Illinois

Preview, Prediction: Iowa-Illinois State

Published

2 hours ago

August 29, 2024

Preview, Prediction: Iowa-Illinois State

IOWA CITY, Iowa – No. 25 Iowa kicks off its season Saturday, the 26th campaign with Kirk Ferentz as head coach. Only, he won’t be there because he’s suspended. That’s one of several interesting storylines as it pertains to the matchup with Illinois State at Kinnick Stadium.

Seth Wallace Audition

Ferentz and first-year receivers coach Jon Budmayr will be away from the team on game day due to a self-imposed suspension resulting from a recruiting violation. It’s the first time the Hawkeyes have been led by anyone not named Kirk Ferentz or Hayden Fry since November of 1978.

That guy will be Seth Wallace, who was named assistant head coach this past offseason. The Grinnell High and Coe College alum began coaching Iowa’s linebackers in 2016.

It could be considered an audition, of sorts, for Iowa and Wallace. Ferentz, who turns 70 next year, sees Wallace as head coaching material and might even recommend him as his replacement. And Wallace adds Saturday’s experience to his resume for any future employer.

Spooky FCS Stories

Frightening Tales of Iowa facing FCS opponents were told at the football facility throughout the week. North Dakota State owns a win at Kinnick Stadium, and South Dakota State and Northern Iowa almost pulled off upsets.

Leaning on prior pitfalls serves to tamp down overconfidence, especially for the inexperienced team members. And there are FCS programs in this region of the country capable of hanging with sleepy power-conference opponents.

Hawkeye DL Deontae Craig referenced the 7-3 victory against South Dakota State in the ’22 season-opener earlier this week. He experienced that one.

The veteran student-athletes will keep reminding the locker room that the Hawkeyes must improve no matter who they’re playing. Illinois State does not appear to be on the same level as the FCS squads that haunt Kinnick but also should not be overlooked.

The Redbirds are coming off a 6-5 season with an offense that ranked 12th in the FCS. They have 10 transfer-portal additions, eight of which arrived from the FBS.

There could be a feeling-out period early on Saturday, but the home team should wear down ISU with depth and physicality. If that doesn’t happen, worry, but don’t panic. It’s early.

McNamara & Sullivan

It’s not a law firm specializing in injury cases. Iowa’s top two quarterbacks are tasked with reviving a dormant Iowa offense, however.

Cade McNamara emerged from a tight camp competition with Brenden Sullivan this month and is expected to start against the Redbirds. The coaches saw the sixth-year senior as the team’s best path to victory.

What we don’t have a great handle on is how close the competition was, is now and might be moving forward. That judgment begins when the curtain to the public is lifted on Saturday.

McNamara and the offense clicking from the jump and throughout the game would be the ideal scenario. Odds of that happening seem long considering there’s a new coordinator in Tim Lester and the quarterback is coming back from his second knee surgery in as many years.

More likely there will be bumps. We’ll see if they’re accompanied by boos. Most importantly, victory is achieved.

It’s going to take some massaging of this offense in getting it up to speed after undergoing a much-needed overhaul. How the process is handled will be a key factor in the ultimate outcome.

IMPORTANT STUFF

Iowa Game Notes

Time, Day, TV: 11 am CT, Saturday, BTN

Online/App: foxsports.com/FOX

Announcers: Mark Followill, PBP; Anthony Herron, Analyst; Melanie Ricks, sideline.

Point Spread/Total: Iowa -22.5/40.5

If You’re Going: Kinnick Stadium Game Day Info/Guidelines

Opponent Fun Fact: Interesting connection between the school and the Civil War

Illinois State Alumni: Richard Roeper; Adam Kinzinger; Gary Cole; Laurie Metcalf.

Bottom Line: If the Hawkeyes hope to achieve their lofty goals in 2024, they should win this ballgame comfortably. They don’t necessarily have to look like world beaters, but a positive performance with signs of life on offense would be a welcomed result.

Prediction: Iowa 31, Illinois St. 9

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Illinois

Trendy Homemade Meal Chain Coming to Illinois for First Time Ever

Published

12 hours ago

August 29, 2024

Press Room

Trendy Homemade Meal Chain Coming to Illinois for First Time Ever

If you’re looking for the latest and greatest in the world of fast food, you won’t have long to wait before a new trendy homemade meal chain will be opening in Illinois as that’s now planned before the end of the year.

