Featured

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

January 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini found a way to grind out a win over a tough Minnesota Gophers squad on Saturday behind a big effort from Zvonimir Ivisic, who had 18 points and 9 rebounds off the bench. Keaton Wagler had 17 points and 5 assists, while David Mirkovic (12 points) and Tomislav Ivisic (10 points) scored all 22 of their points after the break to lead Illinois to a 77-67 win and move them solidly into the top tier of the Big Ten at 6-1 and 15-3 overall.

It wasn’t easy though. Minnesota led by as many as 6 points late in the first half before largely unused guard Mihailo Petrovic gave Illinois a spark that would let Illinois tie it at 38 at the half. From there, Illinois would lead by as many as 12 points and cruise to the win down the stretch.

Here’s a quick look back.

These 3 Things

Bench Win -

By IlliniGuys Staff January 18, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

A knee injury forced Illinois second-leading scorer Gretchen Dolan out of action earlier this week but Illini second-year head coach Shauna Green classified the injury as “day to day”.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 18, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Day to day.

These are the words Illinois head coach Shauna Green choose to use to describe the knee injury to her second-leading scorer. Gretchen Dolan is listed as out for today’s home contest against Northwestern (2 p.m., Big Ten Network-Plus) and this loss will certainly impact the playing rotation of the No. 25 Illini (14-4, 4-3 in Big Ten) in this contest against a struggling Wildcats team and future games as Illinois nears the midpoint of the league schedule.

“It’s her knee but we’ll see how it goes,” Green said after a loss to No. 8 Michigan on Thursday night. “Day to day.”

Former Memphis and Bowling Green defensive end Isaiah Thomison hopes being paired with Illinois defensive line coach Terrance Jamison sparks career-best collegiate season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 17, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois continues to find developmental defensive line pieces out of the transfer portal.

Isaiah Thomison, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound defensive end has high hopes that Illinois being his third program in the last three seasons will produce his career-best numbers for the 2026 season. Thomison has signed a deal to play next season on the Illinois roster after playing 10 games for Bowling Green last year. 247Sports.com was the first to report this signing on Saturday afternoon.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois Fighting Illini football team hosted a group of recruits from the 2027 class as part of its Junior Day. IlliniGuys spoke to a few of them, including quarterback commit Kamden Lopati, who has been committed to the program since July of last year.

Initially, the Illini beat out the likes of Oregon, Washington, Arizona State, and Purdue to secure a commitment from Lopati. In recent weeks, Lopati’s name has become a hot one for many schools, with Colorado, Stanford, UCF, and Stanford offering him. Most notably, Tennessee offered Lopati in the shadow of Illinois’ Music City Bowl showdown against the Volunteers.

Illinois used bench play and a stifling defensive effort […]

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

January 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

The Illini are coming off of a four-game road win streak, including wins at Iowa and Northwestern, and they are coming home to play Minnesota in an 11AM tip game. What could go wrong? As we know, much has gone wrong in these situations in the past. Minnesota presents a formidable challenge and the Illini will need to bring their ‘A’ game to get the win on Saturday.

Here's a look at the particulars...

Setting the Stage
#13 Illinois (14-3, 5-1 B1G) vs. Minnesota (10-7, 3-3 B1G)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 // 11 a.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Jack Kizer (Play-by-Play) & Jess Settles (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Notable
No. 13 Illinois, riding a season-best six-game win streak, hosts Minnesota on Saturday at State Farm Center. Illinois is in search of the program's first seven-game win streak since March 2024, a stretch that began with the regular-season finale at Iowa and included the 2024 Big Ten Tournament Championship and run to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

*At 14-3 overall, Illinois is off to its best start since 2012-13. A win over Minnesota would give the Illini its best 18-game record since also starting 15-3 in 2011-12.

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

January 16, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

The Fighting Illini are known for their international connections and bringing in the top players around the country, but they have focused on a strong 2027 class in the state of Illinois to add another big-time player into the fold in 2027 guard Mason Martin. 

Martin joins wing Quinton Kitt in what will be a foundational class for the Illini in 2027. Martin led all circuits in 3-point shooting on the move last summer and is known for his deep range and quick release.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 16, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Friday marks the final official day of the NCAA transfer portal window, and while needs remain that many would like to see addressed, Illinois football’s focus this weekend extends beyond portal movement.

The Illini are set to host a number of high school prospects as part of their Junior Day efforts, a crucial step as the program looks to strengthen its recruiting pipeline and build long-term relationships.

We were able to confirm a few players planning to be on campus this weekend. As more information becomes available, updates will be posted on the football message board.

Illinois defensive back Xavier Scott, who was a first-team All Big Ten selection in 2024, has elected to return to the Illini after suffering a devestating ankle injury three games into the 2025 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The sight of Xavier Scott’s season-ending injury just three games into the 2025 campaign will not be his memory in an Illinois uniform.

Scott has announced his decision to, for the second time in his Illini tenure, pass on the National Football League Draft in exchange of returning to Illinois for one more season - which will be his fifth year of college football.

The 2025 season seemed destined to be Scott’s final one in college football as he was returning to the Illini after being a 2024 All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection by the media and a 2024 Phil Steele All-America honorable mention honoree. However, a severe ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the third game of the 2025 season, a 38-0 victory over eventual Mid-American Conference champion Western Michigan, left open the possibility of Scott returning for another season.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 15, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

January 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Winning in the Big Ten is hard. Winning on the road is even harder. The Illini got the 79-68 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night, but it wasn't easy. Illinois trailed in the in the first half before a late first half run gave them control. Their lead would balloon to 15 points before a suspicious hook and hold call and a technical foul turned that 15-point lead into a five-point lead. But Illini wunderkind Keaton Wagler stepped up and scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half and Tomi Ivisic showed why he was expected to contend for All-Big Ten honors in preseason polls with 21 points and seven rebounds, including three huge three-pointers in the second half. Throw in another stellar performance on both ends from Kylan Boswell, and the Illini moved to 4-0 on the road in Big Ten play. This is the first 4-0 road start for Illinois since the 2004-05 season. Overall, the Illini now sit 5-1 in league play and 14-3 overall.

These 3 Things

Another Game, More Superlatives for Wagler

No. 25 Illinois at No. 8 Michigan Thurs., January […]

In just his second season at Illinois, veteran guard Kylan Boswell has figured out different ways to involve himself in Illinois road victories.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

EVANSTON, Ill. — There has comes a point in every game over the last two months where the equation for a victory must include one element - Kylan Boswell.

“All caps. Problem solver. Mine,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said in description of his veteran guard. “To have a player that strong, that athletic and that committed, that dedicated fighting guys where he gives up size and then when a little guard got going, we just switch (Boswell) on him. He solves a lot of problems for us.”

Former Illinois backup kicker Ethan Moczulski has signed an agreement to battle for the starting field goal and kickoff duties at the Illini in the 2026 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 14, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After losing its kicker to the earlier this month to the transfer portal, the Illinois coaching staff have elected bring back a very familiar face as a replacement.

Ethan Moczulski has signed an agreement to return to the Illini for his final season of collegiate eligibility. Moczulski, who was the backup kicker and kickoff specialist for Illinois in 2024 after transferring in from Texas A&M, will be expected to compete for the starting kicker duties on field goals and kickoffs for the upcoming 2026 season.