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Following a 35-13 win over Rutgers, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema downplays his role in scouting preparation and says coming out of the bye week that his role never changed from previous weeks.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 6, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When asked if his increased scouting role for the defensive coaches prior to the Rutgers game, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema initially didn’t understand the question.

After making it publicly known that the Illini fifth-year head coach said Thursday that his role in scouting Rutgers’ third-down offense and doing a Monday morning presentation with the defensive coaches, Bielema said Thursday that his role last weekend was overblown by media and fans’ frustration following the loss at Washington.

“It really wasn’t that different last week,” Bielema said in his bye week media session at Gies Memorial Stadium. “I think people paid a lot more attention to it. Proud of guys and how they responded.”

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 6, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – There was plenty to like from the Illinois women’s basketball team’s 91-67 season opener victory against Southeast Missouri State, but the undeniable star of the show was sophomore Berry Wallace.

After parting ways with a senior class that included four starters last offseason, head coach Shauna Green reloaded her roster with a recruiting class that ranked fourth in the nation, highlighted by Chicago native Destiny Jackson, who was the second-ever five-star recruit in program history. The first? Wallace.

IlliniGuys.com will detail, in this 35-13 win over Rutgers on Saturday, how Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. did what every successful offensive coordinator does - steal creative play calls. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 5, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — One of the first things that athletics coaches learn over the course of a career is their is no such thing as property theft when it comes to plays, formations and playbook creativity. 
Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. learned this rule Saturday in the 35-13 win over Rutgers with a red zone trick play call. The fourth-year offensive play-caller and his boss, fifth-year head coach Bret Bielema, have both previously said to media that Lunney will sometimes see play calls and interesting formations on social media (X and Instagram mostly) and then begin the implementation process the following Monday so the play call can be installed into the Thursday walk-through in the stadium. 

What is more than shocking about what Lunney stole this past weekend was it became a call on fourth-and-goal call from the 3-yard-line. This means Illinois (6-3, 3-3 in Big Ten Conference) put this play in the game plan early in the week and implemented it into Lunney’s callsheet in a matter of days. And finally, Lunney had enough confidence in the call and the fact that Rutgers hadn’t obviously seen the call on film throughout the 2025 season, that the Illini play-caller sent in the play in what was a huge spot of this game. 

By IlliniGuys Staff November 4, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff

November 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Year four of the Shauna Green will have a very different look and feel when her Illinois team takes the floor tonight against Southeast Missouri State to open the 2025-26 basketball season.

Gone is a group that was responsible for nearly 76 percent of scoring last year and that combined for 63 wins over the past three years, two NCAA Tournament appearances, the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2000, and the first-ever postseason tournament championship in winning the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament in 2024. Kendall Bostic departed as the Big Ten's all-time second leading rebounder, while Genesis Bryant, Makira Cook, and Adalia McKenzie all earned all-conference honors during their careers. And Brynn Shoup-Hill was a key contributor off the bench.

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

November 4, 2025

The Illini rolled over Jackson State in their season opener 113-55, placing 6 players in double figures despite being shorthanded, as injuries continue to hamper this squad. Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic each had 21, while freshman David Mirkovic had 19 points and 14 rebounds and freshman Keaton Wagler posted an 18 point, 6 rebound and 4 assist game in his Illini debut.

Here’s a look at how they did it.

These 3 Things

Boswell Has No Backup

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Insider

November 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

I hope everyone enjoyed Illinois' "get well" game against the visiting Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. For the second time this year, Bret Bielema's staff needed to rally the troops and get everyone back on the same page after an embarrassing road loss. And to their credit, they did. Illinois frankly just outclassed Rutgers on Saturday, which is what you'd hope to see from a well-established program.

Rutgers' defense has been a real problem under Greg Schiano. There isn't much talent, and they often can't even keep their assignments straight. This first play was a great example of the types of plays Rutgers has put on film this year. There are plenty of times when you'll see a defense lose track of a receiver inside the ten yard line, but Illinois' first touchdown on Saturday was a special kind of ugly.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 3, 2025 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - […]

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

November 3, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

After what has seemed like an eternal off season, the Illini Men’s Basketball team will finally take the floor on Monday night in their season opener. The Illini will host Jackson State at 7:30pm in what will be an Illini debut for a number of players.

Here’s a preview of what to expect.

