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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
While Brett Bielema’s squad prepares for Tennessee and the Music City Bowl, for six players, it will not be their final college game. Some will have a week or two to prepare, others a month. Here is who to watch and where to find them. First up will be the Hula Bowl, played not in […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
The freshman is already a star. We all heard the pre-season talk about Keaton Wagler. And, if you have followed the Illini basketball team the past 5-10 years, you know head coach Brad Underwood loves to hype his players — especially newcomers. And while it’s often nice to hear how certain players look in practice, […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
On Dec. 22, 2022, Bret Bielema received a Christmas present from Starkville, Mississippi: Ole Miss Quarterback Luke Altmyer transferring to the Illinois Fighting Illini. With three years of eligibility remaining, it would give Bielema and the Illini some much-needed time and the option of stability under center. The first year did not go entirely as […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
For the past several seasons, Illinois has had “as high of a ceiling” as virtually any program in the nation. The full height of that ceiling was on display in St. Louis last night. Not just offensively, but defensively as well. The historic whooping of rival Missouri showed the Illinois fanbase the true potential of […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Illinois cruised to a 91-48 victory over Missouri on Monday night to close out a challenging slate of high-major non-conference matchups. The Illini faced five high-major opponents during non-conference play and finished an impressive 3–2. According to ESPN’s BPI, Illinois owns the No. 24-ranked non-conference strength of schedule and the No. 14 overall strength of […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
On this episode of “Oskee Talk” I revisit Monday’s Braggin’ Rights beatdown of Mizzou, reminisce about the history of the rivalry & discuss why the series should continue before previewing the non-conference finale versus Southern. I also recap women’s hoops closing out their non-conference schedule and spotlight the latest accomplishment by Shauna Green as well as […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Hours after Illinois’ October exhibition win over Illinois State, forward Ben Humrichous made headlines on Instagram, announcing his engagement to former Illini women’s basketball star Adalia McKenzie. And hours after Illinois’ historic Braggin’ Rights win over Missouri, the two tied the knot. After Monday’s win, Humrichous told reporters: “She’s been such a blessing to me. […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Spoon is in some elite company. Devon Witherspoon was named to his third Pro Bowl roster in as many seasons on Tuesday. According to Illinois, the Seahawks CB joins the legendary Dick Butkus as the only Illini alums to earn a Pro Bowl nod in each of their first three seasons in the NFL. Spoon, […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
Monday night, the Illini put their fans in the holiday spirit with a record-breaking 43-point Braggin’ Rights victory over Mizzou. As we bask in the afterglow of the dominant performance heading into the conference season, I thought it might be a nice early Christmas gift to look back at some of the most satisfying wins […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
ST. LOUIS — Illinois woke up in a fit of fury. A sour taste in the mouth shook the Illini faithful after Illinois dropped its first conference game against Nebraska at the State Farm Center. And it didn’t help when that taste lingered an excruciating nine days before fans would get to see Illinois again. […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Bret Bielema spent some of his week preparing for the Music City Bowl… slamming the AP poll’s men’s basketball voters. Illinois basketball dropped from No. 18 to No. 20 in Monday’s release, despite the Illini not playing a game last week after losing to Nebraska on Dec. 13. Illinois’ head football coach took issue with […]
about 2 months ago | 4 reads
Former Illini Pat Bryant made headlines Sunday for less than ideal reasons. The Broncos WR was carted off the field late in Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. Bryant took a big hit from cornerback Montaric Brown and was placed on a backboard with 31 seconds left in the Broncos’ 34-20 loss. According to The Athletic, […]
about 2 months ago | 3 reads
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A dominant showing at State Farm Center. Illinois returned home and left no doubt, dismantling Jackson State on Friday night in Champaign. The Illini controlled every phase of the game from the opening tip, rolling to an emphatic 86-43 victory behind balanced scoring, active defense and steady offensive execution. Illinois set the […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With nine days to practice after the buzzer-beating loss to Nebraska, head coach Brad Underwood stressed defensive and rebounding fundamentals to get the Illini back on the right track. Illinois faces Missouri on Monday night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis in the annual Braggin’ Rights game, looking to secure its […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
The annual Braggin’ Rights game between Illinois and Missouri tips off this Monday, giving the Illini a chance to reset after a disappointing showing against Nebraska. Every season, this matchup finds its way to the top of Illinois fans’ calendars. As a recent UIUC graduate, I admit, I do not know the entirety of the […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Illinois announced Friday that head wrestling coach Mike Poeta was placed on indefinite administrative leave. In a statement, athletic director Josh Whitman said Poeta will “remain away from the program while the University conducts an investigation into potential violations of his employment agreement stemming from possible noncompliance with University fiscal control policies.” The statement did […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Illinois football heads into earnest bowl prep and an offseason full of uncertainty. After 17 regular-season wins in two years, Illinois could be staring down the barrel of a “step back” season in 2026. The roster is losing star players at the three most important positions on the field: quarterback Luke Altmyer, left tackle JC […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
With the December Big Ten games and most of the non-conference season in the books, it is a good time to re-evaluate preseason expectations and see where Illinois stacks up in the conference. Please note that these are not power rankings (if they were, UCLA and Oregon would be much lower and Nebraska much higher), […]
about 2 months ago | 2 reads
Illinois and Missouri will face off in the annual Braggin’ Rights game on Monday, Dec. 22. The first meeting between the two programs took place on Dec. 21, 1932, when Illinois defeated Missouri 36-24 inside Brewer Fieldhouse. The Illini won the first four games of the rivalry and currently lead the all-time series 35-20. The […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
How to Watch Braggin’ Rights 2025 (Illinois vs. Missouri) Game Time: 7 p.m. Monday TV Channel: FS1 Online Streaming: FoxSportsGO Odds: N/A (Illinois 68% Chance To Win – ESPN Matchup Predictor) Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (8-3, 1-1 Big Ten) Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season) Last Game: Nebraska 83, Illinois 80 Gameday Reading: Missouri Tigers (10-2, 0-0 SEC) […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Midseason reinforcements are here. Illinois officially announced Tuesday night that Toni Bilic is joining the Illini effective immediately, but he will not play in any games. The 6-foot-8 inch, 210-pound forward/wing from Croatia will participate in practice and “focus on strength training and development,” the program announced in a statement. “Toni is a multi-positional, skilled […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It is an unprecedented time in college football. The college football transfer portal opens up Jan. 2, meaning coaches have to prepare for their biggest games of the season, work on keeping their current players in their building and all while looking at new players to bring onto campus. For Illinois head […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
On Dec. 30, the Illinois Fighting Illini will face the Tennessee Volunteers at Nissan Stadium in Nashville in the Music City Bowl. In the preseason both were thought to compete for the College Football Playoff. Both teams are 8-4 overall. The Illini were 5-4 in the Big Ten, and the Vols were 4-4 in the […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The stage has been set for the Illini’s matchup against the Tennessee Volunteers in this year’s Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl, but up until this weekend, uncertainties remained. Questions had been hovering across message boards and social media alike over who would be suiting up and who would be sitting out for […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads