Final: Michigan State 20 Nebraska 17

Final: Indiana 20 Wisconsin 14

Ohio State 28 Rutgers 16. 4:15 4Q

Final: Clemson 31 Notre Dame 23

2:30

Penn State @ Maryland

Iowa @ Northwestern

Missouri @ Georgia

6:30

Purdue @ Michigan

Washington @ USC

LSU @ Alabama

Tipoff in the season opener about 30 minutes away.

Some off the record thoughts on the first game.

* Underwood will need to continue to evaluate lineups. Right now, they are starting 4 wings and face-up 4. That group will have chemistry and skill set issues, in my opinion.

* Not a shocker, but Ty Rodgers is not really a point guard and he's not playing a ton of minutes at the position. Multiple guys take turns bring the ball up. I do like Rodgers getting the ball in transition and leading the break. His size and strength in those scenarios is tough to defend.

* Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn will have to play a lot and possibly start. Underwood tried to downplay what Dra did on the court, but it was obvious that Illinois plays at a different speed with Dra in the game. His defense is sporadic. He can be disruptive because of his quickness, but can be a bit overaggressive and let guys drive then foul them.

* The poor start was because of lack of effort, which is a concern. Coleman Hawkins was probably the biggest culprit. He didn't take Jermaine Hamlin seriously and got muscled to the rim by him multiple times. EIU was quicker to the ball. They were getting a tone of ORB's early and coming up with 50/50 balls.

* EIU had 4 more offensive rebounds that Illinois. That shouldn't happen, but EIU also missed a ton of shots. They rebounded 14 of their 29 misses (28.5%). Illinois rebounded 10 of its 29 misses (34.4$)

* I love Quincy Guerrier as a driver. That's big boy basketball when he puts in on the floor. Now he needs to hit a few shots to keep defenses from backing off.

* The lack of guards on this team is obvious, so the redshirt of Sencire Harris doesn't make much sense in that regard. We'll see what happens with him.

* They really need to add a couple of more guards to the 2024 class. A versatile guard / shooter from the Portal is a big need. I'm not sure how much a reclassified Jeremiah Fears would help, but you obviously take him is he wants to come.

* Domask is solid but he needs to shore up his defense. Sincere Malone blew by him a couple of times and also beat him to the offense glass.

* Dainja is not happy coming off the bench, IMO, and I honestly don't think he should be. If you're going to spread the court with four wings, then Dainja is more effective than Coleman Hawkins at the 5 (both on offense and defense).

* TJ Shannon has a chance to be a first team All-American. One knit pick that I have about his game last night is that he didn't pull up for mid-range shots like he said he wants to do more of this year. He mostly put his head down and went to the rim.

* Marty Simmons said in the post game that the foul trouble didn't hurt them that much, but I would disagree with that. Once Sincere Malone and Jermaine Hamlin got into foul trouble Illinois made a huge run and EIU was toast.

* We didn't see the same ball movement that we saw against Kansas. The Jayhawks didn't guard the passing lanes, which is a staple of their defense. 15 assists on 29 field goals (52%) is pretty decent though.

* Amani Hansberry isn't going to score much against better competition, but he's a natural rebounder. He'll continue to get minutes because of that. I think he's going to have some trouble defending better and bigger teams inside, though.

What are your questions?

I don't believe what i just saw. Unreal.

to 6 wins if they want to be eligible for a bowl.

Five wins will very unlikely be able to cut it due to where we rank on the APR list:

Meant to post this last night.

Laughery is out for the season. He has a torn meniscus and will have surgery.

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Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.

The game is available streaming on BTN+.

Per Bret Bielema today

QB Luke Altmyer. They are pretty sure that Altmyer will be a go for Indiana. They are still watching him and evaluating, but everything looks okay so far.

RB Reggie Love. He's practicing this week. They will see how he responds after practice on Tuesday.

DL Keith Randolph. He played Saturday. They will take it easy with him this week, but no reason he shouldn't be ready to go.

RB Kaden Feagin. Feagin didn't get hurt, but he took quite a few shots, so they will take it easy with him in practice.

I was aware of the sign stealing investigation but not the other two. Computer hacking and
Illegal recruiting during Covid.

I believe that Michigan has been immune from prosecution because they make too much money for the conference. However, if the other Big Ten coaches band together, and stand strong they can demand that the new commissioner, make a stand.

Michigan may finally pay
the price. Vacate this year’s wins, a bowl ban and dismissal of the head coach.

In fact, I would go so far as to give him a lifetime ban from ever coaching in the Big Ten again.

Harbaugh is a cheater, first last and always

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The Illini open the 2023-24 season at home against Morehead State on Tuesday night.

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Prior to the B1G re-release of our conference opponents for next season along with dates, we were supposed to play EIU on September 21. Now we are playing at Nebraska on that date and we have an open slot on August 31.

