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

November 1, 2024

Each year I like to look at the Big Ten and make a preseason prediction and determine the ‘best’ teams. This used to be directly correlated to the standings, but with the unbalanced schedules and 18 team conference, it seems like that is nearly impossible to predict. This year, we are going to break them into tiers and look at which teams appear to be the best on paper.

Perhaps the craziest part about this conference is the depth. They will have what looks like 18 top 100 teams on KenPom. The SEC has more top end teams, as does the Big 12 and Big East, but nobody in the Big Ten gets to play DePaul, Vanderbilt or Cal.

Today we look at the teams at the top of the Big Ten in 2024-25:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 31, 2024

Champaign, Ill.— It's the news that Illinois basketball has been waiting months to hear:

Tomislav Ivisic is cleared to play!

The 7-foot-1 center from Croatia made the announcement via social media Thursday evening. Ivisic expressed his confidence in a previous statement, saying, “I’m very confident I will get to play. Illinois did everything right. I just want to be with my guys when the season starts.” Now that opportunity has been granted.

Unlike Tomislav, his twin brother Zvonimir faced significant delays in his eligibility process while at Kentucky last season. Zvonimir was only cleared to play in mid-January, missing a large portion of the season. Aware of potential challenges, Illinois began Ivisic’s eligibility process in early May, a proactive approach that ultimately paid off.

Tomislav Ivisic, the Illinois center signee from Croatia, has […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 31, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema didn’t have any answers on Pat Bryant along with all of the other injured Illini players who left the Oregon game and didn’t return this past weekend.

In his final local media availability before kickoff against Minnesota (11 a.m. CST, FS1), Bielema claimed that the team's medical and coaching staff would make final decisions in the 48 hours before the game.

“As far as injury-wise, I don’t know where it’s going to land on Saturday and we’ll make some final decisions but obviously some key guys were injured in the Oregon game and they are very limited on their comeback,” Bielema said Thursday afternoon inside the Smith Family Football Complex said. “On Saturday, we’ll make that decision known when it happens.”

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

October 31, 2024

No one who reads Illini Guys is happy with the result from Saturday. Illinois got out gained almost 2 to 1, and Oregon called off the dogs before things got really out of hand.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert

October 30, 2024

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at how the Oregon drubbing effects recruiting and how Bret Bielema has gone from opposed to flips to a potential flip master.

From Illinois Sports Information Office: CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head Coach Janet […]

Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry said Monday he was more frustrated by the lack of execution after an Oregon catch by his defensive players than disappointed by the call itself.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 30, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On Saturday at No. 1 Oregon, the Illinois defense and specifically defensive play-caller Aaron Henry had a choice to make.

The choice was between dropping seven or eight in coverage and putting the Illini second level and secondary in positions to make open-field tackles or playing man coverage and blitzing with multiple players to get negative plays, possibly a turnover or at the very least create a quick decision by Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabirel.

Henry and the Illini defensive players elected to drop into coverage and force the Ducks veteran quarterback to make decisions from the pocket but limit deep throws and try to play a coverage where Oregon’s speed could get negated by effective tackling  - something Illinois did well against Kansas, Nebraska and Michigan.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 30, 2024

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer (9) operates out of the shotgun formation in Saturday's game at top ranked Oregon. (Courtesy Illinois Athletics)

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The litmus test to the difference of Luke Altmyer from last season to this 2024 campaign can likely be judged in the idea of being able to get a full night’s sleep following the blowout loss Saturday to No. 1 Oregon.

In his first season, Altmyer used to wake up in a cold sweat early in the morning like he was in the middle of a nightmare, stressed out and worrying about his performance on the football field the previous day.

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

October 30, 2024

Illinois got the first of what figures to be several flips from other programs as a result of their on-field success when Logan Farrell changed his commitment from North Carolina to Illinois this week.

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

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini fell to Ole Miss on Sunday in a charity exhibition 92-74 as the Rebels changed their name to ‘Can’t Miss’ and made it rain from 3 point range. The Rebels also stifled the Illini early on with their physical defense and getting ito passing lanes and making it difficult for them. 

Here are our takeaways from this one. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert

October 29, 2024

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll take a look at the latest, and most surprising, commitment.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema believes second-year starting quarterback Luke Altmyer and offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. weren’t on the same communication level on Saturday at Oregon.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Sunday represented a therapy day set up by Illinois head coach Bret Bielema for offensive play-caller Barry Lunney Jr. and quarterback Luke Altmyer to voice things out.

The Illini fourth-year head coach suggested Monday, less than 48 hours after a 38-9 loss at No. 1 Oregon in the previous weekend, whatever the second-year starting quarterback Altmyer was trying to say Saturday wasn’t being heard or interpreted correctly by the Illinois coaches.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

October 28, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the players and coaches arrived at the Illinois team facility Sunday morning, Pat Bryant wanted to guarantee his head coach that he’d be available for the following game against Minnesota.

Upon seeing and hearing that face-to-face interaction, Illinois fourth-year head coach Bret Bielema reminded Bryant he’s not qualified to make that kind of promise.

“He literally told me (Sunday) there’s not a chance he’s not playing in this game,” Bielema said in his Monday media conference inside Memorial Stadium. “I said to him that unless you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night and got a doctorate degree that I’m not aware of, you don’t get to make that call.”

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 25, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and wide receivers coach Justin Stepp secured their commitment from three-star recruit Brayden Trimble of Mt. Zion, Illinois. Trimble committed to Illinois in early May and stands firm on it.