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By IlliniGuys Staff January 11, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Fmr. Loyola Academy three-star prospect Connor Sullivan is returning home after accepting an offer out of the transfer portal with

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 11, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema repeatedly has said publicly that he and his player personnel staff keep files on several Illinois native players who decided to start their collegiate careers out of the state.

Bielema’s stated purpose of these long-term files is to keep tabs on players who might one day decide to leave their first university for an opportunity to return their home state via the transfer portal. Welcome to the story of Connor Sullivan.

Sullivan, a 6-foot-4 and 270-pound defensive lineman with four years of eligibility, was a three-star prospect at the dominant Loyola Academy football program in Wilmette, Illinois where he registered 54 total tackles with 12 tackles for loss and five sacks in his junior season of 2023. Sullivan suffered a season-ending injury preventing him from participating in the 2024 season and before he was able to sign to play at Washington State.

A 29-11 start inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena leads No. 16 Illinois to its fifth straight victory and a 3-0 in road league games as they down No. 19 Iowa 75-69 on Sunday afternoon.

By Matt Stevens - llliniGuys Staff Writer

January 11, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

An incredibly fast start by its perimeter leadership led to Illinois picking up its third straight conference road win and a Top 20 victory.

The No. 16 Illini quieted the Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd right off the opening tip to see a 29-11 run over the first 12 and a half minutes of play resulting in a 75-69 win over No. 19 Iowa. Illinois (13-3, 4-1 in Big Ten Conference) has now started 3-0 on the road in league play for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

The 29-11 run, which saw Illinois open the game 10 of 19 from the field, was paced by 13 early points from Andrej Stojakovic as the veteran transfer guard finished the afternoon with 17 points and five rebounds by attacking the rim in his first ever trip to Iowa City.

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

January 11, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini are headed to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in a matchup of ranked teams from Carver Hawkeye. This isn't your old school Iowa under Fran McCaffrey who wanted to outscore you, this team has a better defense than offense and relies on a slow-paced style while grinding you possession after possession. More Bo Ryan style then Fran McCaffrey under new coach Ben McCollum.

Here's a look at the particulars...

Setting the Stage
#16 Illinois (12-3, 3-1 B1G) at #19 Iowa (12-2, 2-2 B1G)
Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026 // 11 a.m. CT // Iowa City, Iowa // Carver-Hawkeye Arena
TV: FOX – Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play) & Steve Smith (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Doug Altenberger

Notable
* Illinois is 4-2 away from home this season, including 2-0 in road games. Illinois is aiming to start 3-0 on the road in Big Ten play for the first time since the 2021-22 season.

*Andrej Stojakovic is 28 points away (972) from joining Kylan Boswell (1,156) in the 1,000-career point club.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 10, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Brian O'Mahoney/News-Sun)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema has steadily elevated the Illini’s perception both on the recruiting trail and on the field.

That progress has translated into the ability to attract high-profile prospects, particularly at the skill positions, as Illinois continues to modernize its offensive identity.

One position that remains a clear point of emphasis is tight end. Illinois has evaluated and pursued several in-state and nationally ranked tight ends, but the results have not yet matched the staff’s ambitions. Bielema and tight ends coach Robby Discher have stayed aggressive, continuing to search for a difference-maker who can anchor the position long term.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 9, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Colorado State Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois linebackers coach Archie McDaniel has gone to a proven place where he’s found talent in his position group.

Robert Edmonson Jr., who has spent the last three seasons at Prairie View A&M and Colorado State, has agreed to bring his veteran experience to the Illinois middle linebacker group for the 2026 season. However, before he’s started his college football journey in the Southwest Athletic Conference, Edmonson Jr. was all-state selection out of Shadow Creek High School in Pearland, Texas. The Pearland area is just 21 miles south of Houston where McDaniel spent the previous three seasons with the Cougars program before Bielema hired him away to the Illini staff before the 2024 season.

Under McDaniel's guidance, senior linebacker Donavan Mutin led Houston with 85 tackles during the 2022 season. The Spring, Texas, native capped his career with 252 tackles. Mutin's 245 tackles from 2019 to 2022 ranked seventh among all American Athletic Conference linebackers.

Linebackers Mannie Nunnery and Jamal Morris also turned in strong sophomore campaigns in 2022. Nunnery's 74.2 overall defensive grade by Pro Football Focus ranked second among American Athletic Conference underclassmen linebackers. He also paced the league's underclassmen with a 78.2 coverage grade. Morris was key for the Cougars down the stretch, totaling 10 tackles against SMU on Nov. 5 and eight tackles in Houston's Independence Bowl victory against Louisiana.

Illinois signs former Georgia State and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College cornerback Damaryion ‘Deuce’ Fillmore for his final year of eligibility in 2026.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 9, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has found a veteran cornerback in the transfer portal to provide depth in their defensive secondary in form of Damaryion Fillmore.

Fillmore, who goes by ‘Deuce’ and is listed 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, started in all 12 games this past season for Georgia State where he recorded 39 tackles and three pass breakups. Fillmore arrived at Georgia State after playing two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, which has a relationship with Illini coaches after signing former Illini offensive lineman Zy Crisler - who started 36 games for Illinois from 2022-24.

Fillmore joins East Texas A&M cornerback Lavon Williams as defensive backs that Illinois has signed out of the transfer portal in this offseason window from Jan. 2 to Jan. 16. Fillmore is expected to compete for the starting cornerback spot opposite of Jaheim Clarke and/or the nickel spot with returning defensive back Tanner Heckel and junior college signee Jakwon Morris.

