A Fighting Illini community since 2012
PHILADELPHIA — Keaton Wagler is indispensable to Illinois. Against the best of the best, they can’t survive without him. He’s the type of player who can melt into a game. The kind that provides a 10-0 spark with his elegant movement on the court, high basketball IQ, elite shooting ability, and an ideal positional length […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illini don’t need to be perfect to be elite, they just need discipline. They need to be violent where it counts. And that’s the stuff that doesn’t always make the highlight reel, but will exhaust teams and help win you games: offensive rebounds, tipped balls, second efforts, blocks that turn into […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Happy Portal Szn to those who celebrate. My favorite part of the season is the offseason. And the hot stove is already lit. On Nov. 4, 2023, the Illini played the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Starting QB Luke Altmyer got off to a blazing hot start. He completed 18 of his first 22 passes. As the […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Littyville is out… Again. ESPN reported Thursday that Illinois assistant head coach Thad Ward is leaving Champaign and heading back to Kansas State to be an associate head coach and receivers coach. Ward was previously the Wildcats’ wide receivers coach in 2022. Ward has had two stints with the Illini, first with Lovie Smith from […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
CHAMPAIGN Ill.— Absolute statement win at home. Illinois beat No. 7 Maryland 73-70 on New Year’s Day at State Farm Center, marking the Illini’s first win over a top-10 team since 2014. “This is our biggest win in terms of our time here,” said head coach Shauna Green. This was Maryland’s first loss of the […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Star Illinois kicker David Olano has officially announced on social media that he will be entering the transfer portal with one year of eligibility. Olano, a former three-star recruit out of high school, has blossomed into one of the better kickers in the country during his three years with the Illini. The […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
The Illini closed out 2025 in historic fashion, when Illinois knocked off Tennessee on Tuesday night in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, 30-28. Trading blows in the first half Tennessee opened the scoring on its opening drive after Illinois’ first possession ended in a turnover on downs (failing to convert on 4th and-7). On […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
On this episode of “Oskee Talk” TCR’s Pleas Honeywood & Donald Glenn join me to revisit Tuesday’s thrilling Music City Bowl win versus Tennessee. We also discuss the legacies of Luke Altmyer & Bret Bielema and briefly look towards the 2026 season. Click HERE to listen! Join the conversation! Comment below and make sure to subscribe […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Illinois beat Southern on Monday night to cruise to its 10th win of the season. The Illini finished 2025 on a high note and officially wrapped up their challenging non-conference schedule. Illinois is tied for the most wins entering the new year under head coach Brad Underwood with 10 and a program record three Quad […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With 4:58 left in the fourth quarter, Tennessee’s Joakim Dodson muffed a kickoff, and for at least a brief moment, the thought of a game-sealing recovery by Illinois swirled in all of Nissan Stadium’s minds. A thrilling victory, free of headspinning drama to secure Illinois’ second-straight bowl win. That brief illusion quickly […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
NASHVILLE — After winning the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl in heart-racing fashion, the Illini secured their ninth win of the 2025 campaign, solidifying the first back-to-back nine-win seasons in program history. This is a big-time milestone for head coach Bret Bielema, who’s now won 37 games in his first five seasons at Illinois, as […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It all came down to one play. One kick. And when the Illini needed it most, they looked to their ace — All-Big Ten kicker, David Olano. With the mix of Tennessee Orange and Illinois Blue lining Nissan Stadium and the fans screaming as loud as they can, Olano drilled a 29-yard […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
NASHVILLE — The Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl was originally predicted to be a battle between two offensive juggernauts. In reality, Illinois’ defense had one of the most highlight-worthy plays of the game early in the third quarter. It all started with a strip sack from sophomore linebacker Joe Barna at around the Tennessee 15-yard […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
How to Watch Illinois at Penn State (at The Palestra, Philadelphia) Game Time: 6 p.m. Saturday TV Channel: BTN Online Streaming: FoxSportsGO Odds: N/A (Illinois 88.6% Chance To Win – ESPN Matchup Predictor) Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (10-3, 1-1 Big Ten) Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season) Last Game: Illinois 90, Southern 55 Gameday Reading: Penn State Nittany […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
With non-conference season wrapping up on Tuesday, it is time to get our first glance at how the bracket is shaping up. For Illinois, wins already banked against Texas Tech, Tennessee, and at Ohio State give them three Quad 1 wins and have the Illini well on their way to another tourney appearance. What Underwood […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Rochester, Illinois, is a small town just Southeast of Springfield in Sangamon County. Its population is 3,863. It is the epitome of small-town America. It is also the hometown of Hany Beatty, the Fighting Illini’s star senior wideout. Beatty has turned four years of hard work and dedication into a career of triumph at Illinois […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois’ 2025-26 non-conference slate has officially come to a close. The Illini took care of business on Monday afternoon at the State Farm Center beating Southern 90-55. This win improved Illinois’ non-conference record to 9-2, which is impressive considering the quality schedule Brad Underwood’s squad faced. A very balanced scoring effort helped […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
It was quite the eventful week for Illinois’ Ben Humrichous. On Monday, he helped Illinois to a record-setting win over Missouri in the annual Braggin’ Rights game. On Tuesday, he married former Illini women’s basketball player Adalia McKenzie. “It was beautiful. A ton of fun. Adalia looked beatiful. It was awesome,” Humrichous said Sunday ahead […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A statement made in hostile territory. Illinois walked into one of the Big Ten’s toughest road environments on Sunday morning and walked out with a signature conference victory. Behind timely shot-making, toughness on the glass and poise down the stretch, the Illini knocked off Purdue 83-73 at Mackey Arena to move […]
about 1 month ago | 0 reads
Illinois men’s basketball legend Dave Downey has died at age 84. The program announced Downey’s death in a statement on Sunday morning. Downey led the Illini in scoring and rebounding from 1961-63 and was named team MVP each season. He was named First-Team All-Big Ten in 1963 and led the Illini to a Big Ten […]
about 1 month ago | 1 read
On Tuesday, the Illini will meet the Tennessee Volunteers in the 2025 Music City Bowl, and the Vols are favored to win. Some of the reasons are that Tennessee will be without the services of top WR Chris Brazell, 62 catches for 1,017 yards and nine TDs, who has opted out to prepare for the […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Just a couple days out from the big day, Illinois unveiled its new look for the Music City Bowl. In a post online on Saturday, the Illini showed off their all-blue look, which includes blue helmets with a script font. “When we said Navy in NashvILLe, we meant it,” the post reads. Of course, Tennessee […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
How to Watch the 2025 Music City Bowl (Illinois vs. Tennessee) Game Time: 4:30 p.m. Tuesday TV Channel: ESPN Online Streaming: ESPN+ Odds: ILL +6.5, O/U 61.5 Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) Head Coach: Bret Bielema (5th season) Last Game: Illinois 20, Northwestern 13 Gameday Reading: Tennessee Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC) Head coach: Josh […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
How to Watch Illinois vs. Southern (Non-Conference Finale) Game Time: 2 p.m. Monday TV Channel: BTN Online Streaming: FoxSportsGO Odds: N/A (Illinois 98.7% Chance To Win – ESPN Matchup Predictor) Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (9-3, 1-1 Big Ten) Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season) Last Game: Illinois 91, Missouri 48 Gameday Reading: Southern Jaguars (4-8, 0-0 SWAC) Head […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After Illinois thrashed Missouri on Monday night, Illini fans have started to wonder what this group can look like when it commits to head coach Brad Underwood’s “daily vitamins.” During their nine-day practice week, Illinois stressed what Underwood calls their “daily vitamins,” consisting of defensive communication, attention to the small details and […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read