ROSES are ORANGE for the ILLINI

[Carpet]

Illinois has been selected to play USC in the
Rose Bowl.

The Illini have pulled off the most amazing
turn around as a team I have ever seen.
Going 2-8 last year, and winning a total of
8 games over a 4 year period to today....

A 9-3 record beating the # 1 team, # 5 team
and #19 team this year, also losing to Missouri
first game of the year by only 7.

This is a MAJOR accomplishment for Coach
Ron Zook and his team. While everyone in college
football land wanted to see Zook matched up
against Florida this year it aint gonna happen.

The Illini are Sunny California bound, Last time
was 24 years ago...(Illinois was 4th ranked and
got walloped by UCLA)..... The carpet is hopeful
that Coach Zook will not allow his players to party
like the 1994 squad did before game day.

The Rose Bowl is refered to as the GRAND DADDY
OF THEM ALL and boost expected payouts of over
17 million dollars to the league.

Played Jan 1 2008 at 4cst, capacity 91,000 fans

NOTABLE NOTES

Red Grange, the galloping ghost will be
announced during the USC-ILLINI game as
the greatest player of all time...

Great Job Illinois on a record turn around year.

Carpet is looking forward to sharing insight
on this game here exclusively at BettorsWorld...

Today the ROSE IS ORANGE

Good Luck to all

Carpet

[woodee12]

Just saw the opning line at Olympic and it is USC -13.

[mr vegas]

USC is gonna take Ill to the woodshed, lay the chalk! PAC 10 owns Big 11

[Carpet]

This game opens USC a 13 point chalk at home.

Actually its the home of UCLA Bruins where the trojans
have played in the Rose Bowl 31 times winning 23.
Might as well call it a home game...

USC started the preseason ranked # 1 and are
currently # 6.

Carpet believes that this will be a closer game
than most people will give credit to.

USC has only beat 2 teams this year that
finished with a winning record-Oregon State
and Arizona State.

A USC loss to stanford as a 40 point home
favorite this year keeps all hopes that anything
is possible and they USC can be beat even at home.

This Illinois Defense will be the best D USC
has seen all year...

On paper USC is not that impressive and
very beatable.....

Carpet has a great deal of respect for USC and
their program. All americans 3 deep at every position
fast, big and fast (already said fast)

This should be a great game more to follow
as Carpet is at floor level on this game..

The early sentiment from West Coast fan base
seems to indicate Illinois has no business being
in the Rose Bowl playing USC, that USC is gonna
flaten Illinois......While I appreciate bravado coming
from USC Fans, any why wouldnt they? This is
a different Illinois Team this year.

A LOOK BACK to 1947

UCLA-ILLINOIS Rose Bowl

1947 First contract with Pac-8 and Big Ten
for this Bowl.

That year Army was ranked # 1 and UCLA
wanted them bad, instead they got the Illini

UCLA was so upset that this team Illinois
is playing them and not Army called out the press
to complain...

During the game while Illinois was puting
a hurt on UCLA, A Linebacker from Illinois
just finished a play and asked a UCLA player
"Do you still wish you had Army" The UCLA player
said right now I sure do....................
Illinois won that game 45-14

USC thinks they should of had Georgia this
year for the Big Game, Be careful what you wish for...


Carpet

[Boone Moone]

On the face of things, the line in this game opened exactly where I figured it would, with USC about a 2-touchdown favorite.

While I have no doubt in my mind that USC is one of the elite teams in NCAAF at the current, I have the utmost respect for what the Fighting Illini have accomplished this season, including the big win from Ohio State in the "horseshoe".

Although I personally believe that SC's speed and depth will win out in the end, I will hold out for some line movement here before deciding which way to play this one...........Carpet is right when he says that this is pretty much a home game for the Trojans and their rabid following, so much in fact that they may actually play their home games in the Rose Bowl next year if the L.A. Coliseum Commission continues to go through the motions with their heads in their asses..........I guess this just might be the reason we haven't had a pro football team play here in about 20 years.

I'm sure this thread will be about 3 pages long before all is said and done, because I know I'll have more to say on this one soon...........Good Luck.

[woodee12]

Now thats a better response than Mr. Insight (Vegas). I think Illinois will be slightly over matched here too. I will be rooting my ass off for Illinois, but its going to be a tough game for them. Takes me back to when Iowa played USC in the Ornage Bowl a few years back and I was in the stands.

But you never know?

Go Fighting Illini!!

[Carpet]

Todays Floor view

Carpet is at ground level of this game
looking at every possible angle....

USC is a 13.5 chalk, seems a bit much to me....

Total Offense

USC averages 418 yards per game in total
offense 41 ranking<<>>Illinois 423
and a 35 ranking.

Scoring Defense

USC ranks # 3 in scoring Defense allowing
16 points a game.

Illinois ranks # 19 allowing 20 points per game

Special Teams

Special Teams play on both sides will be the
key to this game. Especially the Punting game

Both Teams struggle in the punting game, I know
High School teams with better averages.

USC is ranked 101 in net punt yards (36.0)
ILL is ranked 92nd in net punt yards (37.0)
This will be one of the keys to the game......

More to follow....

Carpet

[dragon1952]

If USC plays like they did last week they're in trouble here. I'm assuming it was a let down spot after that huge game at Arizona St. but , hey, it wasn't over yet guys! I guess it's hard getting that pumped up 2 weeks in a row.

