My prediction is Mizzou wins this year 42-17.

[jml7z2]

Gary Pinkel announced today that Jerrell Jackson Mizzou's WR1 is going to play. He was thought to be out with a broken wrist, but apparently he is good to go with a flexible cast on his hand. Derrick Washington was charged with felony sexual assault today too, so that pretty much settles it with him and he won't play.

[tblues2005]

I am on Mizzou like Brock is also here. I think that Illinois is a pretty bad team so far with Zook. Even without Washington Missouri should win this game by at least 14.

[Las Vegas Tom]

It does seem like a lot of points, but they did lose by 4 TDs last year.

[pantala]

If Ill plans on running the ball, they'd better not run towards Aldon Smith, preseason darkhouse for Big 12 Defensive POTY.

[flyingillini]

Illini all the way!

[chrisharvard01]

i think i may chicken out since MIZZO has their big time RB out

[Serbone]

Lean to Illinois + 12.
Big 10 did well ATS in bowl games... public underated them and the lines were wrong. Might continue.
Missouri a little thin at WR, some good ones graduated (earlier post says #1 kid will play with cast on wrist, thought he was out... if he plays, will he be effective with cast???).
Missouri # 1 RB out, he is top notch, # 2 is small, not ready to carry the load.
Missouri LB out.
Missouri has had terrible pass "D" last few yrs and word is that it is unlikely to improve (new Illini QB is questionable, though!). Terrible pass "D".
Missouri a little overrated, has not beat many quality clubs the last few yrs, Illinois is not a quality club but has some athletes.
Zook is a poor game coach (good recruiter) but can get Illini up for this one.
Too many points IMO.
Light bet on Illinois + 12, or pass.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Lots of weird crap going on at Mizzou right now with the Sexual Assault issue, DUI's, etc. Added to that a kid who led their "scout team" last year (and was popular) left the team to get some gametime and play with his brother was killed in a traffic accident a few weeks ago. They will be wearing his number on their uniforms starting Saturday. Just no sure where Missouri's heads will be in the opener.

[Brock Landers]

Gabbert is a very talented QB, and with a year under his belt, I could see him dominating Illinois again this year....especially with the lack of experience at QB for the Illini. Wouldnt be afraid to lay the 13.5.

starting 0-5 lol, no way we crush SIU and will beat NIU though we will probably be dogs no faith in this team from you i see....awful, i'm calling 8 wins this year IF we can stay healthy and beat Mizzou to start but that is a stretch in reality i think

guy please...Illinois is VERY likely to start out 0-5, almost for certain.

Missouri will roll with EASE here.

[THE PROFIT]

Trap line, I would have to take the points if I were to mess with it. DD Dogs on opening day, sounds dangerous no matter who it is, better yet a sneaky Illini team with revenge on their minds with nothing to lose