Fillmore had 37 tackles and three interceptions in 10 games played at Gulf Coast Community College, which is what got him several FBS offers from Sun Belt Conference, Conference USA and Mid-American Conference schools.

Fillmore’s film at Georgia State in the 2025 season had to

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

January 9, 2026

Now that we're getting some clarity on who's coming and going in the portal, It finally seems safe to start writing about the newcomers. The first player to commit to Illinois from the portal this year is a guy who I really like. The staff made Lavon Williams of East Texas A&M a priority and he was on campus as soon as the starting gun for portal season went off. Williams came to East Texas A&M as a corner/safety and though he had virtually no interest coming out of high school, he's turned himself into a player that several P4 teams wanted out of the portal. In fact, East Texas A&M wasn't even in Division I when Williams committed, so you could argue that Williams is jumping two levels during his college career.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 9, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema and his staff have been aggressive in this year’s portal, which officially opened Jan. 2 and will close next Friday and roughly 3,000 players nationwide are searching for a new destination for the 2026 season.

Teams participating in the College Football Playoff national championship game will receive an extension from Jan. 20th through Jan. 24.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 8, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Former Florida International wide receiver Alex Perry is likely expected to find a regular role in the Illini’s three-WR offense in 2026 with expected returnees Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 8, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois coaching and personnel staff is hopeful they’ve found another highly productive wide receiver from a non-power conference program.

Alex Perry has verbally agreed to play his fifth and final season of college football at Illinois as a graduate transfer. Perry, a first-team All-Conference USA selection, will be expected to find an immediate role this spring with projected returning starters Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement. Perry led FIU in receptions (56), yards (840) and touchdowns (nine) in Willie Simmons’ first season with the Golden Panthers program that became bowl eligible for the first time since 2019. 

Perry, a 6-foot-5 and 210-pound target, scored touchdowns in five consecutive weeks to end the regular season and the Port Charlotte, Fla., native led Conference USA in receiving yards (706) and receiving touchdowns (8) in conference play. His nine receiving touchdowns in the 2025 season are tied second-most in a season in FIU program history. In an offense that ranked just 87th amongst 136 Football Bowl Subdivision program, Perry had 14 receptions of 20 yards or more in the 2025 season. 

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

January 8, 2026

The Illini are back at home in the friendly confines of the State Farm Center to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in their 2nd Big Ten home game of the season. The Illini are a 21.5 point favorite over the struggling Scarlet Knights, who have never won in Champaign.

Setting the Stage
#16 Illinois (11-3, 2-1 B1G) vs. Rutgers (8-7, 1-3 B1G)
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play) & Shon Morris (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Doug Altenberger

Notable
No. 16 Illinois carries a three-game win streak into a Thursday night Big Ten matchup vs. Rutgers at State Farm Center. Tipoff between the Fighting Illini and the Scarlet Knights is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

*Rutgers is Illinois' lone home game in an 18-day period spanning the new year. The Illini captured a 90-55 home win vs. Southern on Dec. 29, then defeated Penn State, 73-65, at The Palestra in Philadelphia in their last outing on Saturday. Following this week's home tilt vs. the Scarlet Knights, the Illini will play back-to-back Big Ten road games − at #19 Iowa on Sunday and at Northwestern on Jan. 14 − before returning to State Farm Center Jan. 17 vs. Minnesota.

25-year-old edge rusher/linebacker William Holmes has agreed to transfer to Illinois after producing 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks at Utah State in 2025.

By Matt Stevens - Football Writer/Analyst

January 8, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The mantra of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema to get old and stay old with your player roster has now been taken to a new level inside the Smith Family Football Complex in Champaign after the acquisition of William Holmes.

Holmes, who is a 25-year-old finishing just his second year of organized football, has signed a contract to play linebacker at Illinois for the 2026 season after completing two years at Utah State. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound athlete produced 45 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in his first season playing for Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall in a 2025 campaign that ended with the Aggies winning six regular season games and qualifying for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Ohio State guard and 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jaloni Cambridge drops a career-high 41 points to help No. 19 Buckeyes leave Champaign-Urbana with a win.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 8, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Shauna Green looked down the printed box score satisfied her team won so many statistical categories and then, she got to Jaloni Cambridge’s stat line.

That’s when all the color seemed to drain from the face from the fourth-year Illinois head coach’s face.

In a 78-69 home loss, the first home loss of the 2025-26 season for the Illini, to the No. 19 team in the country, it was one player’s offense that essentially covered up everything else Illinois (13-3, 3-2 in Big Ten Conference) did well on Wednesday.

No matter the statistic and you name it - because Green did - points in the paint, offensive rebounds, second chance points and bench points and Illinois won them. Cambridge made sure her 39-minute effort made all of those statistical wins by the Illini basically irrelevant.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 7, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy FIBA)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois men’s basketball program will host scoring wing Boyuan Zhang for an official visit when the Illini take on Rutgers at 7:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network Thursday night, IlliniGuys has learned.

Zhang is a 6-foot-7 left-handed wing from Garden Grove, California, and Veritas Prep high school. Illinois associate head coach Orlando Antigua is serving as the lead recruiter. Illinois is looking to add additional scoring on the wing for next season, and Zhang fits that need.

IlliniGuys caught up with Zhang