Football

Illinois leaves Bloomington, Indiana with its first loss of the 2025 season wondering if this 63-10 blowout is a sign of things to come for the immediate future.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 21, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — To his ever-loving credit, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said Saturday he thought his football team was consistent for 60 minutes.

“Not only did we not play well in the first quarter but we didn’t play well in second quarter, third quarter or fourth quarter either,” Bielema said. “We stayed pretty consistent if you ask me.”

IlliniGuys.com beat writer Matthew Stevens assesses the categories and overall aspect of the No. 9 Illini’s 63-10 loss at No. 19 Indiana in the Big Ten Conference opener. 

Run Offense

To be fair, it is relatively hard to get any consistent run game going when you find yourself down four scores in the first half of a contest. However, Illinois (3-1) could never get the early tempo of this game changed with its running game. Through 30 minutes of action, the Illinois running backs had just 14 yards on seven carries with the longest carry being a 13-yard quarterback draw play by quarterback Luke Altmyer. 

As you could guess or witnessed on Saturday night,

By IlliniGuys Staff BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Francisco Mendoza threw […]

Illinois’ coaches know what they’re about to see in Indiana’s run game because most of them lived it with former Wisconsin offensive line coach Bob Bostad.

No. 9 ILLINOIS AT No. 18 INDIANA

Records: Illinois 3-0

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025: 6:30 p.m. CST, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana

Surface: FieldTurf

Capacity: 52,626

Series notes: Illinois leads 46–25–2. Illinois has not won in Bloomington since 2011. Illinois and Indiana will meet in a ranked vs. ranked matchup for the second time in history and the first time since Oct. 28, 1950, when No. 12 Illinois beat No. 19 Indiana, 20-0, in Champaign. Illinois is looking for its first road win as a top-10 team since Oct. 27, 1990.

TV: NBC; Noah Eagle (play-by-play); Todd Blackledge (color analyst) and Kathryn Tappen (sideline reporter).

Radio (Illinois): Scott Beatty (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 139/195, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.

NOTE: Beatty, who is the Host of SportsTalk & Illini Gameday on WDWS, and play-by-play voice of Illini baseball and softball, is substituting for Brian Barnhart as he attends his daughter’s wedding on Saturday.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A point could be made that the offensive identity for Wisconsin’s back-to-back Big Ten titles from 2010-11 was created and maintained mostly by one man. And Bret Bielema wouldn’t ever not argue that point.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The on-field entourage before No. 9 Illinois’ 38-0 victory over Western Michigan included a crowd of 2027 and 2028 football recruits, the full Illinois men’s basketball team, with its staff and their 2026 recruit Sinan Huan.

Of everybody present, one person seemed more eager than any other for next year. Casey Thomann, a three-star, in-state offensive line commit in the class of 2026, was present for pregame festivities,

With Illinois having so many veteran players and returning starters on both sides of the ball, it’s the trusted players making suggestions to coaches at halftime.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 19, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Justin Stepp keeps consistently saying that the one thing that surprised him after he was hired as the wide receivers coach at the University of Illinois was the football intelligence of the players in his meeting room.

The living embodiment of what Stepp is referencing is fourth-year receiver Hank Beatty. It should be noted that Stepp has been around intelligent people serving as receiving targets in his stops at Clemson, Appalachian State, Southern Methodist University, Arkansas and South Carolina. It is also accurate to suggest Stepp has never had a player in his room where both his parents are doctors and was a highly productive offensive player in a wide-open, spread-option Rochester (Ill.) High School playbook based on timing and rhythm as much, if not more, as size and power.

September 20, 2025 After an impressive non-conference performance from […]

The Jim Thorpe Award watch list candidate is not expected to be on the travel roster when No. 9 Illinois plays at No. 19 Indiana on Saturday night.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Unless a second opinion on his lower body injury reveals a drastic medical theory shift, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema does not sound optimistic about having his Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten Conference first team selection on the travel roster this weekend.

In his final media availability before the game on Thursday afternoon, Bielema confirmed fourth-year defensive back Xavier Scott have not been active for practice this week. Scott suffered an undisclosed lower-body injury that appeared to be an ankle or foot issue late in the fourth quarter of the 38-0 win over Western Michigan last weekend.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

September 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Several in-state and regional recruits lined the north end zone before No. 9 Illinois faced off against Western Michigan last Saturday. Among them was Corey Laga, a 2027 offensive lineman who spoke with IlliniGuys about his visit and the recruitment process that’s been heating up with his junior year of high school football ahead of him.

