It's a season of change for the St. Louis region's eight Division I men's college basketball teams. Numerous new players and some new coaches will try to make their marks.
Illini fall to 6-2 overall, 3-2 in Big Ten Conference games.
Also, Mizzou and Illinois football teams to go head to head Saturday in feature 2:30 p.m. time block.
Oregon doesn’t care about its No. 1 ranking, but Illinois sure does. The No. 20 Fighting Illini visit the Ducks on Saturday at Autzen Stadium with a chance to knock off the top-ranked team in the country. Illinois coach Bret Bielema is certainly using the ranking as motivation for his squad.…
Oregon is ranked No. 1 in the current AP Top 25, the first time it has held the top spot in the rankings since 2012. The Ducks are one of just 10 remaining undefeated teams in the nation. Oregon is coming off a 35-0 victory at Purdue last weekend, the Ducks’ first road shutout since 1992. Il…
No. 20 Illinois just beat defending national champion Michigan. Now the Illini get a chance to test themselves against the top-ranked team in the nation. Illinois' visit to No. 1 Oregon highlights Saturday's Big Ten action. This week's Big Ten schedule also has No. 3 Penn State putting its u…
Illinois coach Bret Bielema has his team cooking so far this season — including wins against three Top 25 teams.
The Bielemas might already have the perfect photo for this year's family Christmas card. Or at least a top contender after a dominating win Saturday against Michigan.
The late October battle for first place in the Southeastern Conference gives us the improbable matchup of No. 8 LSU at No. 14 Texas A&M. The Tigers were picked fifth in the preseason media poll and the Aggies ninth. Both have won six straight since season-opening losses and are the only SEC teams unbeaten in conference play. No. 17 Boise State plays at UNLV for a Mountain West game matching contenders for the Group of Five bid in the College Football Playoff. Miami's Cam Ward continues his Heisman Trophy campaign with a home game against Florida State.
Purdue shooting for 3rd straight Big Ten title. Painter says conference expansion makes task tougher
Purdue is the favorite to win a third straight Big Ten regular-season championship in men's basketball. The Boilermakers have won 63 of their last 74 games, played in the national title game in April and have the conference’s preseason player of the year in Braden Smith. Coach Matt Painter said whether it’s his team or another that finishes on top in the first season of an 18-team Big Ten, the winner will be the one that stays healthy, makes its own breaks and maybe gets a little lucky. That's because the travel in the coast-to-coast conference will be a grind.
The Illini won the Big Ten tournament, made it to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005 and were ranked No. 6 in the final AP Top 25 poll last season. Four of the five starters are gone., along with most of the bench depth. So the Illini have restocked their roster with talented transfers and freshmen for Coach Brad Underwood’s eighth season at the helm.
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Luke Altmyer threw for a touchdown and ran for another, leading No. 22 Illinois to a 21-7 victory over No. 24 Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
Also: Mizzou, Illinois football teams set for national television appearances this weekend.
Michigan and Illinois will try to get back on track Saturday at Memorial Stadium. No. 24 Michigan had a school-record 27-game Big Ten winning streak snapped Oct. 5 at Washington. The Wolverines also had won 11 straight road games. No. 22 Illinois led a one-win Purdue team 27-3 in the third quarter last week, fell behind in the final minute of regulation, and rallied for a 50-49 overtime victory. The Illini are 11-11-1 in ranked-vs-ranked games at home, but haven’t won one since beating Ohio State in 1991. Illini coach Bret Bielema wants his team's fans to bring a raucous atmosphere.
Illinois hosts Michigan 100 years and one day after Red Grange scored four of his six TDs in the first 12 minutes of the Memorial Stadium dedication game against Michigan. Illinois won 39-14, ending the Wolverines’ 20-game winning streak. The Illini will mark the occasion by donning hand-painted helmets to match the look of the leather helmets of Grange’s era and throwback uniforms. The loser of the game will most likely drop out of the AP Top 25 poll with key games coming up next week. Michigan will play host to Michigan State and Illinois will travel to No. 2 Oregon.
Indiana hasn't trailed all season heading into the 16th-ranked Hoosiers' Saturday home game with Nebraska. That matchup shapes up as the biggest game on the Big Ten schedule this week. The Big Ten lineup also includes a rare Top 25 matchup at Illinois' Memorial Stadium when No. 22 Illinois hosts No. 24 Michigan. This marks the first time two Top 25 teams have faced off at that stadium since a 10th-ranked Michigan team beat the 19th-ranked Illini 35-31 way back on Sept. 23, 2000.
After six games — five wins — Illinois starting quarterback Luke Altmyer ranks 14th nationally in passing efficiency and 13th in touchdown passes.
Luke Altmyer threw a 25-yard touchdown pass in overtime to Pat Bryant, and Dylan Rosiek sacked Purdue’s Ryan Browne on a 2-point conversion attempt to give No. 23 Illinois a 50-49 victory Saturday. Illinois (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) had lost four straight and seven of its last eight against Purdue (1-5, 0-3). The Illini hadn’t beaten the Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium since 2010. Illinois’ David Alano made a 38-yard field goal as time expired to tie it at 43. Ahrmad Branch, on his only carry of the day, scored on a 3-yard run in OT for the Boilermakers. Altmyer completed 20 of 34 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns.
With important Big Ten games coming up against No. 24 Michigan and No. 3 Oregon and five ranked opponents on its schedule over a seven-game stretch, No. 23 Illinois can’t afford a letdown against a struggling Purdue team that has lost four in a row and was crushed 52-6 last Saturday by Wisconsin.
Illinois hasn’t played a home game in a month. Road games at then No. 22-Nebraska and then-No. 9 Penn State and a bye week left Memorial Stadium silent since Sept. 14. The Illini will return home Saturday to face rival Purdue in their first home Big Ten game of the season and the 100th meeting between the two teams. Illinois beat Nebraska 31-24 in overtime and lost 21-7 to Penn State in its back-to-back road games. Purdue is coming off a 52-6 thrashing by Wisconsin last week a few days after offensive coordinator Graham Harrell was fired and replaced by Jason Simmons.
The Illini get more of a benefit of the doubt now. Even if there are 10 newcomers on the roster.
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The 23-17 upset win against No. 19 Kansas on Saturday night felt important.
Illinois beat a ranked nonconference opponent for the first time since topping then-No. 22 Arizona State on Sept. 17, 2011.
The big question for the Illinois offense heading into the 2024 season: Who was going to catch the ball? Other than Pat Bryant, of course. The answer was apparently everyone.
Underwood went looking for a combination of high-level opponents to create matchups TV networks would fight to broadcast.
The Illinois football team was efficient in its season debut against Eastern Illinois, beating the Panthers 45-0 behind four touchdown passes from quarterback Luke Altmyer on Thursday.
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.
But even though they were together at San Jose State a short time, a strong relationship developed between Wilkerson, Lunney and their wives.