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College Football News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / July 30
Illinois Alum Named to RotoWire All-Big Ten Football Quarter Century Team
You might remember 2020 through 2023 as a bit of a dark time for Illinois football. Although current coach Bret Bielema arrived in 2021 to begin gradually turning the program around, the Illini went 20-25 over that stretch, with just one winning season (in 2022) and little reason to celebrate.
College Football News / SuperWest Sports / July 30
Ranking the Big Ten Football Head Coaches for 2025
The Big Ten boasts a wealth of talented head coaches. Among them are the nation’s longest active tenured head coach (Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz), and two of the youngest head coaches (Oregon’s Dan Lanning and Michigan’s Sherrone Moore).
College Football News / Mike Farrell Sports / July 28
RECRUITING: 4-star 2027 QB Makes Surprising Big Ten Commitment
As most schools are currently fine-tuning their Class of 2026 recruiting, attention is also quickly returning to the Class of 2027. Illinois did that with a bang on Sunday night when they received the commitment of four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati.
The 'No. 3 overall NFL draft picks since 2000' quiz
How many of the No. 3 overall picks since the 2000 NFL Draft can you name in five minutes?
Illinois Lands Recruiting Gem in Quarterback Kamden Lopati From Class of 2027
Just as some Illinois football fans began wringing their hands over the Illini's slow slide from the top 10 in the 2026 recruiting rankings, coach Bret
25 most intriguing storylines to follow for the 2025 college football season
Every year has its own set of storylines, and we are here to highlight 25 of them. From Austin to Happy Valley and from Los Angeles to Chapel Hill. What are we looking forward to in 2025?
Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Addresses His 'Beef' With the SEC at Media Days
He had a titanic run-in with South Carolina's Shane Beamer at last year's Citrus Bowl. He has needled back at fans dumping on his Arkansas days. When many other coaches would have avoided the hassle or the potential blowback, Illinois' Bret Bielema hasn't kept his mouth shut or fingers from tapping away on his X account.
Bret Bielema calls Illini NFL ‘trend setters’ after Green Bay Packers throwback uniform release
The Green Bay Packers unveiled their throwback uniforms for the 2025 season on Thursday morning and it’s a familiar look. If you’re a fan of Illinois at the college level, you’ve probably seen the concept before.
College Football News / A to Z Sports / July 22
Bret Bielema’s take on the College Football Playoff would only make life harder for the Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten Football Media Days are underway in Las Vegas, Nevada—a change of location from their usual home in the Midwest. With media days here, it means the college football season is just around the corner.
Did College Football News Undervalue Illinois Football in Preseason Rankings?
The college football experts tend to be quite high on Illinois heading into the 2025 season. ESPN has the Illini at No. 11 in its most recent rankings, while Phil Steele has Bret Bielema’s squad a bit lower at 17th.
Phil Steele Unveils His Preseason All-Big Ten Team: Here's Where the Illini Stand
Three-hundred and sixty-five days ago, the expectations for Illinois football were not far from bottom of the barrel. The college football world expected a typical Illini season: 5-7 or maybe 6-6, with a losing Big Ten record.
Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Named to Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List
Illinois' Bret Bielema has been one of the most talked about head coaches in all of college football this offseason. After leading the Illini to a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl victory last season, Bielema received recognition when he was named to the 2025 Bobby Dodd preseason watch list.
Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Raves About Quarterback Luke Altmyer's Clutch Gene
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer has received a lot of compliments over the past 12 months after leading Illinois to a 10-3 season and a bowl game victory,
College Football News / Athlon Sports / July 3
Urban Meyer Recalls Bret Bielema’s Furious Reaction After He Broke the ‘Gentleman’s Agreement’
Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer hasn't worked in the college ranks since 2018, but his legacy and impact still resonate all these years later.
College Football News / Wisconsin Badgers on SI / July 2
Bret Bielema compares Illinois edge rusher to Wisconsin Badgers legend J.J. Watt
It's almost sacrilegious to compare any current college football player to Wisconsin Badgers legend J.J. Watt. It's a high bar to clear. Former Badgers coach Bret Bielema knows first-hand from coaching Watt, and he still went so far as to compare one of his current Illinois player to the future Hall of Famer.
