Breaking Down the Offer Lists for 2015 Illinois Football Commits

It's still only mid-July, which can make it a little difficult to keep cranking out new content that is actually interesting. This is why I'm thrilled we have a lot more writers now. Lessens the burden and all that. The only real news that will happen until Camp Rantoul is recruiting news and we're about to hit the slow part of that season as well.

So before falling asleep last night, I jotted down an idea for today's post (this happens more often than you'd think). I wanted to take a glance at what schools and conferences we'd beaten out for our dozen recruits thus far. So about those breakdowns.

MAC- 20 times

Toledo Rockets- Megginson, Brown, Corbin, Martin

Northern Illinois Huskies- Megginson, Brown, Nelson

Akron Zips- Megginson, Martin

Ball State Cardinals- Solomon, Martin

Bowling Green Falcons- Megginson, Martin

Buffalo Bulls- Nelson, Martin

Ohio Bobcats- Solomon, Martin

Western Michigan Broncos- Solomon, Fitzgerald

Kent State Golden Flashes- Brown

I'm not really surprised that we've beaten out the MAC more than any other conference. I'd prefer to see the Big Ten in the top spot, but with our recent history that just isn't very realistic. And honestly, beating more MAC teams out than any other conference isn't even that bad of a thing. The MAC schools are just like every other non-blue blood. They offer players they know they won't get because the worst that can happen is the player says no. So hey, might as well swing for those fences.

Big Ten- 16 times

Indiana Hoosiers- Megginson, Solomon, Nelson, Miller

Minnesota Golden Gophers- Megginson, Solomon

Nebraska Cornhuskers- Miller,

Ohio State Buckeyes- Megginson, Miller

Purdue Boilermakers- Megginson, Solomon

Michigan Wolverines- Miller

Michigan State Spartans- Megginson

Penn State Nittany Lions- Megginson

Wisconsin Badgers- Megginson

Also not a terribly surprising list, though I'd be lying if I didn't say I love that we've beaten Nebraska and Ohio State twice. Winning four against Indiana is pretty nice too. If we can consistently beat them, Purdue, and Minnesota for recruits, we'll quickly start putting them all in the rear view.

Pac-12- 11 times

California Golden Bears- Megginson, Miller

Oregon State Beavers- Megginson, Miller

Washington State Cougars- Miller, Corbin

Arizona State Sun Devils- Miller

Colorado Buffaloes- Miller

Oregon Ducks- Miller

Utah Utes-Megginson

Washington Huskies- Miller

Raise your hand if you thought the Pac-12 was going to be third on this list. Put your hand down, you dirty liar. For a team that rarely recruits high schoolers further west than Texas it feels a bit odd to compete with the Pac-12 over so many offers, but I guess it happens.

ACC- 10 times

Miami Hurricanes- Megginson, Miller

Syracuse Orange- Megginson, Solomon

Duke Blue Devils- Solomon

Louisville Cardinals- Megginson

North Carolina State Wolfpack- Megginson

Notre Dame Fighting Irish- Miller

Virginia Tech Hokies- Megginson

Wake Forest Demon Deacons- Miller

Yes, I consider Notre Dame to be in the ACC instead of an Independent. When you're contractually obligated to play that many games against teams from a conference, you're in their conference. Even though they're not what they were even a decade ago, beating out Miami twice looks pretty good on the old self-assessment.

Conference USA- 8 times

North Texas Mean Green- Mays, Miller

Florida International Panthers- Fitzgerald

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs- Mays

Marshall Thundering Herd- Corbin

Old Dominion Monarchs- Corbin

Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles- Miller

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers- Heath

I don't really have anything to say about Conference USA other than that I hate it because it is fourteen members spread across three time zones and that's just stupid.

AAC-8 times

Cincinnati Bearcats- Megginson, Solomon

Memphis Tigers- Mays, Miller

Connecticut Huskies- Miller

Houston Cougars- Mays

SMU Mustangs- Miller

Tulsa Golden Hurricane- Miller

Another conference that is bizarre and unwieldy. If things continue to go right for the Illini, expect to see a lot of recruits with offers from the Bearcats. Beckman loves him some Ohio and I don't blame him.

SEC- 8 times

Kentucky Wildcats- Solomon, Miller

Mississippi State Bulldogs- Megginson, Miller

Arkansas Razorbacks- Megginson

Missouri Tigers- Megginson

Ole Miss Rebels- Megginson

Tennessee Volunteers- Miller

Take that best conference in football! We need to see that Missouri number go up, but that's probably a few years away from happening at best. For now I'm content with blocking the Wildcats.

Big 12- 3 times

Iowa State Cyclones- Megginson

Kansas Jayhawks- Miller

Texas Longhorns- Davis

Pretty surprised to see the Big 12 as the least battled with of the major conferences but then again, we only border one team from it anymore. Beating Texas (and only Texas) for insert name still feels wonderful.

FCS- 2 times

Illinois State Redbirds- Megginson

Sacramento State Hornets- Enyenihi

Yeah, nothing to really be proud of here. No player should ever choose an FCS school over the Illini.

Ivy League- 2 times

Harvard Crimson- Fitzgerald

Yale Bulldogs- Fitzgerald

Look at the big brain on Jimmy!

Mountain West- 2 times

Fresno State Bulldogs- Mays

Nevada Wolf Pack- Nelson

Apparently if you're a grouping of wolves or an overly inbred breed of dog, you cannot stop our mighty recruiting prowess.

Independent- 2 times

BYU Cougars- Mays, Miller

Who wants to move to Utah and not be able to have sex or fun? Not the Texans.

Sun Belt- 1 time

Louisiana Monroe Warhawks- Miller

I've got nothing.

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