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By IlliniGuys Staff November 27, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed Wednesday fifth-year pass rusher Seth Coleman will be inactive for the regular season finale after suffering a shoulder/arm injury in the 38-31 win at Rutgers.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 27, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Seth Coleman will not get an opportunity to finish his collegiate career at Wrigley Field.

In his final media session before the regular season finale against Northwestern, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed Wednesday Coleman will not be on the 74-player travel roster. The fifth-year pass rusher suffered a serious shoulder/arm injury in the second half of the 38-31 win at Rutgers and Coleman has been inactive for practice sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. was honored Tuesday […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

November 27, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

This Illinois team is battle tested, isn't it?  This staff has built a group that doesn't flinch in the big moments and its been great to see and enjoy through what figures to be a memorable 2025 season.  Saturday provided yet another example of the mental toughness of this group of Illini as they overcame some rough luck and tricky conditions to come back (twice!) in the last few minutes to beat a solid Rutgers squad.

I wanted to start off this week by highlighting an abnormal play that just happened to work for both teams this week: the draw on a running down. 

By IlliniGuys Staff November 26, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

November 26, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

To copy one of Brad Underwood’s favorite phrases, ‘That’s what they look like.’ The Illini dominated a solid Arkansas-Little Rock team on Monday night by a 92-34 score and looked like a team with huge upside starting to find their way.

Let’s look at the breakdown.

These 3 Things

Defense Worth Watching 

Ked's Recruiting Roundup November 25th, 2024 By Kedric Prince […]

Illinois gets its first win of the 2024-25 season […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois QB […]

Based on the calendar of when semifinalists and finalists are selected, the public campaign for The Biletnikoff Award by Illinois head coach on behalf of Pat Bryant will fall on deaf ears.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 25, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The unfortunate reality of the situation is Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is just never going to see the name of his lead wide receiver on the watch list for The Biletnikoff Award.

Following another career-best game for Pat Bryant that included a 40-yard game-winning touchdown reception in a 38-31 victory at Rutgers on Saturday, Bielema proceeded to politically stump one more time for the Illini fourth-year receiver who currently 11th among all receivers in a power conference program in yards (914) and is 12th in the Big Ten Conference in receptions (50).

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Kendall Bostic delivered […]

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

November 25, 2024

The Illini had a quick 1-day turnaround as they get ready to face Arkansas-Little Rock, now known as just Little Rock, on Monday night. It’s a great preparation for NCAA turnarounds and travel, as the Illini will then head to Kansas City for a tough matchup with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Little Rock will be the toughest home opponent that the Illini have seen this season from a talent standpoint and are picked to win the OVC.

Let's look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage

#25 Illinois (4-1) vs. Little Rock (3-3)
Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 // 8 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: Big Ten Network – Mike Hall (Play-by-Play), Bruce Weber (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable

-No. 25 Illinois (4-1) continues a stretch of what will be four games in nine days across three different cities, hosting Little Rock Monday night at State Farm Center (8 p.m. CT/BTN). This is Illinois’ lone 1-day prep of the regular season, following Saturday afternoon’s 87-40 win over UMES.

-Illinois has won all four of its home games thus far by outscoring opponents by an average of 34 points. Overall, the Illini carry a nine-game non-conference home winning streak.

-Brad Underwood is one victory away from tying J. Craig Ruby (1923-36) for fifth place on the Illinois all-time coaching wins list. Calling Monday’s game for Big Ten Network is Bruce Weber, who ranks third on that list with 210 wins during his nine seasons in Champaign (2004-12).

-Up next, Illinois will head to Kansas City to face No. 20 Arkansas in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase. It will air nationally on CBS at 3 p.m., after the Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions NFL game.

-Newcomers to the Illini roster have accounted for 90.7% of the team’s scoring so far (401 of 442 total points), with UI freshmen accounting for 37.3% of those points (165). Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks among the top teams nationally in: 3-pointers per game (9th in NCAA, 11.6), 3-point attempts per game (1st, 35.0), total rebounds per game (2nd, 49.0), offensive rebounds per game (18th, 15.0) defensive rebounds per game (3rd, 34.0), and rebound margin (7th, +14.8).

-Monday’s contest is the fourth meeting in the series between Illinois and Little Rock. • The Fighting Illini are 3-0 all-time vs. Little Rock, with all three victories coming at State Farm Center. • Head coach Lou Henson’s No. 7-ranked Flyin’ Illini defeated Little Rock 107-88 in the first matchup in the series, Dec. 10, 1988. Henson and the Illini beat the Trojans again, 83-72, on Dec. 15, 1990. In the most recent meeting in the series, head coach Bruce Weber led the No. 11 Illini to a 75-49 win on Dec. 5, 2005. Last season, the Illini opened up their run to the Elite Eight with a victory over OVC champion Morehead State, who beat Little Rock to get their bid.

A Little About Little Rock…

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]

looks at the game-winning touchdown pass from Luke Altmyer to Pat Bryant from the perspective of the confusing Rutgers defensive philosophy on this 4th-and-13 play.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 24, 2024

The prevent defense was given that particular name because yes, it does prevent something from happening and that thing almost always is a deep throw normally down the middle of the field. 

Here’s the problem: IlliniGuys.com, much like we expect many Illini fans, have watched the 40-yard game-winning touchdown from Luke Altmyer to Pat Bryant numerous time since Saturday afternoon and it’s simply always going to be unclear what the Rutgers defense is trying to prevent here. 

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

November 24, 2024

There have been some laughers at the State Farm Center, but few reached the level of the domination of Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday afternoon as the Illini cruised to an 87-40. As Brad Underwood noted post game, the most exciting play of the game was the video board highlight of the Pat Bryant run to the endzone against Rutgers. Nevertheless, the Illini took care of business and continue on their collision course with Arkansas on Thursday.

These 3 Things:

Improving Defense -