I saw Nation’s Restaurant News announce that Beef-a-Roo has just approved their first ever Illinois location. The exact city and street location has not been revealed yet. The company did indicate they planned to open the Illinois place along with others that were just approved for franchising by the end of the year.

The press release says that a new corporate store is coming to southwestern Missouri, too. Beef-a-Roo currently does have a Springfield restaurant.

If you’re not familiar with Beef-a-Roo, their site says “Founded in 1967, Beefaroo is a fast casual restaurant chain serving famously delicious, handmade meals at affordable prices.”

Woven Film Co. via YouTube

Can Beef-a-Roo succeed in a year when so many other restaurant chains are suffering cutbacks and store closings? Time will tell the tale, but it appears at the very least Illinois has a new fast food option incoming. I will update this article once the specific city and street location of the Illinois Beef-a-Roo is announced.

Farmer’s Almanac Predicts First Frost for 20 Illinois Places

Gallery Credit: Canva

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Illinois

Public submissions for new design of Illinois state flag will soon be accepted

Published

22 hours ago

August 29, 2024

Press Room

Public submissions for new design of Illinois state flag will soon be accepted

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) — The state of Illinois might be getting a new flag.

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said public submissions for a new design will be accepted starting Tuesday.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Ten of those designs will be selected.

SEE ALSO: Rancho Cucamonga woodworker’s patriotic passion, making flags that are works of art

After a public feedback period, the general assembly will decide whether to adopt a new flag or keep the current one.

Visit www.ilsos.gov or submit designs via mail addressed to Illinois Flag Commission, Howlett Building, Room 476, 501 S. Second St., Springfield, IL 62756.

Minnesota unveiled its new flag in December 2023, using a similar method to the one adopted by Illinois, a news release from Giannoulias’ office Wednesday said. Both Michigan and Maine are also considering an official change in their state flags, the release said.

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Illinois

New-look Illinois opens the season against upset-minded Eastern Illinois

Published

1 day ago

August 28, 2024

Press Room

New-look Illinois opens the season against upset-minded Eastern Illinois

Eastern Illinois at Illinois, Thursday, 9 p.m. ET (BTN)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Illinois by 27 1/2.

Series record: Illinois leads 2-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Illinois needs a decisive victory to show it has tossed aside the disappointing conclusion to last season — two-point losses in the final two games cost them a bowl bid — and has the ability to make some noise in the Big Ten. Bret Bielema is 18-19 in three seasons in Champaign, with a promising 8-5 finish bookended by two 5-7 seasons.

Eastern Illinois, 8-3 a year ago and ranked No. 24 in the final FCS poll, has an opportunity to pull off a major upset against a foe just 56 miles from its campus in Charleston.

KEY MATCHUP

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, left, talks to referees during the NCAA college football game against Northwestern, Nov. 25, 2023, in Champaign, Ill. Credit: AP/Erin Hooley

Eastern Illinois QB Pierce Holley vs. the Illinois defense. Holley, a two-year starter, passed for 2,741 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, his first at Eastern Illinois after transferring from Georgetown. The Illini led the nation in scoring defense in 2022 (12 points per game) but slipped last season to No. 95 (29 points per game). The Illini hope CB Terrance Brooks, a transfer from Texas, will shore up their secondary.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Eastern Illinois: LB Elijawah Tolbert is a two-time first team All-Big South/OVC selection. He led the Panthers last season with 87 tackles, including seven for loss. Tolbert entered the transfer portal after last season and went through spring practice at Missouri State, but returned to Eastern Illinois during the summer.

Illinois: WR Zakhari Franklin, a transfer from Ole Miss, is college football’s active career leader in receptions (266), receiving yards (3,386) and receiving touchdowns (38). He’s been reunited with Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr., who was Franklin’s OC at UTSA, where he began his college career.

FACTS & FIGURES

Illinois is 3-0 in season openers under Bielema, beating Nebraska, Wyoming and Toledo at home. … Former Eastern Illinois football player Chris Wilkerson returned to his alma mater in 2022 to coach the Panthers after a successful eight-year run as the coach at the University of Chicago. After a 2-9 season in Wilkerson’s first year as Eastern Illinois’ coach in 2022, the Panthers turned things around last season. They were one of the final four teams considered for the FCS playoffs. … Of the 120 players on the Illinois roster, 45 are new to the program. … Illinois offensive linemen have a combined 96 starts and 168 games in their collegiate careers … The Illini have 17 players, including nine transfers, who have started 10 or more games in college. … Illinois and Eastern Illinois last met in 2008. The Illini won 47-21.

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