The Fighting Illini Football team is now starting to compete. It's not a thing of beauty, that's for sure. But teams no longer view Illinois as the team they want to schedule for Homecoming. With two big wins on the road in recent weeks - at then number seven Penn State and recently 20th ranked Minnesota, teams are taking notice.
But you're only as good as your roster. Illinois coaches have spent their off-weeks on the road recruiting, well aware that they will be losing more than 20 seniors this year and you can expect a few others to leave the program to seek playing opportunities elsewhere. Filling those voids will be necessary to the program moving forward. Unlike years past, college sports teams no longer have to worry about junior college players or playing freshman too early. The NCAA Transfer Portal could be one of the best weapons to keep the Illini train moving forward.