CHAMPAIGN — The Fighting Illini football team dominated every aspect of the game against Chattanooga Thursday night in a 31-0 win at Memorial Stadium. The Illinois offense totaled just over 500 yards, while the defense shut-out the Mocs, who were previously 3-0. Head coach Bret Bielema spoke well of the defensive effort after the game. “You
CHAMPAIGN – Chase Brown picked up where he left off last season, rushing for 151 yards and scoring three touchdowns, as Illinois wore down the Wyoming Cowboys 38-6 in the season opener for both teams on Saturday. Brown ran for 1,005 yards a season ago, and looked every bit the part of the team’s leading
CHAMPAIGN — The 133rd season of Illini football kicks off Saturday afternoon in Champaign. Illinois hosts the Wyoming Cowboys in a game that will feature a lot of fresh faces on both sides of the field. Head coach Bret Bielema revealed Thursday that his starting quarterback will be Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito, who won the
URBANA – As a member of the Fighting Illini football team in the 1980s, David Williams set many records on the field. He finished his collegiate career as the second leading receiver in NCAA history. And he’s a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. As his beloved team gets ready for its season opener, David
CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois football coach Bret Bielema has tested positive for COVID-19, the program announced on Tuesday. Bielema will miss this Saturday’s game at Iowa, where he played football in college, per team COVID protocols to help limit spread of the virus. In a statement, Bielema says he developed “mild symptoms” on Monday
An estimated 40,000 football fans, most unmasked, packed Memorial Stadium at the University of Illinois Saturday for the first full-capacity game since the start of the pandemic. Spectators didn’t need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to watch the Illini go head-to-head with the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers, said Kent Brown, Illinois’ associate director of athletics.
CHAMPAIGN – University of Illinois football player Tailon Leitzsey and more than two dozen of his Illini teammates are holding a free camp for kids ages 6-13 on July 17 at Zahnd Field in Champaign. Leitzsey, a senior from Laurel, Md., graduated with a degree in Kinesiology in Dec. 2020 and was put on scholarship
URBANA – On Friday, the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics announced that all venues will open up to 100% capacity for the 2021-22 season. The decision came in conjunction with the state moving into Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan. When Illinois women’s golf tees off its season on Aug. 23, the
CHAMPAIGN — Two days after hiring Bret Bielema as new head football coach, the University of Illinois introduced him at a virtual news conference Monday afternoon. Listen to Bret Bielema’s introductory news conference here. Bielema says one of his top priorities will be keeping the top high school football players in the state from going
CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois is turning to former Arkansas and Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema to lead its football program. Athletic director Josh Whitman announced Bielema’s hiring Saturday morning. He replaces Lovie Smith, who was fired Sunday after compiling a 17-39 record in five seasons. Bielema enjoyed his greatest success as coach at Wisconsin
CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced Sunday that he has fired football coach Lovie Smith, a day after the Illini lost decisively to in-state rival Northwestern. Hear athletic director Josh Whitman’s Sunday afternoon news conference here. Smith compiled a 17-39 overall record in five seasons at the helm of the Illini
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Fighting Illini football team used five Nebraska turnovers to top the Cornhuskers 41-23, in what head coach Lovie Smith called a historic victory. “I’m told we haven’t won in Lincoln since 1924, when Red Grange played,” Smith said. “Whenever something like that happens, of course, it’s a big deal.” Quarterback Brandon
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — The third time was the charm for Illini placekicker James McCourt. McCourt drilled a 47-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to give Illinois a 23-20 win over Rutgers, Saturday afternoon in Piscataway, New Jersey. He said he wasn’t phased by missing two attempts earlier in the 4th quarter. “That first kick
CHAMPAIGN — Lovie Smith made no excuses for his Illini football team’s dismal performance in Saturday’s 41-14 blowout loss to previously winless Minnesota. He put the blame squarely on himself. “I’m the head football coach. Everything comes back to me,” Smith said. “I didn’t perform the way I need to.” Mo Ibrahim set a Gopher
CHAMPAIGN — Illinois lost another football game Saturday, but unlike last week against Wisconsin, this one wasn’t a laugher. Purdue came to town a seven-point favorite, and won by a touchdown. The Boilermakerss got 376 yards passing.from Aidan O’Connell, who converted 29 of 36 attempts including two touchdowns. Illinois had a chance to tie the