Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Kingston Shaw: What Separates Illinois from the Rest
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
January 1, 2025
(Cover photo courtesy player's Instagram page)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Early Wednesday morning marked a great start to 2025 for Illinois football fans as the team landed an unexpected commitment from three-star recruit Kingston Shaw from Apopka, Florida.
Citrus Bowl 2nd-Day Feature: Aaron Henry’s Illini Defensive Bowl Scheme Slows Down Another SEC Offense
Illinois defensive players have seen and heard what has been said and written about their defensive coordinator over two years. They now hope this 2024 Citrus Bowl flips criticism into belief.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
January 1, 2025
(Cover photo courtesy Matt Stevens/IlliniGuys)
ORLANDO, Fla. — Following what is arguably the most disciplined and physically dominant defensive performances in the last two seasons, Aaron Henry’s players weren’t done proving a point.
The leadership amongst the near two dozen Illinois defensive players who played snaps during the 21-17 win over South Carolina in the 2024 Citrus Bowl were intent on sending a post-game message as well.
Illini Men's Basketball - Year In Review
January 1, 2025
It was one of the most thrilling - and intriguing - calendar years ever in Illini basketball history. The deepest NCAA tournament run in nearly two decades, but a legal battle that cast a dark cloud over most of the season and the emergence of the best one-year player that the Illini have ever seen.
Here's a look back:
CITRUS BOWL 2nd-DAY FEATURE: Bielema Brings Back Illini ‘Barge’ Package in Physical Citrus Bowl Victory
Illinois tailback Josh McCray, who was part of the tailback duo involved in the birth of ‘Barge’ package three years ago at Penn State was named the Citrus Bowl MVP running behind the massive set.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
January 1, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla. — Illinois used its 2024 Citrus Bowl win to prove the Bret Bielema old-school classic run scheme will never go out of style.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup: Today Marks the Start of 2025, but Illinois Wins Recruiting Battle for 2026’s Kingston Shaw
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
January 1, 2025
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The state of Florida continues to be a valuable pipeline for the Illinois football program. On Tuesday in Orlando, the Illini secured a 21-17 Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina.
The momentum carried into the new year as Illinois landed a significant recruit this morning. Kingston Shaw, a three-star edge rusher from Apopka, Florida, announced his commitment to the Illini. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound athlete chose Illinois over offers from Mississippi State, Arkansas, Marshall, Toledo, and Buffalo.
FEATURE: Illini’s Bielema’s & South Carolina’s Beamer Create Memorable Citrus Bowl Feud
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema accuses South Carolina of doing an immoral and unsafe trick play while Gamecocks head coach calls Bielema’s gesture ‘bush league’.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
January 1, 2025
ORLANDO, Fla. — Don’t try to tell the two head coaches in the 2024 Citrus Bowl that the results in a non-College Football Playoff game simply don’t matter.
Both Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer turned their competitive edge up to another level on New Year’s Eve in a situation that boiled over with just over one minute left in the third quarter.
Here’s a New Year’s Resolution - No More Illini Football Disrespect
Following the program’s first 10-win season since 2001 and first New Year’s Day/Eve bowl win since 1994, maybe we all forget the past in order to recognize the respect Illinois football has earned.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
December 31, 2024
ORLANDO, Fla. — Maybe Shane Beamer was trying to deflect from his program’s momentum-crushing bowl loss, maybe he truly believes it but in reality, the reasoning doesn’t matter.
#20 Illini Overpower 15th Ranked Gamecocks in Emotion-Filled Citrus Bowl, 21-17
By IlliniGuys Staff December 31, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]
Short-Handed Illini Fall To Visiting Washington, 84-75
By IlliniGuys Staff December 31, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]
Game Preview Feature: How Dennis Briggs Jr’s Farewell to College Football Will Be Hello To His Daughters
Illinois defensive end Dennis Briggs Jr. will end his 62-game college football career at the 2024 Citrus Bowl near the community where he grew up and in front of his two daughters.
2024 Citrus Bowl: No. 15 South Carolina vs. No. 20 Illinois
Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2024: 2 p.m. CST, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
Surface: Field Turf
Capacity: 60,219
Records: South Carolina 9-3; Illinois 9-3
Betting Line: South Carolina by 9
Series notes: First matchup between the two schools. The Citrus Bowl will be Illinois' second New Year's bowl game in the last three seasons, along with the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl following Illinois' 8-4 regular season in 2022. The last time Illinois played in two New Year's bowls in a three-year span was 1990-91, when the program played in the 1990 Citrus Bowl and the 1991 Hall of Fame Bowl (now the ReliaQuest Bowl).
TV: ABC; Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Quint Kessenich (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, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
December 31, 2024
ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2024 Citrus Bowl game is the rare opportunity to be a first along with a last for Dennis Briggs Jr.
When kickoff occurs today, the 24-year-old defensive end will get the opportunity to play his final game in his hometown as No. 20 Illinois (9-3) participates in the Citrus Bowl for the second time in program history. At the same time, Briggs Jr. is relishing the opportunity that after moving over 1,000 miles from his home state of Florida in a transfer to the Illini program that his oldest daughter will get to see her father play live in a football game for the first time in over three years.
IlliniGuys Predictions - Illinois vs South Carolina - 2024 Citrus Bowl
December 31, 2024 The Illini are looking to close […]
Bielema & Illini DL Coach Terrance Jamison Detail Raid of Badgers DL & OLBs in Transfer Portal
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema went to his old employer to instantly make his program’s defensive line unit one of the deepest rooms since he took over the program in Champaign.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
ORLANDO, Fla. — Bret Bielema knows he can’t shy away from the fact that he went to his old stomping grounds for success in the transfer portal this month but would like people also know all three defensive linemen from Wisconsin program are uniquely different stories.
Illinois added highly acclaimed defensive James Thompson, 290-pound inside nose tackle Curtis Neal and outside linebacker/pass rusher Leon Lowery Jr. from Luke Fickell’s operation in Madison, Wisconsin.
How A Second Bye Week Helped Illini Find Key to Unlocking Run Game Success in 2024
Illinois finished the 2024 season in the November games tied for fourth in the 18-team Big Ten Conference in rushing offense and hope what they found translates into the Citrus Bowl.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
December 30, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
ORLANDO, Fla. — It took multiple months for Illinois to properly showcase the first key to victory in a football game in the mind of its head coach - run the football.
Through the months of September and early October as Illinois continued to build a 6-1 start, Bret Bielema’s offense in 2024 didn’t resemble his teams of the past in terms of being able to physically dominate the line-of-scrimmage and eat game clock with the run concepts that have seen him build consistent winning teams in his previous 15 years as a head coach.
Sturdy's Rewind: Illini End 2024 With A "Bam"
By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular
December 30, 2024
The Illini ended 2024 with a ‘Bam’, as in Kylan ‘Bam Bam’ Boswell throwing up a triple double as Illinois rolled to a dominant 117-64 win over Chicago State to move to 9-3 before they head into a gauntlet of Big Ten play beginning on Thursday at #9 Oregon.
Here’s a look back and where they stand:
*Illinois’ 117 points were its most since Nov. 25, 2020 (122 vs. North Carolina A&T) and the second-highest point total of the Underwood era. They Scored a season-high 60 points in the first half.
Illini OLB Seth Coleman’s Status For Citrus Bowl Remains Questionable
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms Coleman, who suffered a severe shoulder injury at the end of the win at Rutgers in November, practiced Saturday but was inactive on Sunday.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst
December 30, 2024
ORLANDO, Fla. — The health status of Seth Coleman for this Citrus Bowl matchup remains a bit of a mystery.
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