Setting the Stage
#17/14 Illinois (0-0) vs. Jackson State (0-0)
Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play), Bruce Weber (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable
*Illinois opens its 121st season of men’s basketball on Monday, hosting Jackson State (7:30 p.m. CT / BTN). Expectations are high once again in Champaign, with the Illini returning three starters from last year’s team that won 22 games, advanced to the NCAA Round of 32, and finished the year ranked 17th in kenpom.
*Illinois is No. 17 in the Associated Press preseason poll and No. 14 in the preseason coaches poll. The Illini have been ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 in five of the last six seasons under Brad Underwood.
*The Fighting Illini rolled to an exhibition win over Illinois State, 92-65, on Oct. 19, and squared off against defending national champion and preseason No. 3 Florida in a closed scrimmage in Orlando on Oct. 25.
*Illinois is the Big Ten’s winningest team in conference play since the start of 2019-20, posting 81 league victories over the last six seasons, tied with Purdue. During that stretch, the Illini own the most road wins in league play with 34. When including the conference tournament, Illinois is also tied with Purdue for the most total wins against Big Ten opponents over the last six seasons with 88.
*Illinois enters 2025-26 ranked No. 6 by kenpom. The Illini have finished 35th or better in each of the past six seasons during the Brad Underwood era with a high of No. 4 in 2020-21. Illinois has had back-to-back top-20 rankings the last two seasons, finishing 10th in 2023-24 and 17th in 2024-25.
*Senior Kylan Boswell and juniors Andrej Stojakovic and Tomislav Ivisic have been recognized as national awards candidates by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Boswell is on the 20-man watch list for the Jerry West Award, presented to the nation’s top shooting guard. Stojakovic is listed on the watch list for the Julius Erving Award as one of the nation’s top 20 small forwards. Ivisic is on the 20-man watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award going to the nation’s top center.

About Jackson State
*Jackson State and Southern Miss played in an exhibition game in Hattiesburg [Miss.} with the Tigers falling in overtime after hitting a last-second shot in regulation to send the game to the extra frame.
*The Tigers return a pair of starters from last season in Daeshun Ruffin and Dorian McMillian, with McMillian earning Freshman of the Year honors last season. He returns as a Preseason Second-Team selection, while Ruffin returns as the top scorer in the conference and was named Preseason Player of the Year.
*Head coach Mo Williams will have two sons on the bench [at least at some point this season] with his son KyDarrius serving as an assistant coach, while another of his sons - Mike - comes in as a highly-touted recruit from Germantown High School.
*A trio of players come to Jackson State this year out of the transfer portal - the same place that produced Shannon Grant and Romelle Mansel. The trio - Devin Ree [Louisiana Tech], Dionjahe Thomas [Southern] and Raevon Thomas [Central State] - are all listed at 6-8 or taller.
*Jalen Tatum returns to the Tigers after missing all but four games last season, starting a pair of games before his injury, while Keiveon Hunt will start the season sidelined after suffering a knee injury in the SWAC Championship Game last season.
*After being injured in the conference championship game last season, Jayme Mitchell Jr. returns as one of the team’s top returning scorers and joins a long list of Jackson natives on this year’s team that include Ruffin, Hunt, Ree, and Williams.
*Daeshun Ruffin was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference [SWAC] Preseason Player of the Year after he ended the season last year in the SWAC Championship Game and was named to All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the tournament. He scored in double figures 20 times, including a streak of 13 consecutive games from Dec. 28 (Cal Baptist) to Feb. 15 (Florida A&M). He scored 20-plus points eight times including a career-high 37 points against Bethune-Cookman.
*Jackson State is ranked #252 on KenPom in the preseason rankings. The Tigers were 14-4 in the SWAC last season.

Watching For…

Getting Comfortable 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular November 3, 2025 The […]

Ked’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Top 25

November 2, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Dylan Ballard/A Sea of Blue)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -  Having watched most of these teams play in the non-conference games, this is how I would rank the current Top 25 in men’s college basketball.

1.UConn
2. Kentucky
3. Michigan
4. Houston
5. St. John’s
6. Duke
7. BYU
8.Texas Tech
9. Florida
10. Arizona

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 2, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Zeno Jo/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With high school playoff games taking place around Illinois, the convoy of visiting recruits before Illinois’ 35-13 win over Rutgers was smaller than the past few, but the week’s group appeared to be the staff’s attempt at filling gaps and prioritizing some in-state targets.

Among the group was class of 2027 linebacker Sean Rice, hailing from Aurora, Illinois and playing for St. Laurence High School. He recapped his visit, which was his third with a Power Four program this fall.

Following a 17-point loss at Washington, Illinois pulled together its most balanced performance in all three phases of offense, defense and special teams.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.

Run Offense
Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. promised that he would be intent on getting the quarterback involved in the run game and therefore, making all 11 offensive players dynamic when the Illini go to the ground. The fourth-year offensive play-caller at Illinois certainly kept his promise today. Unlike a lot of what was done last weekend in Seattle, a majority (if not all) of Luke Altmyer’s 88 yards on seven carries where on scrambles and not designed runs.

Following 35-13 victory over Rutgers Saturday, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema got to execute a post-game move he may enjoy more than any other - the ‘I told you so’.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 1, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Matt Stevens/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Short of hearing his daughter’s laugh or seeing his wife’s proud smile, the one thing Bret Bielema may love more than anything else is what he did in the post-game media conference on Saturday afternoon.

The winning head football coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign got to strut up to the ‘block I logo’ podium inside Gies Memorial Stadium and say the two things he treasures more than anything else.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 1, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]