Football

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

December 2, 2024

Champaign, IL – Illinois football added a late piece to its 2025 recruiting class Monday night when IlliniGuys learned that Dylan Frechette, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound offensive lineman from West Palm Beach, Florida, decommitted from FIU and made a silent commitment to the Fighting Illini.

Illinois used the bend-but-don’t-break concept on defense to prevent Northwestern’s ball-control philosophy from dominating the game at Wrigley Field.  

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 3, 2024

CHICAGO — The average number of offensive plays run in a game by a Football Bowl Subdivision program this season is around 69-70. The most offensive plays run per game by an FBS program is Texas Tech’s average of 80.6. The simple logic more tempo your offense is run with, the more plays you’re likely to run and the more fatigued the defensive players will get over some time. The Illinois defense beat back this logic on Saturday with one element: Red zone defensive efficiency. 

Northwestern ran 92 offensive plays on Saturday and scored just 28 points. The Wildcats held the ball for 20 minutes and 33 seconds of the 30-minute first half of play and the offensive result of that ball control before halftime was just three offensive points.

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Big […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) December 3, 2024 CHAMPAIGN, […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois running […]

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

December 1, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Winning continues to pay dividends for the University of Illinois football program, evidenced by the commitment of linebacker Ismael Kante today. Late last week, IlliniGuys reported the possibility of Kante choosing the Illini following his official visit last Tuesday.

After seeing former Illinois star wide receiver Brandon Lloyd before the start of this in-state rivalry game at Wrigley Field, Pat Bryant knew he needed one more touchdown. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 1, 2024

CHICAGO — Entering the final regular season game of his college career, Pat Bryant knew he was one short of a school touchdown record he’s been eyeing and telling local media about since the start of preseason camp. 

After a comfortable win Saturday, Illinois left Wrigley Field with a clear message about where the dominant in-state college football program lives and will likely reside for time to come. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 30, 2024

CHICAGO — In the team hotel on a Friday night before Big Ten Conference road games this season, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema has gone up and down his 74-player travel roster and noticed a trend. 

By IlliniGuys Staff November 30, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

November 30, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

Illinois fans received a great Thanksgiving gift right as they were settling in for the big meal when Grant Beerman of Lakota West (Ohio) High School flipped his commitment to Illinois from Purdue.  This was a long-rumored switch, but the timing made it especially sweet for Illinois fans looking for a capstone on a resurgent season.  Beerman is a 6'4, 220 pounder who plays middle linebacker for his high school team but figures to switch to outside linebacker at Illinois.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?

Illinois will finish the 2024 season against Northwestern inside the Chicago Cubs home stadium.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 30, 2024 

No. 23 Illinois at Northwestern

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024: 11 a.m. CST, Wrigley Field, Chicago

Surface: Grass

Capacity: 41,649 (for baseball); Estimated capacity for Saturday is approximately 40,000.

Records: Illinois 8-3, 5-3 in Big Ten; Northwestern 4-7, 2-6 in Big Ten

Betting Line: Illinois by 8.

Series notes: Illinois leads the all-time series 57-55-5 and has won both of the all-time matchups at Wrigley Field. Northwestern currently owns The Land of Lincoln Trophy after defeating the Illini in Champaign 45-43 in the 2024 regular season finale. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is 4-2 all-time against Northwestern.

TV: Big Ten Network; Chris Vosters (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst) and Kylen Mills (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.

Given the opportunity to play a game against Northwestern inside Wrigley Field, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema’s answer was an emphatic yes.

“I think it’s going to be pretty awesome,” Bielema, a publicly stated Chicago Cubs fan who has sang the ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ on four consecutive summers, said on Thursday.

Bielema’s only problem was when he saw this version of the game last season when his alma mater, Iowa, faced Northwestern inside the Cubs stadium where both teams were required to use the same sideline.

November 29, 2024 The Illini are looking to close […]

Ked's Recruiting Roundup

November 29, 2024

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Last Saturday, Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer notched his fifth fourth-quarter comeback victory, leading Illinois to a thrilling 38-31 win over Rutgers.

During our postgame podcast, a fan posed an intriguing question: How has Illinois football improved its ability to recruit top talent under head coach Bret Bielema?

This inquiry spurred interest among fans and led my colleague and podcast host, Mike Cagley, and I to discuss some of the high-profile recruiting victories Illinois has achieved since Bielema took the reins.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting November 28, 2024 […]