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For the first time in program history, Illinois found a victory over Maryland inside Gies Memorial Stadium for its seventh victory of the 2025 season. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A methodical offensive approach and a solid defensive effort allowed Illinois to cruise past Maryland 24-6 on Saturday for the first time in school inside Gies Memorial Stadium. 

By Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

November 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois hosts Maryland on Saturday for a Big Ten matchup at Memorial Stadium, kicking off at 2:30 p.m. CT on FS1 as part of the program’s Military Appreciation Game.

The Illini will welcome a number of visitors for the weekend, including 6-foot-5, 220-pound tight end Sam Dostal of Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska. Dostal, a class of 2027 prospect, continues to draw attention as he works back from an early-career setback.

Dostal confirmed he suffered an ACL injury.

November 15, 2025 The Illini face Maryland at home […]

In its 35-20 loss to Rutgers last weekend, Maryland had 12 of 22 starters listed as a redshirt sophomore or younger.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 15, 2025

MARYLAND at ILLINOIS

Records: Maryland 4-5, 1-5 in Big Ten; Illinois 6-3, 3-3 in Big Ten

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025: 2:30 p.m. CST, Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Ill.

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 60,670

ODDS: Illinois by 15.5

Series notes: Maryland leads the all-time series 2-1 including a 20-17 win in their lone game playing in Champaign during the 2021 season. In the first matchup between these teams on Oct. 27, 2018, Maryland scored 63 points against the Illini. That stands as their most points scored in any conference game over the last 45 seasons. In the last matchup between the two schools in College Park, Maryland, Luke Altmyer led a fourth-quarter comeback as Caleb Griffin kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired for the 27-24 win.

TV: FS1; Noah Reed (play-by-play), Robert Smith (color analyst)

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 162/196, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It’s always been right around this point in a season where the first-year players, redshirt freshmen and inexperience in a starting lineup stop becoming a focal point any longer.

Welcome to where Maryland sits in its 2025 season where last week 12 of its 22 starters had less than two seasons worth of starting experience but had been a high contributor in each of its previous eight games. This is when freshmen stop being labeled as such and Maryland head coach Mike Locksley, who brought this Top 20 recruiting class to his native state, knows these younger players must become relied upon for a big win that has yet to reveal itself in 2025.

Illinois connects on just 34 percent of its field […]

By IlliniGuys Staff November 14, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Co-Founder & Co-Host/Executive Producer, […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 14, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In modern-day football, head coaches are beginning to run out of things they can refine. Across the board, players are getting faster and taller. Arms are growing stronger. In the past few decades, special teams coaches have gone to the land down under to find punters who can send spin-filled punts that could make a reliever jealous. On the kicking front? Big legs.

Just earlier this month, Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little set the record for the longest field goal in NFL history with a 68-yard try. In its search for a big leg, Bret Bielema and his staff brought one to campus a couple of weeks ago for a visit. Kofi Adubufuor, playing for Lakota West High School in Ohio, has been plying his trade as a kicker, and he says he’s got a big leg himself. He’s former high school teammates with current Illini freshman linebacker Grant Beerman and 2026 Illinois commit Cam Thomas, and was on campus for Illinois’ 35-13 win over Rutgers earlier this month and spoke with IlliniGuys.

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

November 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

After a huge win over Texas Tech and before their huge game in Chicago against Alabama, the Illini have their ‘trap game’ against Colgate on Friday night at 8PM from the State Farm Center.

Here’s a preview of what to expect.

Setting the Stage
#14 Illinois (3-0) vs. Colgate (1-2)
Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 // 8 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
Stream: B1G+ – Tony Fanara (Play-by-Play), Andrew Burkey (Analyst), & Ella Peterson
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable
*Illinois carries a five-game home winning streak into the contest. Under head coach Brad Underwood, the Illini have won 32 consecutive nonconference home games against unranked opponents.

*Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the nation in rebound margin (+22.3 rpg).

*Friday’s game vs. Colgate leads into a 17-day stretch in which the Illini will face three premier matchups vs. top 25-ranked nonconference opponent on neutral floors: Nov. 19 vs. #8 Alabama (United Center, Chicago), Nov. 28 vs. #2 UConn (Madison Square Garden, New York), and Dec. 6 vs. #20 Tennessee (Bridgestone Arena, Nashville). During that span, the Illini will also play two home games in three days at State Farm Center, Nov. 22 vs. Long Island and Nov. 24 vs. UT Rio Grande Valley.

*Illinois assistant coach and defensive coordinator Camryn Crocker will matchup against his former program, having joined Brand Underwood’s Illini staff from Colgate after working the three previous seasons under Raiders’ coach Matt Langel.

*Mihailo Petrovic is expected to see action for the first time in an Illini uniform, while Tomislav Ivisic remains out.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema believes having four of his former quarterbacks still on current National Football League active rosters can only enhance a possible transfer portal pitch at that spot.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bret Bielema has made the pitch to potential quarterbacks entering the transfer portal less than a month from now - the Illinois head coach can get you to the National Football League.

As he realizes he’ll only have Luke Altmyer behind center for Illinois for three more regular season games, Bielema began to use the bye week preparation to see that his recruiting strategy will include a host of quarterbacks playing the highest level of professional football.

From Russell Wilson in his final seasons at Wisconsin still being on the New York Giants active roster, Brandon Allen in his first season at Arkansas still being a backup quarterback with the Tennessee Titans or Tommy DeVito being the third-string option with the New England Patriots, Bielema feels adding Altmyer to his list of professional quarterbacks only adds to a potential transfer portal selling point.

For the sixth straight season and the 15th time […]

By Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

November 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Landon Davis made it official Wednesday, signing his Big Ten scholarship agreement with Illinois. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound power forward from Waukee Northwest High School in Iowa sealed his commitment with a mix of relief and excitement as he looks ahead to his future in Champaign.

Davis, who averaged 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 2.9 assists as a junior, also stood out on the AAU circuit with Iowa United. In the Adidas 3SSB, he added 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 61 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 12, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Of the recruits visiting Champaign last week for the team’s 35-13 win over Rutgers, there was one player who Bret Bielema and his staff might be looking to flip over to Champaign in the coming months. While Lance Dawson is already committed to suit up for Cincinnati next fall, he’s keeping his options open, something made possible in this new era of recruiting.

“It’s been nice this weekend for an OV, it’s been very nice. The staff’s very into me, the players are very into me, they’re not like, mean and they know how it is,” Dawson said, of course alluding to the fact that

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

November 12, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini took a big second half shot in the mouth fromTexas Tech, but bounced back and survived for an 81-77 win over the 11th ranked Red Raiders at the State Farm Center. The 14th ranked Illini led by 13 at the break, 45-32, but saw Tech make their first 11 shots of the second half and take the lead.

But Illinois would get a huge 23-point performance from Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic, as he repeatedly sliced and diced the Texas Tech defense to off set a massive 35-point performance from All American Center JT Toppin to get the win and a 3-0 start.

Here’s a look back.

These 3 or 4 Things

Stojakovic Shines 

With so many roles and player options on this Illinois roster, Andrej Stojakovic may have identified himself as the Illini’s closer in 2025-26 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 12, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Despite always promoting positionless players in the Brad Underwood era, Illinois has always valued one position of importance on a basketball roster - closer.

In a program that has already identified late-game, go-to options such as Ayo Dosunmu, Terrance Shannon Jr. and even last year with veteran Kylan Boswell and the one-and-done freshmen of Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley, Andrej Stojakovic has now made an early-season argument for that to be his role in the 2025-26 season.