Four-Star Tight End JC Anderson Chooses Ole Miss Over Illinois
Illinois coach Bret Bielema and his staff have put together a top-10-worthy 2026 recruiting class, and it would have been even better if the Illini could have landed four-star tight end JC Anderson.
Paul Finebaum's Embarrassing Personal Attack on Illinois Coach Bret Bielema
There are people who don't care for Illinois coach Bret Bielema.At the podium, he'll occasionally sneak in a passive-aggressive comment with a smile soaked in just a hint of smugness.
College Football News / Georgia Bulldogs on SI / June 30
Paul Finebaum Goes Off On Bret Bielema for Accusing Georgia of Tampering
Paul Finebaum had some strong words for Illinois head coach Bret Bielema after suggesting Georgia had tampered. Last week, a quote was released of Illinois head coach Bret Bielema suggesting that Georgia had tampered to get running back Josh McCray in Athens.
Four-Star Athlete Jacob Eberhart Includes Illinois Among Top Five Finalists
Four-star athlete Jacob Eberhart has more than 40 scholarship offers, and over the weekend the Missouri native (Kirkwood High School) announced his top five finalists for his college destination.
College Football News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / June 28
Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Sought Joint Practices With Bill Belichick's Tar Heels
Add Bret Bielema to the list of college coaches who have publicly admitted they're all for joint practices and a scrimmage against another college program during the spring season.
Illinois Coach Bret Bielema Raises Concerns Over Player Tampering
In today’s college football landscape, the transfer portal has become as competitive as the game itself. With NIL money flowing and roster spots constantly shifting, the pressure to retain top talent has never been higher – even for programs that already have them on campus.
College Football News / ChiCitySports / June 25
Illinois football coach Bret Bielema suggests Georgia might have tampered star RB
The Illinois football program was dealt a huge blow in April when senior running back Josh McCray announced his decision to transfer from the program he had been at for four years and play for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs.
College Football News / NCAA Football on ClutchPoints / June 18
Illinois football’s Bret Bielema takes another shot at SEC amid CFP expansion talks
Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema took another shot at the SEC amid College Football Playoff expansion talks. The new twelve-team field was a clear success, with several programs given realistic access to contend for a national championship.
College Football News / Mike Farrell Sports / June 18
TRENDING: Big Ten Head Coach Criticizes the SEC
While the Big Ten and SEC are far and away the most powerful conferences in college football, there has been occasional in-fighting between the two as they continue to jockey for the top position.
College Football News / Ole Miss Rebels on SI / May 31
Illinois' Bret Bielema Fires Back at Ole Miss Football Fan, the 'SEC Gauntlet'
During this week's spring meetings in Destin (Fla.), the Southeastern Conference presented graphics breaking down the "gauntlet" of a schedule each program faces heading into each season.
Bret Bielema savagely trolls SEC in response to ‘gauntlet’ claim
Illinois football coach Bret Bielema has a way with words and deeds. Last year, Bielema extended a T-Bar gesture to South Carolina coach Shane Beamer during the Citrus Bowl in a perceived taunt.
College Football News / Athlon Sports / May 19
Big Ten coach calls NIL spending 'insanity' — but sees opportunity
As the NIL era turns college football into a financial arms race, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema isn’t mincing words: “Insanity, at its best.” With top-tier programs reportedly pushing $35–40 million annually in NIL roster spending, Bielema’s blunt take on the shifting landscape is a wake-up call for fans and administrators alike.
Bret Bielema's Florida pipeline grows with commitment of four-star LB
It has to be tough to get a player from the state of Florida to come join the Illinois Fighting Illini, but that's exactly what Bret Bielema and his staff were able to do.
Illinois lands three-star, in-state OT Casey Thomann
At 6-foot-7 and 302 pounds, he's a big recruit. That's literal. The rankings suggest that for Illinois, he's a big deal as well.
Illinois assistant coach Dana Dimel dies – dead at 62
Longtime college football coach Dana Dimel has died. Dimel’s family shared the news on Tuesday that the Illinois senior offensive assistant and former NCAA head coach has died at age 62.
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