Football

Illinois is looking to end an eight-game drought against its rivals from Iowa City.

By Zain Bando - IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

October 7, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Loyalty)

Illinois has taken the Big Ten by storm, and the national media is starting to notice. Head coach Bret Bielema has appeared on Kirk Herbstreit’s Top Performing Coaches lists, several television appearances including “Unfiltered” with David Kaplan, among many others, ahead of Illinois’ nightcap with Iowa Saturday.

Illinois enters the game at 4-1 (1-1 B1G) as part of a six-way for first in the Big Ten West, while Iowa 3-2 (1-1 B1G), who was trounced at home a week ago against Michigan, will look to make it nine-straight against the Illini.

October 7, 2022 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - For the second […]

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 7, 2022

Plainfield North's signal caller Demir Ashiru is thrilled with the opportunity to visit his home state university Saturday.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 7, 2022

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

Illinois is hot after a huge win against Wisconsin but now they have a big test at home against Iowa.

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

Oct. 6, 2022

Illinois will have Ty Meyer Jr. on campus this weekend with other potential prospects.

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 6, 2022
 
There is an old saying: strike while the iron is hot, and the Illinois football team is 4-1.

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting 

October 5, 2022

I was one of the recruiting guys who complained over the years when colleges tried to persuade kids to not honor their verbal commitments to other schools. 

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 5, 2022

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

It’s an exciting time for Illinois football coming off the huge win at Wisconsin that led to the ouster of head coach Paul Chryst.

Illinois 34, Wisconsin 10; Illini Film Review - Walters Didn’t Stop Blitzing; Wisconsin Never Stopped Covering Hightower in Man; Is DeVito Already Changing Protections?

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 4, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ryan Walters has a two-word phrase for his players to keep them calm and set on the game plan: don’t flinch. 

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting 

October 4th, 2022

After Illinois beat the Wisconsin Badgers 34-10 at Camp Randall Stadium, head coach Bret Bielema said, "I was saving two recruiting calls to make after today's game to check in on them."

Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters knows his alma mater, Colorado, is in the market for a new head coach and he didn’t run from that speculation when asked Monday.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 4, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ryan Walters knows his name has already been connected by several media outlets to the recent head coach opening at his alma mater and he’s not running from that attention.

Illini Head Coach Bret Bielema talks to reporters after […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

October 3, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics) 

As I type this the news is coming out that Wisconsin has fired head coach Paul Chryst after Illinois took his Badger team to the woodshed on Saturday.  While that seems like a rash move to me considering that Chryst was 9-4 last year and is 67-26 and 43-18 in the Big Ten in his 7 1/2 years in Madison, I have to say that as I'm re-watching the game all I can see are examples of Illinois looking like the better-coached team.  Illinois is not more talented than Wisconsin, but they outworked and out-executed Wisconsin on Saturday and the difference between the two teams was especially stark in the second half as Wisconsin looked defeated in all three phases.  Now to this game:

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert

October 3, 2022

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

There are lots of big happenings with Illinois and Wisconsin in the span of 48 hours.

Three Associated Press Top 25 pollsters voted Illinois on their ballots for this week. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 2, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- For the first time since 2019, voters have put the name ‘Illinois’ on their weekly submitted Associated Press Top 25 ballots.