COLUMN: Winning Dirty in November is Illini’s Identity

Nobody at Illinois hired Bret Bielema to win pretty, high-scoring blowouts in November and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 20, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The first words out of Bret Bielema’s mouth after a 24-6 victory in conference play was the performance wasn’t clean.

Of course, it wasn’t. Because sometimes when the calendar flips to November and Bret Bielema is your head coach, you just have to get in the mud and get a little dirty to feel a lot of . . .

 

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