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By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

January 3, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

The Illini are back in action Saturday evening when they travel to Philadelphia for the annual ‘Palestra Game’ for Penn State. It’s not a secret that Brad Underwood has always wanted to play a game at the Palestra and the Illini relish the opportunity to play in big events and storied venues. Now, they get their chance.

Here's a look at the particulars:

Setting the Stage
#19 Illinois (10-3, 1-1 B1G) vs. Penn State (9-4, 0-2 B1G) Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 // 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) // Philadelphia, Pa. // The Palestra TV: BTN – Cory Provus (Play-by-Play) & LaPhonso Ellis (Analyst) Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas (Analyst)

Notable
*No. 20 Illinois opens the 2026 calendar year with its return to Big Ten play, beginning with a Saturday night matchup in an historic venue vs. Penn State at The Palestra in Philadelphia (6 p.m. CT / BTN). Illinois is making its first appearance at The Palestra since Nov. 29, 2003, a 75-60 win over Temple.

*Saturday's contest opens a 12-day stretch in which the will Illini face three of four Big Ten opponents on the road.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 3, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

I could get used to finishing a season this way. Illinois finished its second straight 9-win season with its second straight win over an SEC team that it had never beaten before. Not only that, but they did it in what felt a whole lot like a road venue, and they did it while outgaining Tennessee 417 yards to 278 and winning the turnover battle. Without a very fortunate kickoff return and a couple of bad breaks, this is a convincing win over a big-name team.

I'm going to start with defensive highlights this week, as I thought this was our best defensive performance of the year from a scheme standpoint. And this first play was the first eye-opener for me. Most of you are already aware that after Gabe Jacas, Illinois presented very little pass rush this year. So with Jacas sitting out the bowl game, I was assuming Illinois was going to have trouble rushing the passer this year. However, the staff used the time off well and dialed up several blitzes that had Tennessee scratching its collective heads. Tennessee's offense was sacked 22 times this season and threw 437 passes, yet suffered 4 sacks and threw the ball 18 times in the bowl game. And none of them were flukes. I'd have slapped you if you told me that was going to happen.

On this first play, Illinois has its best three pass rushers on the line in the game with Durojaiye, Thompson and Lowery.

Illinois head coach Shauna Green is convinced her youthful roster pieces contributing to the program’s first Top 10 win and 13-1 start is not phased by the underdog label.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 2, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On one of the most historic days of her four-year tenure at Illinois, Shauna Green might be learning the advantages of youth is not knowing you’re an underdog when facing a historical powerhouse program.

For the first time since Green was hired in March 2022 and the first time for the program in over a decade, Illinois defeated a Top 10 opponent with a thrilling 73-70 win over No. 7 Maryland. It was the second time in green’s tenure that the Illini (13-1, 3-0 in Big Ten Conference) was celebrating a massive upset win on New Year’s Day after defeating No. 12 Iowa led by Caitlin Clark on Jan. 1, 2023.

When asked how this victory happened in front of an instantly pumped 5,207 fans inside State Farm Center, Green simply had to once again admit that her team, which is the third youngest power conference team, and youngest in the Big Ten, didn’t have any idea that they weren’t favored to knock off a previously undefeated Maryland squad.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 1, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois is losing running backs coach Thad Ward as […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 1, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Through 13 games, the Illinois women’s basketball team has had its best start to a season ever. One of the biggest components in the engine pushing the team to that start has been junior guard Maddie Webber.

Webber is currently third in scoring on the team, averaging 11.5 points per game while shooting just below 47% from three-point range. She’s also the first-ever player of Asian descent to play under Shauna Green, and – as far as we at IlliniGuys are aware – the first in program history, too. She’s half-Korean, with ancestry through her father linking her to the country, and says that that part of her identity is something that means a lot to her, not just off the court, but on it, too.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The NCAA transfer portal continued to churn, and Illinois football found itself back in the middle of the action today.

