FOOTBALL Middle Tennessee @ Illinois (ESPNews), 3PM, Saturday, Sept 26

[SpaceRaider]

Game thread, links are a work in progress:

Where: Memorial Stadium (60,670), 1402 S 1st St, Champaign, IL 61820

Television: ESPNEWS - Kickoff is set for 3:02 PM central time from Memorial Stadium and will be shown nationally on ESPNews (Local DirecTV 207, Campus Cable 33.2, Comcast 1608, Dish 142, AT&T U-Verse 1604).

Radio: WMOT-FM (89.5), WGNS (1450 AM/100.5 FM/101.9 FM), Game 2 (102.5/94.9/95.1), PxP: Chip Walters, 25th Season, Analyst: TBA

Streaming: Audio - , Video - WatchESPN

Live Stats: FIGHTINGILLINI.COM

Newspapers: News-Gazette, Herald-Review.com, Journal-Gazette & Times-Courier, Daily Illini,

Message Boards: , Illini Inquirer, IllinoisLoyalty.com, illinination.net,

Blogs: champaignroom.com, writingillini.com,

Athletic site: FightingIllini.com, GoBlueRaiders.com

Media Guides: Illinois, Middle Tennessee

Preseason Previews: Illinois (Orlando Sentinel #68), Middle Tennessee (Orlando Sentinel #53)

Game Notes: Illini Game Notes, MT Game Notes, CUSA Game Notes

Roster: Illini, Blue Raiders

Game Previews:

Twitter: @IlliniFootball, @CoachCubit, @IllinoisBlockI,

Hashtags: #Illini, #MTvsILL, #BlueRaiders

Facebook: facebook.com/IlliniFootball, facebook.com/OskeeWowWowIllinois,

Youtube: YouTube

Instagram: @IlliniFootball

 

[sWiley]

Line is MT +6

 

[SpaceRaider]

Illinois is coming off a rough loss at North Carolina

Rough UNC game puts damper on strong start for Illini

 

[SpaceRaider]

Illinois blog 'For the Fans'

Football pick 'em Week 4: Middle Tennessee

 

[MidTnBlues]

Illinois blog 'For the Fans'

Football pick 'em Week 4: Middle Tennessee

A lot of comedy in this article. First is the score prediction and second is the old Budweiser commercial in regards to our "true" slogan.

 

[Blueraider_Mike]

A lot of comedy in this article. First is the score prediction and second is the old Budweiser commercial in regards to our "true" slogan.

So he thinks they will put up 52 points on us....wow. Maybe they will, but to predict is crazy.

 

[JohnDavidBlue]

I'm picking us to win. Stock needs to channel his inner Boise State and go for the jugular instead of playing not to lose.

 

[MTBig Blue]

North Carolina defense sucks...and Illinois didn't do anything against them.

 

[TeKEraider]

Depth chart. Still no D. Johnson and Collis.

 

[SpaceRaider]

excerpt:

...The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders and Illinois Fighting Illini meet Saturday at Memorial Stadium.


The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders look for a big win to win their fourth game in six tries. Brent Stockstill is completing 69.7 percent of his passes for 891 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. Stockstill is sixth in the country in touchdown passes. Ed'Marques Batties and Terry Pettis have combined for more than 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns while Richie James has 22 receptions. The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders ground game is averaging 214.6 yards per contest, and Jordan Parker leads the way with 235 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, MTSU is allowing 21.7 points and 342.3 yards per game. T.T. Barber leads the Blue Raiders with 16 tackles, Chris Hale has two sacks and Jeremy Cutrer has three interceptions.

The Illinois Fighting Illini look to rebound from their big loss to North Carolina. Wes Lunt is completing 60.8 percent of his passes for 618 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. Lunt has a touchdown pass in seven of his last 10 games. Geronimo Allison and Marchie Murdock have combined for more than 370 receiving yards and three touchdowns while Dionte Taylor has six receptions. The Illinois Fighting Illini ground game is averaging 169.3 yards per contest, and Josh Ferguson leads the way with 248 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Illinois is allowing 17 points and 285.7 yards per contest. Clayton Fejedelem leads the Fighting Illini with 26 tackles, Dawuane Smoot has a sack and Taylor Barton has three interceptions. Caleb Day, Jamal Milan and Joe Fotu are questionable.


The Blue Raiders are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in September and 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games. The Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games and 9-20 ATS in their last 29 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.....

 

[SpaceRaider]

AP article:

Loss exposes holes in Illinois defense

chicago.cbslocal.com:

Will This Go Well? Despite Attendance Issues, Illinois Wants To ‘Stripe The Stadium’ Against Middle Tennessee

 

[SpaceRaider]

IlliniInquirer thread:

Middle Tennessee...

