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Illinois Football Week 8 Bowl Projections: Where Could the Fighting Illini Land?

Pass the Mayo? Break out the Pinstripes? Here’s where some of the leading prognosticators have the 5-1 Illini pegged
Steven Greenberg|
Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Fighting Illinois players celebrate with the Purdue Cannon in a 50-49 win against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Fighting Illinois players celebrate with the Purdue Cannon in a 50-49 win against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Illinois is 5-1 after a ridiculously close shave against Purdue that did zilch to improve the reputation of this year’s team. On the other hand, the Illini are one win from bowl eligibility, and that’s cool. Bowl opportunities don’t exactly grow on trees in Central Illinois.

As of Week 8, the Big Ten has three teams – Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State – in most College Football Playoff projections. Indiana is unbeaten and looking spiffy, too, and there’s no reason Iowa shouldn’t finish 10-2 and give itself a shot. There will be a bunch of slots to fill, regardless, based on the conference’s bowl ties: the Citrus (vs. the SEC), ReliaQuest (SEC), Duke’s Mayo (ACC), Music City (SEC), Pinstripe (ACC), Guaranteed Rate (Big 12) and Quick Lane (MAC).

Here’s where some of the leading prognosticators have the Illini pegged right now:

Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Charlotte, North Carolina, Jan. 3: The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy has them facing Virginia, and both CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm and 247 Sports’ Brad Crawford have them pitted against Virginia Tech.

Pinstripe Bowl, New York, Dec. 28: Both ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura have the Illini projected to meet Syracuse.

ReliaQuest Bowl, Tampa, Florida, Dec. 31: A game against Ole Miss would be daunting but exciting. This is what USA Today’s Erick Smith has projected as of Week 8.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Phoenix, Dec. 26: College Football News is predicting the Illini will run into Arizona State in the Sun Devils’ neck of the desert.

The 22nd-ranked Illini have an opportunity Saturday against 24th-ranked Michigan (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS) to move up in the projections world, one would think. The Wolverines are favored by a field goal.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Football Faces Crucial Test Against Michigan in Week 8

Illinois vs. Michigan: Early Week 8 Weather Report and Game Conditions

Illinois Football to Honor Red Grange With Throwback Uniforms Against Michigan

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Steven Greenberg
STEVEN GREENBERG

Greenberg is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, has written about college sports since the early 1990s. He covered University of Wisconsin football and basketball in the early 1990s before spending nearly 20 years as a magazine editor and writer. A former managing editor, features writer and college football columnist for The Sporting News, he has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Bleacher Report and joined the Sun-Times in 2013.

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