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Nobody at Illinois hired Bret Bielema to win pretty, high-scoring blowouts in November and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 20, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The first words out of Bret Bielema’s mouth after a 24-6 victory in conference play was the performance wasn’t clean.

Of course, it wasn’t. Because sometimes when the calendar flips to November and Bret Bielema is your head coach, you just have to get in the mud and get a little dirty to feel a lot of satisfaction in the Big Ten Conference. Nobody knows more about dirty wins than Mr. Bielema himself. Winning games like this is why he was hired to Champaign-Urbana.

“What (Bielema) is building and what this team is building is just an awesome thing to be a part of. The gratitude to have a little small piece in that,” said Illinois linebacker Dylan Rosiek, who is playing with an undisclosed injury that Bielema will only say Rosiek will need offseason surgery to fully repair. “I was just walking around, looking at the lights and everything. It was just like, what a tremendous opportunity that I've been blessed to be a part of. Coming into the program, where it was, and even just the atmosphere today, when you showed up in 2022, that was not what you got.”

By Illini Guys Staff November 19, 2025 (Cover photo […]

IlliniGuys.com uses a short film review this week to show how Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. is using Hank Beatty as a decoy.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 19, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Hank Beatty led all Illinois receivers in targets, receptions and play snaps in the 24-6 win over Maryland. However, it is the plays where the fourth-year leader didn’t touch the football where Illini offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and third-year starting quarterback Luke Altmyer both learned more about the Terrapins defensive plan on Saturday.

After leading 14-6 through 30 minutes of play, Illinois could’ve come out of the halftime locker room and force-fed the football to its leading receiver throughout the 2025 season. Instead of doing that and potentially falling into another turnover or more, Lunney used his creativity as a play-caller and play installer to use the 5-foot-11, 185-pound receiver as a decoy to encode what defensive front and coverage Maryland was using in the second half.

The result was Hudson Clement having a career day on Saturday and Illinois (7-3, 4-3 in Big Ten Conference) being able to use its most prolific receiver as what Lunney called on Monday “eye candy”.

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

November 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

It’s another big game for the Illini as they continue their difficult non-conference slate with a stiff test at the United Center in Chicago on Wednesday night. The 11th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide continue their own gauntlet of a schedule after falling at home to Purdue last week and before they play Gonzaga.

Illinois is hoping to have the services of star big man Tomislav Ivisic in this one as he recovers from a lower leg injury and should have Mihailo Petrovic back to add guard depth.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage
#8 Illinois (4-0) vs. #11 Alabama (2-1)
Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 // 8 p.m. CT // Chicago, Ill. // United Center
TV: FS1 – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play) & Steve Smith (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Illinois first-year point guard Destiny Jackson has found a way to overachieve in her first month of college basketball.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Even Shauna Green, who fully admits to not being warm and cuddly to her point guards, can’t stay mad at her newest first-year floor leader.

Freshmen Destiny Jackson has taken the teaching, yelling, encouragement and everything else that goes into being a lead guard and in a matter of months has surprised many, including maybe even herself, with her seamless transition to college basketball.

Jackson, the 2025 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year along with being the 2025 Ms. Basketball selection and a 2025 McDonald's All America selection, poured in a career-high 18 points with five assists and four rebounds in a 84-64 victory over Murray State in front of 14,631 fans on ‘Field Trip Day’ inside State Farm Center.

After losing veteran guards to a two-time NCAA Tournament participant and a WBIT championship program, Green knew her fourth year as the Illini head coach might test her admittedly low levels of patience for mistakes with a brand-new roster highlighted by a eager and super talented but inexperienced point guard. Through four games, wich has even included a difficult 64-59 loss at Oregon State last weekend, Jackson continues to learn quickly but Tuesday proved her instincts when she doesn’t know everything to do can still be remarkable.