Laga could be one of head coach Bret Bielema’s early in-state finds. This year’s team has 50 players who played high school football in Illinois. Laga, who is from Lemont, about two hours north of Champaign in the Chicago suburbs, says that when he thinks of Illinois football, he thinks of one word.

“Really, I just think family,” he said. “They have the FamILLy slogan, they have a family in their locker room. And also culture, too. Coach Bret has brought them together.”

The 255-pound tailback for Illinois had a 100-yard evening against Western Michigan and might be hitting his most confident stride as the No. 9 Illini enter Big Ten Conference play.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 17, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The first and possibly only person who can properly know if Kaden Feagin finally felt back to normal in a game following extensive lower body physical therapy is the young man wearing a No. 3 Illinois jersey.

Following his 100-yard performance in the 38-0 win over Western Michigan on Saturday, Feagin told local reporters that in the midst of his 20-carry performance, the 21-year-old said there was a moment he felt different with the football.

“I felt like on my (3-yard) touchdown run was where I stuck my head in there, made one cut and then kept my feet going after contact,” Feagin said Saturday night. “I felt like that moment really set the tone for the night for me.”

According to Pro Football Focus data,

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

September 16, 2025

I hope everyone enjoyed the last out of conference warm-up before the Big Ten season starts off with an exciting game at Indiana next Saturday night.  Despite another bad start for the Illini, it was a good night in Champaign as Illinois outclassed the Broncos and pulled away to make it a laugher at the end.

I'm going to start with the more problematic side of the ball, the offense.  Illinois was hapless on the offensive line again in the first half before outmuscling and outclassing Western Michigan in the second half.  This particular play was especially hapless.  Hank Beatty apparently didn't feel like the accolades he'd earned so far were sufficient, because he decided to go ahead and make a TFL as well.  On one hand, its easy to look at this and wonder what he's thinking.  However, on the other you can see why a mistake like this would happen.  Any time you're running a play that depends on precise timing from the motion man, you're taking a risk like this.  And to be fair, if Beatty wasn't the only person on the wrong page, as JC Davis starts to block down before realizing his mistake that he was leaving 2(!) edge defenders unblocked.  I'm pretty sure Beatty was supposed to motion down and block the safety on the end of the line while Davis and Josh Gesky double the defensive end before Gesky climbs to the linebacker.  However, the snap count, organization, and effort were all lacking on this one.

IlliniGuys.com’s Matt Stevens gives his weekly Top 25 ballot […]

Through the first three quarters of the 38-0 win over Western Michigan, the Illinois run defense allowed just 2.8 yards per rush. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 16, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a honestly very forgettable game, Illinois showed in the most important play its physical dominance and intelligence in gap control in its run defense. 

With just three seconds remaining in the second half, Western Michigan had the football inside the Illini’s 1-yard-line in what obviously their best chance to score on Saturday night. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema talks about the “double dip” of scoring at the end of the first half and then getting the football first in the second half to score again. With Illinois ahead 10-0 in this moment, Western Michigan desperately needed this “double dip” opportunity and Lance Taylor’s squad ran a play that requires perfect nose tackle play and solid fundamental eye discipline in the second level of the defense. 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular September 16, 2025 The […]

Despite Bret Bielema’s best efforts at avoiding this reality, Illinois proved Saturday they don’t need their ‘A’ or ‘B’ game to beat lower-level competition. And this hasn’t been the case for decades.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

September 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — There is one obvious reason Saturday night was a night to celebrate if you’re a fan of the University of Illinois football program.

Yes, Illinois didn’t play very well and you might go as far as to say poorly for 30 minutes. Let’s not argue about the fact that Illinois was still up two scores (10-0) at halftime.

Yes, Illinois - the No. 9 team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll - has a lot of teachable moments for coaches and players and corrections to make this upcoming week before they travel to face a ranked Indiana team in Bloomington. Let’s not argue about the fact that this is probably exactly what Illini head coach Bret Bielema wanted going into a matchup that will immediately grab the attention of his entire roster.