 

[SpaceRaider]

goblueraiders.com:

MT vs. Illinois presser

 

[SpaceRaider]

fightingillini.com:

Coach Cubit Weekly Press Conference Quotes

 

[SpaceRaider]

saturday forecast:

• Partly Cloudy
• 83°/60°
• precipitation: 0%
• winds: ENE 10 mph

 

[SpaceRaider]

for those of us going:

Memorial Stadium Links
Fan Guide | Parking Map | Seating Map | Stadium Map | Traffic Routes | Grange Grove | Premium Seating | Seat Cushions

 

[MTsumner92]

Where is Darius Johnson?

 

[MTsumner92]

Has Brewer just flat out beaten out Carlos for the starting position?

 

[SpaceRaider]

dnj:

MT confident, focused ahead of Illinois game

News Gazette:

Coach speak: Injuries ding Illini before Week 4

 

[SpaceRaider]

WritingIllini.com:

Illinois Football: Opening Thoughts Against Middle Tennessee

Chicago Tribune:

Decades-long friends Bill Cubit, Rick Stockstill face off in Champaign

TheSportsBank.net:

Illini football has been Mid-Major, not B1G, for a half-decade

 

[SpaceRaider]

Murfreesboro legend Grantland Rice on Illini legend, Red Grange

...Grange vaulted to national prominence as a result of his performance in the October 18, 1924, game against Michigan. This was the grand opening game for the new Memorial Stadium, built as a memorial to University of Illinois students and alumni who had served in World War I. The Michigan Wolverines were going for the National Championship. Illinois players knew they had a difficult job ahead of them if they expected to win. He returned the opening kickoff for a 95-yard touchdown and scored three more touchdowns on runs of 67, 56 and 44 yards in the first twelve minutes. On his next carry, he ran 56 yards for yet another touchdown. He scored the three touchdowns in less than seven minutes against the powerful Michigan defense. Before the game was over, Grange ran back another kickoff for yet another touchdown. He scored six touchdowns in all. Illinois won the game by a lopsided score of 39 to 14.

The game inspired Grantland Rice to write the following poetic description:

A streak of fire, a breath of flame
Eluding all who reach and clutch;
A gray ghost thrown into the game
That rival hands may never touch;
A rubber bounding, blasting soul
Whose destination is the goal — Red Grange of Illinois!

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

DNJ:

MT offense looking to continue hot start

Murfreesboro Post:

MT ready to test the Big Ten waters

Nashville Post:

Blue Raiders enjoy -- don't expect to maintain -- current scoring pace

The News Gazette:

Cubit has a fan — but not on Saturday

 

[MTBig Blue]

I hope people don't pay for a subscription to writingillini. I could think of much better ways to spend a few bucks.

Seems to me his theory was Alabama dominated MTSU (even though they really didn't ) so Illinois should too.

 

[SmithO1906]

I hope people don't pay for a subscription to writingillini. I could think of much better ways to spend a few bucks.

Seems to me his theory was Alabama dominated MTSU (even though they really didn't ) so Illinois should too.

I saw that too and thought, even if Alabama had beaten us 100-0 Illinois isnt Alabama so they have no reason to believe that they would do the same

 

[SpaceRaider]

 

[SpaceRaider]

IlliniInquirer:

MT beat writer Aldo Amato breaks down the Blue Raiders

 

[BlueRaider95]

Minor uniform complaint, I hate the fangs on the helmets. We aren't the Predators. Can we just get normal stripes please.

 

[SpaceRaider]

DNJ:

Batties on pace to triple 2014 numbers

MT, Illinois ready to showcase defenses

Pogue: Stockstill, Illinois coach share bond


Daily Illini:

Illini football gets one last respite before Big Ten play

Close relationship between coaches sets up Illinois football matchup

WritingIllini.com:

Preview of the Middle Tennessee Offense

 

[MidTnBlues]

Ticket info
More Ticket Info

Parking Info
Parking Map

 

[SpaceRaider]

WritingIllini.com:

Preview of the Middle Tennessee Defense

 

[MTBig Blue]

Lol. This guy!

He talks up MTSU and said they will have a tough time moving the ball on us, then predicts a blowout. These are really funny reads.

 

[SpaceRaider]

If you speak Mandarin, you listen to the Illini broadcast in that language...

USAToday:

U. of Illinois creates first Mandarin college football broadcast

 

[TeKEraider]

Thought it would have happened sooner but the line started dropping. Down to 4.5.

 

[sWiley]

glad i locked it in at +6.5 and the money line at +210

 

[sWiley]

also, by the way, MT & Ole Miss are the only two teams in the country to cover every first half and second half spread thus far.

 

[TeKEraider]

+4 now

 

[sWiley]

there must be some touts on MT this weekend. Not usually a good thing as they're often wrong

 

[TeKEraider]

Maybe. The guy from Covers was saying to take Illinois on the Zone this morning so who knows. Could be some sharps jumping on it I suppose. Think positive.

 

[sWiley]

Hey I hope we win, obviously. Nobody know's what is going to happen. I say we win, but that is the fan in me speaking. I'll be pretty concerned though if this line movement is due to touts backing Middle, as most of them do good to win 50% of their games. Will look into it more tonight at work and try to find out why the line is moving. There is droves of information available at cappersmall.com