Former Rock Island standout Cole Rusk, a tight end who transferred to Illinois from Murray State, is now officially in the transfer portal. The move comes as a surprise, as the 6-foot-5 Rusk departs what had long been considered his dream school.

David Olano, who connected on the game-winning field goal […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 1, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Happy New Year, IlliniGuys readers! With the Music City Bowl behind us now, portal season is truly upon us now. After a few days to soak in the bowl win and tying the knot on securing 19 wins in two years, the staff will soon get to work to fill out gaps on its roster through the transfer portal.

On the defensive side of the ball, linebackers JoJo Hayden and Easton Baker, defensive lineman Jeremiah Warren, and cornerback Vernon Woodward III have entered the transfer portal.

While it’s always great to cast a wide net in recruiting, this first list is staying a bit more realistic, grounded in previous interest or the obvious geographic relations these players have to Illinois.

Illinois vs. No. 7 Maryland Date/Time: January 1, 2026/3pm […]

Illinois delivers another near perfect performance to topple a Southeastern Conference opponent in a late December bowl game for back-to-back postseason wins for the first time since 2011.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema had repeatedly said how much he loathes when good-natured fans mention to him how long it’s been before the Illini football program accomplished something.

As he’s completed his fifth season leading the football program in Champaign-Urbana, the phrase Bielema dislikes hearing the most is ‘did you know it’s been since (fill in the year) since Illinois has (fill in the accomplishment)’ and Bielema was determined on Tuesday night to slow down that kind of talk by seeing his team create its own history.

“We talked a lot about all different kinds of numbers. (Monday night) I got emotional in a team meeting because I saw them that after the Northwestern win that this group has either tied or surpassed a number of records,” Bielema said Tuesday night after the 30-28 win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl. “I knew if we got this one that we’d not have to talk about these kind of numbers or read about other years anymore. Usually you either find yourself reading about history or writing history and this group is doing a lot of writing history.”

Run Offense
When asked to describe the game-winning 64-yard drive that led to David Olano’s 29-yard walk-off field goal, Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer shrugged his shoulders before admitting

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Writer/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

We are in the midst of the Golden Era of Illinois football

Enjoy it. Take it in. Celebrate. There will be time for fans to worry about next season in the coming weeks, portal opens Jan. 2, and for the next 8 months. For now, know that Illinois football is in good hands and have shown themselves to be a legit football team and program. I don’t think we appreciate enough what has happened at Illinois since Josh Whitman took over 9 years ago and Bret Bielema 5 years ago.

Here are a few thoughts from Nashville as I sit in the airport waiting on my flight.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After clinching her 250th career win as a coach, becoming the winningest coach in program history, leading the team to its first win at Purdue in five years, and pushing them to the best 13-game start in program history, Illinois women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green is laser-focused on the task at hand.

That’s a whole lot of different, but when asked about what exactly changed from last year to this year, Green pointed to losing something that many might consider a strength: veterans. After steering the ship with a crew of veterans for the last four years, Green says that an all-new team has been behind the hot start to the 2025-26 season.

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer had the confidence of his teammates, coaches and fans that one more game-winning drive was coming with four minutes and 58 seconds left in the Music City Bowl.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 31, 2025

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Immediately after a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown to give Tennessee a one-point lead, Luke Altmyer’s mother had the same immediate reaction of Illinois players, coaches and fans.

Chad Altmyer, while sitting in Section 238 near the 30 yard line of Nissan Stadium looked up at the ribbon board showing the game clock and turned to his wife, Betsy, who knew and said out load they’d seen the script of this type of game play out before.

“Betsy said it best because she immediately watched the offense trot on the field and said out loud ‘here we go again’ and let it be known that Luke’s mom immediately thought a game-winning drive was going to happen again,” Chad Altmyer said to IlliniGuys.com Tuesday night. “She immediately remembered this is how Luke’s career at Illinois began.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3hG4sxmVe8