It has been a very eventful off-season for the Illini football program. In 2025, they'll return 18/22 starters from a team that went 10-3, won the Citrus Bowl and finished #16 (one spot ahead of Alabama) in the final AP poll. Obviously, the outlook for this team is very positive, as it should be, as spring football nears its conclusion. Lots of Illini football news and notes … [Read more...] about Illini Football News and Notes: Josh McCray, Recruiting Rankings
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Illini Basketball Transfer Talk: Andrej Stojakovic, Adam Miller
With the college basketball season now concluded, we're fully into the "silly season" now. The Wild, Wild West that is the deregulated, laisez-faire NCAA transfer portal has turned coverage of the men's college basketball offseason into a free for all. In today's edition of Illini Basketball Transfer Talk, we'll cover Adam Miller and Andrej Stojakovic. These days, keeping up … [Read more...] about Illini Basketball Transfer Talk: Andrej Stojakovic, Adam Miller
#23 Illinois Fighting Illini vs Purdue Boilermakers Preview, Prediction
At the rate this season is going, Purdue Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters could soon be in line to get the best gig possible. There is no sweeter job, on this entire Earth, then fired coach with a lucrative buyout. You can easily pay me tens of millions of dollars to go away and not work. I'll accept that arrangement 11 times out of 10. Now comes a trip to Champaign, so … [Read more...] about #23 Illinois Fighting Illini vs Purdue Boilermakers Preview, Prediction
Where Ex-Illini Football Coaches Are Now Part 3: Mike White, Lou Tepper, John Mackovic
We conclude our Every Living Former Illini Football Coach- Where Are They Now Series with part three, focusing on Lou Tepper, John Mackovic and Mike White. Part 1 (Ron Zook, Ron Turner and Lovie Smith) can be found here. Part 2 (Tim Beckman and Bill Cubit) can be found here. … [Read more...] about Where Ex-Illini Football Coaches Are Now Part 3: Mike White, Lou Tepper, John Mackovic
Ten of the Worst Illini Basketball Losses of All-Times
Occasionally, something that was truly great ends in a horribly awful manner. See The Sopranos or Seinfeld. The 2023-24 Illini basketball season was one for the ages. They ended the second weekend of March Madness drought, and then went one level past that. They claimed a trophy (Big Ten Tournament) and actually beat a higher seed in the NCAA Tournament. Plus, Booty Ball was … [Read more...] about Ten of the Worst Illini Basketball Losses of All-Times
More Illini NCAA Tourney wins would be huge for Chicago
The Illini were huge in Chicago in 2005, and if they can upset #2 seed Miami today, they just might be again. If the Illini make it to the next weekend, and this becomes a regular thing -Illini basketball- playing deep in the NCAA Tournament, Chicago will truly be more of an Illini town. The more they win in the big dance, the more the media will cover them, and the more … [Read more...] about More Illini NCAA Tourney wins would be huge for Chicago
Is The NCAA Basketball Champion in The Big Ten?
If there is a time for the Big Ten to exert their dominance in basketball, this is it! The conference has just suffered another poor football season, has been hit by scandal, and its teams continue to lose bowl games (2-5 in bowls this season). It is time for Big Ten basketball to rise to new heights; it’s time for the Big Ten to produce a national champion. … [Read more...] about Is The NCAA Basketball Champion in The Big Ten?
Big Ten Football Season in Review
At the beginning of the season we gave a quarterly review of the performance of each Big Ten team and graded them based on how they did compared to pre-season expectations. As the season progressed, so did the quarterly reviews. About a month ago, we gave our third quarter review. Now, with the regular season over, we conclude the series with our season in review. Each … [Read more...] about Big Ten Football Season in Review
Big Ten Football Third Quarter Review
Earlier in the season we gave a quarterly review of the performance of each Big Ten team and graded them based on how they did compared to pre-season expectations. About a month ago, we gave our mid-season review. Now, three-quarters of the season is over, and each school’s grade is based on its overall/ conference record, and how the team has improved or declined since the … [Read more...] about Big Ten Football Third Quarter Review
Is Indiana Football A Conference Champion Contender?
Every time Wisconsin has the opportunity to pull away from what’s left of the Leaders division, they find a way screw it up and let the rest of them hang around. This week, it’s Indiana. You may say I’m absurd, but the Hoosiers are in control of their own destiny on the road to Indianapolis for the chance to play in the conference championship game. Although Indiana has three … [Read more...] about Is Indiana Football A Conference Champion Contender?