Football

The right side of the Illinois offensive line shined in the run game in a 34-32 victory over then-No. 21 Southern California. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 29, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It would’ve been easy for the Illinois coaching staff to do a number of things with the right side of its offensive line. 

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and offensive line coach Bart Miller could’ve replaced either or both of right guard Brandon Henderson and/or right tackle Melvin Priestly. They could’ve reshuffled some personnel as both of those players have playing experience at guard and tackle. Illinois could have schemed it up where they primarily roll pass protection and running options toward the left side of the line (left guard Josh Gesky and left tackle J.C. Davis) where they felt more comfortable about bodies being moved. 

All three of these men said no. Throughout the week, all three of these men told the outside criticism to trust they know their personnel, locker room and that they knew how to fix these issues with the current starters. And they were correct. 

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 29, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Saturday at Gies Memorial Stadium, the Fighting Illini football program hosted a select group of visitors on campus. Among them was Brayden Parks, a 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman from Brother Rice High School, who drew plenty of attention during his trip.

According to Rivals.com, Parks is a four-star recruit and ranked as the 10th-best prep player in Illinois. Still, his recruiting status may be underrated considering the national attention he’s been receiving.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 28, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Game day visits are often memorable for recruits, but today is extra special for one in-state prospect. Just before the 23rd-ranked Fighting Illini took the field against the 21st-ranked USC Trojans, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema delivered life-changing news to 2027 edge rusher Keysan Taylor.

“What a great day for me, sir,” Taylor said.

IlliniGuys.com beat writer Matthew Stevens assesses the categories and overall aspect of the No. 23 Illini’s 34-32 win over Southern California.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 28. 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — About an hour before kickoff on Saturday morning, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema told FOX Sports sideline reporter Jenny Taft that “Big Ten physicality has to win the day”.

Following a 34-32 victory that included 32 designed run plays going for 170 yards on the ground, No. 23 Illinois (4-1, 1-1 in Big Ten Conference play) played to its strengths and, more importantly, its identity in a critical home win to bounce back from a 53-point defeat in its league opener with just a week of preparation.

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Former four-star signee Malik Elzy was taken off the roster by Illinois head coach Bret Bielema after his infomed coaches his intention to sit out remainder of 2025 season and preserve redshirt status.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 27, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Malik Elzy has played his final game for the University of Illinois football program.

After the third-year wide receiver’s name appeared as out on the Big Ten’s mandatory availability report two hours before Saturday’s kickoff against Southern California, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed Elzy was removed from the roster.

By IlliniGuys Staff September 26, 2025 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - David […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Among the large convoy of visiting recruits in attendance for No. 23 Illinois’s
Homecoming bout against No. 21 USC, there was one player who stood out from the rest.

Ian Campbell, a three-star edge who is part of the Class of 2026, was on Zuppke Field at Gies Memorial Stadium for an unofficial visit. The reason his presence is interesting? Campbell is committed to play ball for Navy next fall.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed Thursday there will be no starting lineup changes for the offensive line after giving up seven sacks in a 63-10 loss at Indiana.

No. 21 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA at No. 23 ILLINOIS

Records: USC 4-0, 2-0 in Big Ten; Illinois 3-1, 0-1 in Big Ten

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025: 11 a.m. CST, Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Ill.

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 60,670

Series notes: Southern California leads all-time series is tied at 11-2. Illinois and USC will meet for the first time since the 2008 Rose Bowl Game following the 2007 regular season. USC will be making its first visit to Champaign since 1996. The last win for Illinois came on Sept. 4, 1989 in a game that was originally supposed to be played in the Soviet Union where Illinois scored 14 points in the final five minutes to steal a 14-13 win in the Los Angeles Coliseum. 

TV: FOX; Gus Johnson (play-by-play); Joel Klatt (color analyst) and Jenny Taft (sideline 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 84, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 27, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On Illinois’ first offensive series of the afternoon on Saturday, the same five offensive line starters will jog on the field at Gies Memorial Stadium against the University of Southern California.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirmed Thursday there will be no starting lineup changes for the offensive line after giving up seven sacks in a 63-10 loss at Indiana. From left to right, J.C. Davis, Josh Gesky, Josh Kreutz, Brandon Henderson and Melvin Priestly will again be charged with making the five-man cohesion work. 

September 26, 2025 Last week did not go as […]

For the second consecutive week, and this one last one resulting in a 63-10 loss at Indiana, Illinois is going through issues with missed tackles leading to more explosive plays.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Aaron Henry saw the symptoms of this disease coming with his Illinois defense and attempted to sound the alarm. Not many listened.

Two days after a 38-0 home win over Western Michigan, the 36-year-old defensive play-caller evaluated the film of his defense’s performance during the near-27 minutes that the Mid-American Conference opponent held the football. Henry didn’t like what he was documenting when he noted Illinois had 10 missed tackles.

By Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 24, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois football’s 2026 quarterback commit, Michael Clayton of Edison High School in Miami, Florida, is looking forward to another trip to Champaign. The Class of 2026 prospect continues to show excitement about his future with the Fighting Illini as he prepares to visit for Illinois’ Homecoming game against #21 USC.

Clayton, who committed to Illinois early, has been vocal about his confidence in the program’s direction under head coach Bret Bielema. His belief in the Illini staff and their ability to compete at a high level is clear.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is not going to allow his team’s offensive line shoulder all of the blame for the amount of sacks and protection issues in the 2025 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

CHAMPAIGN — For those looking for a finger of blame inside the Smith Family Football Complex to be directly pointed at the Illinois offensive line, the Illini’s fifth-year head coach, the fourth-year offensive coordinator and fifth-year offensive line coach aren’t going to let that happen.

“It’s not just the offensive line. It’s just not. That’s too easy,” Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said. “It’s a protection issue by the tight ends, running backs, wide receivers getting to their spot in the route on time and the quarterback.”

Bart Miller, the Illini’s offensive line coach and one of the first assistants hired by Bielema to his first Illini coaching staff, did acknowledge the obvious - that Illinois has struggled at the line-of-scrimmage with a unit consisting of five returning starters.

Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry called Saturday’s blowout loss in Bloomington on Saturday as a ‘wonderful learning mechanism’ to get the Illini defense back on track in 2025.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

BLOOMINGTON. Ind. — It would be inadvisable for anybody to suggest to Aaron Henry that the result of last Saturday night should be categorized as a major problem.

If you believe watching his defense surrender nine touchdowns and seven straight scores to end a 63-10 blowout loss at then-No. 19 Indiana serves anywhere near the top of the list of the worst things that has ever happened in Henry’s 36-year-old life, the Illinois third-year defensive coordinator has some news for you. The football game on Saturday doesn’t register near the top of tough moments for the man who was one of 11 children growing up in a part of southern Florida where the income of nearly 40 percent of the community population is below the poverty line.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

September 23, 2025

Well, longtime Illini fans know they should never get too comfortable when things look good.  This is a program that, prior to last year, had lost the last eight games it had played in front of a home sellout crowd.  So, while Saturday night was certainly painful, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's witnessed a game that was similarly painful at some point in the last 50 years of doldrums.  What made this game especially painful though was that the Illini were supposed to be ready to compete for the College Football Playoff.  However, as Curt Cignetti said (I'm paraphrasing) We came out stronger than them, and recognized that they couldn't match up with us on the outside, and then we took their will.  That's just about a perfect summary.

Just so everyone knows, I'm not attempting to pile on by not showing any of the good Illini plays in this piece, I'm trying to show everyone what went wrong.  And I'm starting with the defense this week because they were even worse than the offense.