Latest Bret Bielema News
No. 22 Nebraska hosts No. 24 Illinois in a Big Ten opener matching unbeaten teams
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Let the games begin, for real. That's coach Matt Rhule's attitude as No. 22 Nebraska enters its game against No. 24 Illinois on Friday night. “Now the season starts, this is the first game in the Big Ten for us and we’ll find out where we...
Pat Bryant catches 2 TDs, Ethan Moczulski kicks a school-record field goal as Illinois beats CMU
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Luke Altmyer threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns, both to Pat Bryant, to lead Illinois to a 30-9 win over Central Michigan on Saturday. Bryant had seven catches for 102 yards and Zakhari Franklin caught five passes for 66 yards. Josh McCray...
Illinois hosts Central Michigan looking for first 3-0 start since 2011
Central Michigan (1-1) at Illinois (2-0), Saturday, noon ET (Peacock) BetMGM College Football Odds: Illinois by 18 1/2. Series record: First meeting. WHAT’S AT STAKE? Illinois: Off to the best start in Bret Bielema’s four years as...
Illinois rallies in the 4th quarter to beat No. 19 Kansas 23-17
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kaden Feagin scored on a 1-yard run with 9:34 to go, David Alano added a 43-yard field goal with 58 seconds left and Illinois rallied to beat No. 19 Kansas 23-17 on Saturday night. Illinois (2-0) beat a ranked nonconference opponent at home for the first time...
No. 19 Kansas faces Illinois at a sold-out Memorial Stadium
No. 19 Kansas (1-0) at Illinois (1-0), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (FS1) BetMGM College Football Odds: Kansas by 5 1/2. Series record: Tied 3-3. WHAT’S AT STAKE? Kansas’ resurgence under coach Lance Leipold reached new heights last season with...
No. 19 Kansas looks for signature road win against Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Much will be on the line Saturday when No. 19 Kansas faces Illinois at a sold-out Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks (1-0) will be looking for a signature road win. The Illini (1-0) want to erase the bad taste in their mouths left by a 34-23...
Luke Altmyer's four touchdown passes leads Illinois past Eastern Illinois 45-0
CHAMPAIGN, Ill (AP) — Luke Altmyer threw for 213 yards and a career-high four touchdowns to lead Illinois to a 45-0 victory over Eastern Illinois on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. Altmyer spread the wealth while completing 19 of 24 passes. Eleven receivers...
New-look Illinois opens the season against upset-minded Eastern Illinois
Eastern Illinois at Illinois, Thursday, 9 p.m. ET (BTN) BetMGM College Football Odds: Illinois by 27 1/2. Series record: Illinois leads 2-0. WHAT’S AT STAKE? Illinois needs a decisive victory to show it has tossed aside the disappointing...
Illinois banking on transfers, experience to erase the memories of a frustrating season
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois’ shot at playing in a bowl game last season evaporated with two-point losses in the final two games. Coach Bret Bielema is confident of a happier ending this fall. “There isn’t a more exciting time for me in my life than to be...
Illinois hires former UTEP coach Dana Dimel as a senior offensive assistant
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Former UTEP coach Dana Dimel has been hired as a senior offensive assistant at Illinois, coach Bret Bielema announced Monday. Dimel was UTEP's coach from 2018-23 and previously was coach at Wyoming and Houston. The Miners were 5-26 over Dimel's...