[Boone Moone]

True that -- Dragon, and I feel they won't be as high for this game as Illinois will be, because I get the feeling that deep down -- these guys believe they should be in the big game as much as anyone else.

I would pull the trigger right now on the "Big Orange", if it weren't for the mastery of the Big Ten that the Pac 10 have always enjoyed.........What also bothers me is that as far as I know, the Ilini's biggest weapon is it's superior running game, and that's where the Trojans excel on defense ............They can be passed upon all game long, but you try to run against 'em, and you've got problems..........This will be interesting.........Stay tuned.........I'm looking for more of Carpet's "floor views".

[zshimer]

Couldnt agree more with Woodee on rooting for the Illini in this one. Going to Penn State and being a big Ten fan I hope they upset USC. Looking forward to insight from Carpet

[Carpet]

ILLINI ROSE BOWL SONG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzvNS9svt2w

[Carpet]

Todays Floor View USC O vs ILL D

Today Carpets takes a floor view on USC
vs Illinois

Strength of Schedule
USC 75
ILL 10
One would have thought Illinois was playing the
New England Patriots with all the smack talk
I hear of a beat down by USC.

A LOOK AT USC OFFENSE

The trojans offense is no where as explosive
as in past years, a very stationary QB who
doesnt run much.

USC runs a very methodical Offense, Run 3 yards then
Pass out patterns for 7 yards, and if the DEFENSE
is holding that down they will throw the occasional
15-20 yard pass plays out of the backfield to open
up the middle down field.

USC really has no real down field threat on
the passing attack. USC's real strength on Offense
is thier Tight End and if the QB has time to check down
to his TE its gonna be a long day for Illinois.

USC will find it very difficult to run the ball on
Illinois due the Illinois speed off the ball.

Penalties have killed many a drive for the
USC trojans this year.....

ILLINOIS DEFENSE

Illinois Defense is a very athletic, Strong,
hard hitting D that is extremely quick off the ball.

The Illini play alot of cover 2 zone and blitzes
every once in a while.

LINEBACKER Lehman is the Center of the D
he brings the pain in Champaign. You will find
this kid in on every play.

Secondary has Vontae Davis the best corner
cover out there playing in any league

The Safetys for Illinois is the weak point on D
Undersized Linebackers I call them, great at run defense
but just a step slow sometimes. These kids are big
and man do they make you pay when you catch a ball.

This Illinois Defense will be the best D USC
has seen all year and the most physical, this squad
Hits like a ton a bricks and lays the lumber on you
every time.

In an interview with Lehman Illinois star LB
was asked to describe the Illinois Defense >

"We are a pack of Jackals, you see it takes
a bunch of jackals to take down a Lion, and thats
what we do, we take em down in force, we all
play"

Next up

Illinois Offense vs USC Defense

Good Luck to all and thanks for the feedback

More to Follow

Carpet

[ROTOG]

Trojans will roll Illinois.
Line should be about 20.
Illini have not seen any offense like this in the over rated Big-10.

[Carpet]

ILLINOIS vs USC

A Look at Illinois Offense

Illinois Offense is for real ranked # 5
in rushing in the country at 266 yards per game

Led by Running Back Mendenhall a Junior
who has rushed for 1526 yards and 18TD's
(Have anyone here ever seen this kid play? I
have and he is a Stud)

QB Juice Williams is very very mobile
rushed for over 780 yards while throwing
for 1500 yards. A Mobile punishing type runner
(Carpet hopes this kid SLIDES on his runs
instead of powering into 4 USC Bruisers)

WR Freshman sensation Arrelious Benn
(ranked # by scout 2007 best rcvr in class)
50 catches for 600 yards. This kid is a real
play maker just get him the ball and watch.

The Illini run a spread Offense and once it
gets going it is very hard to stop. Just ask Ohio
State.

The rushing success for the Illini is directly
attributed to the Offense Line. Illinois has a
great Offensive Line. This is the first team in
Illinois History to produce over 3000 yards rushing
in a season.

Illinois has one the best FIELD GOAL kickers
in the nation with Jason Reda, this kid is Mr
Automatic and can Boom it from 50 yards out
into a 20 mph head wind.

A LOOK AT USC DEFENSE

USC Faulted Defense is ranked # 3 in the
Country in total D allowing 258 yards per game.

Ohio State is ranked number one at 225 per game
and 15.9 point allowed is # 1. When Illinois beat
OSU this year they had and still do have the best
Defense yards allowed nationally. Illinois racked
up over 400 yards of offense on OSU and 27 pts.

USC D is very fast especially side line
to side line. They play a bend dont break type of
Defense. 4 Seniors play on the starting Defensive
unit of USC and they all we be drafted this year.

A good solid Defense that seems to struggle
with Mobile QB's.......

TACKS ON THE FLOOR

Team Penaltys>>>>>

USC is ranked # 11 WORST in team penaltys
per game, this year 95 yellow flags for 837 yards
Now that sure will kill a drive.....

Illinois is #112 worst at 570 yards with 58 flags.

This is going to be a Key focus point this game.

A SIDE BAR

Missouri QB Chase Daniels being interviewed
last week was asked, Which team you played
against Hits the hardest?

"A tie between Illinois and Oklahoma,
those teams are physical freaks of Nature"

Good Luck to all, more to follow

621 Hours to kick off...........

Carpet

[dragon1952]

Trojans will roll Illinois.
Line should be about 20.
Illini have not seen any offense like this in the over rated Big-10.

Is that the offense that's scored 24 or less in 6 of 12 games and 27 or under in 7 of 12?