Featured

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular November 3, 2025 The […]

Ked’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Top 25

November 2, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Dylan Ballard/A Sea of Blue)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -  Having watched most of these teams play in the non-conference games, this is how I would rank the current Top 25 in men’s college basketball.

1.UConn
2. Kentucky
3. Michigan
4. Houston
5. St. John’s
6. Duke
7. BYU
8.Texas Tech
9. Florida
10. Arizona

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 2, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With high school playoff games taking place around Illinois, the convoy of visiting recruits before Illinois’ 35-13 win over Rutgers was smaller than the past few, but the week’s group appeared to be the staff’s attempt at filling gaps and prioritizing some in-state targets.

Among the group was class of 2027 linebacker Sean Rice, hailing from Aurora, Illinois and playing for St. Laurence High School. He recapped his visit, which was his third with a Power Four program this fall.

Following a 17-point loss at Washington, Illinois pulled together its most balanced performance in all three phases of offense, defense and special teams.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.

Run Offense
Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. promised that he would be intent on getting the quarterback involved in the run game and therefore, making all 11 offensive players dynamic when the Illini go to the ground. The fourth-year offensive play-caller at Illinois certainly kept his promise today. Unlike a lot of what was done last weekend in Seattle, a majority (if not all) of Luke Altmyer’s 88 yards on seven carries where on scrambles and not designed runs.

Following 35-13 victory over Rutgers Saturday, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema got to execute a post-game move he may enjoy more than any other - the ‘I told you so’.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Matt Stevens/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Short of hearing his daughter’s laugh or seeing his wife’s proud smile, the one thing Bret Bielema may love more than anything else is what he did in the post-game media conference on Saturday afternoon.

The winning head football coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign got to strut up to the ‘block I logo’ podium inside Gies Memorial Stadium and say the two things he treasures more than anything else.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 1, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

The last two-game losing streak for Illinois came on a frustrating home loss to Minnesota following a cross-country trip for a road loss at then-No. 1 Oregon in 2024. 

RUTGERS at ILLINOIS

Records: Rutgers 4-4, 1-4 in Big Ten Conference; Illinois 5-3, 2-3 in Big Ten Conference

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025: 11 a.m. CST, Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Ill.

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 60,670

Series notes: Illinois leads the all-time series 6-3 but the two teams are tied over four games in Champaign with Rutgers winning the last matchup in Illinois during 2021, which was Bret Bielema’s first season with the Illini. The last meeting was a 38-31 victory last season for the Illini in Piscataway, N.J. where the final play of the game was a walk-off touchdown pass from Luke Altmyer to Pat Bryant. 

TV: NBC; Paul Burmeister (play-by-play); Jason Garrett (color analyst) and Zora Stephenson (sideline reporter)

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), Michael Martin (sideline), and Steve Kelly (pre/half/post).  The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, SiriusXM 85, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 1, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The feeling Bret Bielema had after his team’s 17-point loss in Seattle was one he was very much familiar with. 

Following Illinois’ 42-25 loss at Washington, the Illini head coach’s mind instantly went to the program’s last two-game losing streak where they came off a long Pacific Northwest trip to then-No. 1 Oregon only to fall 25-17 in Champaign-Urbana to Minnesota the following the weekend. 

In that frustrating and confusing eight-point loss as a home favorite, Bielema

November 1, 2025 The Illini face Rutgers at home […]

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

October 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illinois women played their final exhibition on Thursday night against Division III Maryville. This is a Saints team that can really shoot it from deep and are coming off an upset of Missouri earlier this week. But Illinois rolled to a 79-60 win behind 22 points and 13 rebounds from freshman Cearah Parchment as they outclassed the Saints with their size and quickness. Gretchen Dolan added 17 points and Berry Wallace had 11.

Illinois now prepares to host SEMO in their regular season opener on Tuesday at the State Farm Center. Here’s a look at what we learned.

The Freshmen are the Real Deal -

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Eleven Warriors)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — IlliniGuys has learned that the Illinois men’s basketball team is pursuing a commitment from Marcus Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound point guard from Garfield Heights (Ohio) in the class of 2026.

This recruitment has generated plenty of buzz. Johnson, who originally committed to Ohio State, reopened his recruitment earlier this week, sources told IlliniGuys.

Right away, Illinois was among the first schools to reach out to Johnson, along with Cincinnati, Arkansas, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Louisville, USC, and South Carolina.

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. […]

By IlliniGuys Staff October 30, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) (Cover photo courtesy player's […]

Both Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and defensive coordinator Aaron Henry have acknowledged the struggle of reacting to the injury of All-Big Ten defensive back Xavier Scott.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 30, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Just because it’s been a month and a half since Xavier Scott was laying on the Memorial Stadium in pain doesn’t mean the coaches and players have effectively figured out an answer to replace the All-Big Ten defensive back.

In the fourth quarter of what was a 38-0 lead over Western Michigan, Scott’s pass deflection near the home sideline caused Scott, a Phil Steele All-America honorable mention selection, to awkwardly fall on his ankle and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List needed to be carried off the field by Illinois training staff personnel.

Bielema told local media days after the injury that Scott was getting multiple opinions on his ankle.

Illinois head coach Shauna Green confirmed Wednesday Iowa transfer guard Aaliyah Guyton will be inactive for the exhibition game on Thursday night against Division II Maryville.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 29, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois fans eager to see Aaliyah Guyton in an Illinois jersey will simply need to wait to a little longer.

Illini fourth-year head coach Shauna Green confirmed to local media Wednesday at State Farm Center that the transfer guard from University of Iowa via Peoria, Ill., will be inactive due to coaching staff being cautious with a recent undisclosed preseason injury to the 5-foot-7 guard.

Green said Wednesday she wasn’t concern with Guyton’s injury being a lingering problem but an exhibition game against Division II Maryville isn’t high enough of a priority to risk further damage to a player expected to be an instant contributor to a fully remade backcourt.

“She’ll be fine. She’ll be back,” Green said. “