Visitors this weekend. I'll have a recruiting roundup on Friday with more information, future visitors, etc.

Wagler is an official visit. He is just off of an official visit to Minnesota. I know Illinois likes him but I'm not yet 100% convinced they will take him if he wants to commit. We'll see.

Jaylan Mitchell is the top Illinois target in the 2027 class, and they have a realistic shot at him.

For me, Jaxson Davis hasn't yet shown that he should be a priority kid. He had a really good Peach Jam and needs to continue that momentum during the high school season.

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Former Illinois wide receiver Mike Dudek will serve as the Fighting Illini's honorary captain on Saturday for Illinois' Homecoming game against Central Michigan. The game is scheduled to kick off at Memorial Stadium at 11 a.m. CT on Peacock.

Dudek led the Big Ten in receptions (50) and receiving yards (716) during conference play as a true freshman in 2014 on his way to Freshman All-American honors. He set Illinois' single-season freshman records for receiving yards (1,038) and receptions (76), and tied the freshman touchdown record (6).

Dudek still ranks seventh in Illinois single-season history and eighth in single-season receiving yards. He had one of the biggest receiving games in Illinois history against Purdue in 2014, when he caught eight passes for 200 yards, the fifth-most receiving yards in a game in Illinois history.

Dudek earned his bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's in technology management from the Gies College of Business. He is a vice president with Third Coast Capital Advisors in Chicago and has responsibility for acquisition target research, marketing, and business development.

Big time kid.

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Local kid who is committed to ISU. I expect him to flip.

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Does anyone have knowledge to why Odeluga is not playing, or if he is playing it is limited? I was of opinion
that he had a wonderful season last year and from the appearance of things we can use quality players in our front six or seven.

ROSEMONT, lll. – The Big Ten Conference announced Thursday preseason honors for 49 student-athletes who were included on the Big Ten Men’s Golfers to Watch List.

The Watch List is headlined by nine student-athletes who earned All-Big Ten distinction last year, including the reigning Golfer of the Year, Jackson Buchanan (Illinois), and 2024 Freshman of the Year, Max Herendeen (Illinois). It also includes six golfers who finished inside the Top-10 at the 2024 Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships, led by medalist Daniel Svärd (Northwestern), and 19 who received Academic All-Big Ten honors last season.

The 2024-25 golf season tees off this week for the expanded Big Ten, as the conference welcomed Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington on August 2. Four Big Ten squads were ranked in the preseason Bushnell/Golfweek DI Coaches Poll (No. 9 Illinois, No. 18 Washington, No. 22 Ohio State, No. 25 UCLA).

This spring, the Big Ten Men’s Golf Championships (April 18-20) will unfold at Baltimore Country Club in Maryland, while the 2025 NCAA Golf Championships will be hosted for a second consecutive year at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

The latest on a lot of big names:

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois cornerback Xavier Scott was named the Chuck Bednarik Award National Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club and was also tabbed as the Walter Camp FBS National Defensive Players of the Week presented by The Heights Group at Morgan Stanley. Both awards were announced Tuesday. Scott forced three turnovers in Illinois' 23-17 win over #19 Kansas, helping the Illini to their highest ranked nonconference win since 1995.

Scott had two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, one forced fumble, 1.0 sack, and eight solo tackles against Kansas. Scott, who also took home Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors, is the only player in the nation to force three turnovers in a single game this season.

Scott started the game with an interception on Kansas' first series, then had a momentum-swinging pick-6 with 36 seconds left in the first half to give Illinois a 13-10 lead entering halftime. He ended the game with a strip-sack forced fumble on the final play to secure the win.

From what I've gathered, Tim Anderson is about 90% gone.

Not sure who they would replace him with, or if they would replace him at all at this point.

I’ll post the full visitor list later today.

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Per ESPN

Central Michigan @ Illinois -20
Alabama -16 @ Wisconsin
Arkansas State @ Michigan -22.5
Oregon -16.5 @ Oregon State
Notre Dame -11.5 @ Purdue
Prairie View A@M (FCS) @ Michigan State N/L
Nevada @ Minnesota -16.5
Washington State vs. Washington (Neutral site game at the Seahawks stadium) -4
Troy @ Iowa -22.5
Northern Iowa (FCS) @ Nebraska N/L
Eastern Illinois (FCS) @ Northwestern N/L
Maryland -2.5 @ Virginia
Indiana -2.5 at UCLA

Questions.: Will Notre Dame bounce back from its major upset?
Central Michigan got destroyed at Florida Atlantic 52-16 mainly because of turnovers. After our victory against Kansas, do we have a bit of a letdown against CMU? I don't expect it to resemble
Notre Dame's let down after beating Texas A&M on the road.
Just how good or bad are Michigan State and Minnesota?
Is Oregon going to look better in the next few weeks?
Is the "Apple Cup" really neutral for Washington State?
Is Nebraska really back?

Interesting note: NW QB Mike Wright being benched for Jack Lauch. Braun made it clear that ball security and turnovers were the factors in switching QBs.