The Illinois head coach is bringing a ‘been there, […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

November 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Illinois won a second straight workmanlike game on Saturday with a 24-6 win over a struggling Maryland team. It wasn't sexy. And it didn't create any highlights that you'll remember forever, but it was a solid win over a Maryland team that wasn't to be trifled with. Illinois held a dangerous Maryland offense to six points and 293 yards, which is 20 points and 50 yards under Maryland's averages. To me the defense was the star of the show, but since I'm limited to highlights that are in the public domain, I can't give you the play by play excellence that Illinois showed today. However, this 4th down play late in the game was pretty representative of the great work that Aaron Henry and his crew turned in today.

Maryland quarterback Malik Washington was a top 50 prospect last year and the 5th rated QB in the nation. And, despite what you might conclude after watching him today, he's had a very good freshman year in the Big Ten. However, Illinois kept him in the pocket and didn't let him get anything easy all day, and when Washington has to stay still and fit his throws into tight windows, he fails. Illinois keeps it simple on this play. They only rush three and keep their defenders in the middle of the field to clog the passing lanes. Washington could have handled the situation better rather than rushing the throw, but that's exactly what Illinois is banking on with this defense. This play was a microcosm of the day. Excellent work by the Illini defense.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

November 18, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —During Illinois’ most recent bye week on Nov. 8, the staff hit the recruiting trail hard. That effort paid off today as the Illini received a commitment from offensive lineman Alfred Washington, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound product of Pensacola, Florida and Northeast Mississippi Community College.

Washington represents an important step toward reshaping the Illini offensive line next season. Rather than relying solely on freshmen or dipping heavily into the transfer portal, head coach Bret Bielema has continued to emphasize the value of the junior college ranks, a route he has used successfully throughout his career.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer November 18, […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 17, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois men’s basketball program finds itself stepping into the national spotlight this season, and while new faces on the roster have brought excitement, the engine behind the early success is a familiar one. Senior guard Kylan Boswell, now in his second season with the Illini, has become the heartbeat of a team determined to turn last year's ending into one of the program’s most complete seasons under head coach Brad Underwood.

For longtime followers of Illinois basketball, Boswell’s rise was not delivered on a straight line. Coming out of Arizona Compass Prep, he was considered one of the most competitive and highly targeted recruits.

Assistant coach Geoff Alexander led the process from start to finish, making repeated trips to Arizona and building the kind of connection that Illinois hoped would pay off down the road.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular Cover photo Joe Pickrell, […]

Illinois produces a mature performance in a 18-point home win over a reeling Maryland squad.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Yeah, Illinois made a lot of mistakes on Saturday as a 16-point favorite at home. The first words out of Illini fifth-year head coach Bret Bielema was the game was “not clean” and he was very disappointed in their first-half execution (a first half that saw them with a 14-6 lead mind you) but this 24-6 result against a reeling Maryland squad was exactly the calling card of a Bielema operation in the month of November.

“I just thought we needed to have a good 1-0 November mentality to this game,” Bielema said. “Of course, we didn’t play clean in that first half but I really love the way our guys responded in that last 30 minutes…Super excited to be a 7-3 football team.”

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   MEMPHIS, Tenn. – [10] […]

By Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —Illinois added another key piece to its future backcourt with the signing of guard Ethan Brown, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound standout from Rolla, Missouri. Brown signed his Big Ten Athletics Scholarship Agreement and will join the Fighting Illini as a freshman for the 2026-27 season.

Brown stars at Rolla High School, where he plays under head coach Mark Miller. A two-time all-state selection, he enters his senior year as the top scorer in program history and is on the verge of reaching 2,000 career points.

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

November 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

The Illini beat Colgate 84-65 behind an incredible 27 point and 21 rebound performance from Freshman Forward David Mirkovic as they moved to 4-0 heading into a showdown against Alabama at the United Center next week. Keaton Wagler added 19 points and 6 rebounds, while Kylan Boswell had 11 and Ben Humrichous 10.

The Iliini dominated the glass 49-29 and had 22 second chance points on 19 offensive rebounds to offset a cold shooting night. The Illini shot just 37.7% from the floor and 29.7% from 3, scoring 1.292 PPP on the back of the offensive rebounding.

Here’s a look at what we saw.

These 3 Things

Freshmen Leading - On a night when the veterans were mediocre at best,