EIU hosts Indiana State on Aug. 31. Neither of those schools look to have anyone scheduled on September 21. Is it possible EIU and IndState could play their game on that date thus putting EIU back on our schedule for August 31?

My girlfriend and her oldest son graduated from EIU and her daughter who currently attends there were really looking forward to this game.

There seems to be some very interesting outcomes from both teams in the history of the Illini-Gophers football series and yesterday was no exception.

Here are some of the more interesting games since 1988.

1988 was a 29-29 tie at the old HHH Metrodome. First year head coach John Mackovic and transfer QB Jeff George. I believe we had to come back to tie. Minnesota finished 2-7-2 that season.

1992. This game frustrated me. Another game at the Metrodome. We had a 17-3 lead in the 4th quarter and they came back late in the game to get within one point. They go for two and get it for the win. We then upset OSU in Columbus the following week with backup QB. Gophers finish 2-9 that season. The next day the Bears played the Vikings there and had a 20-0 lead in the 4th before Harbaugh's audible set the Viking comeback in motion.

1993. The "it's freezing and we are losing by 11 late in the game and I am leaving because I am cold" game. No, I stayed but I almost left. Who could forget that comeback.

1994 We are trying to get bowl eligible and are favorites to win. Gophers are 3-5. Another game at the dome. I think we spotted them a 14-0 before winning 21-17.

1996 Another game at the Dome. The battle of lame duck coaches. Jim Wacker vs. Lou Tepper. We were leading very late in the 4th and making a goal line stand against them. Tepper says let them score as he is confident there is enough time for our offense to get the ball within FG range to win. That did not happen.

2000. Game at the dome the week after the screw job we got against scUM. I don't think we were ever motivated to play that game and we lose big time.

2002. Another game at the dome. This one on Thursday night due to the Twins being in the playoffs. We need to win to stop our season from going into a tailspin. We hang with them for a little bit and the wheels fell off.

2008. We just beat scUM in Ann Arbor. We were favored but a few stopped short of either first down or TD calls and we lose by 6.

2009 A disappointing season but an upset of scUM the week before. First game at the TCF Stadium. We are not favored and use backup QB Jacob Charest instead of Juice Williams. Somehow will pulled this one off and our last W and one of only a few for what was supposed to be a competitive season.

2010. How the heck did we lose this one. Home game and heavily favored. We are trying to lock up a bowl game. They are 1-9. Tim Brewster fired and they are playing with a interim HC. They lead most of the game. We take a lead in the 4th only for them to come back.

2011. We go there after losing five in a row and they are 2-9. Not even a competitive game for us. We just wanted the season to be over. We all know what happens to Zook after that game.

2014 Our season seams to be going nowhere. We. are 3-4 and got beat at home by a terrible Purdue team. Beautiful late October day for Homecoming. How we pulled that one off, I don't know but it kept us in bowl contention.

2018. Just got blown out by Purdue the week before. Hardy Nickerson dismissed as DC and Lovie takes over that role. Don't know how not only won that game but dominated them

2021. Just at total surprise. Yes we had upset Penn State in Happy Valley but then laid a turd against mediocre Rutgers at home. Did not expect to win this game on the road.

2022 Classic battle between two evenly matched teams and we win at home.to secure a bowl game in mid-October.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After a last-minute 27-26 win at Minnesota, Illinois wide receiver Isaiah Williams and running back Kaden Feagin were named Big Ten awards winners on Monday. Williams is the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and Feagin is the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Williams was also named the East-West Shrine Bowl's Breakout Offensive Player of the Week and Feagin was named the 247Sports National True Freshman of the Week.

Isaiah Williams - Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, East-West Shrine Bowl's Breakout Offensive Player of the Week
Williams had career highs in receptions (13), receiving yards (131), and touchdown receptions (2, tied) in the victory at Minnesota. He came up huge in the clutch with the game-winning 46-yard touchdown catch with 50 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and Illinois trailing by five points, after also keeping the Illini alive earlier in the drive with a 22-yard reception on 4th-and-11 from the Minnesota 15-yard line with 1:25 remaining.

Williams' 13 receptions are the most by a Big Ten player in a single game this season and tied for the fifth-most by any FBS player in 2023. The 13 receptions are tied for the second-most in Illinois history and the most by an Illini in 35 years.

Williams now leads the Big Ten in receptions with 59, seven ahead of Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr., who ranks second with 52. Harrison Jr. is the only Big Ten player with more receiving yards than Williams, who has 693 receiving yards on the year. Williams also leads the Big Ten in yards after catch with 371 and ranks second in first-down receptions with 33, once again only trailing Harrison Jr.

Kaden Feagin - Big Ten Freshman of the Week, 247Sports National True Freshman of the Week
Feagin had a career-high 148 yards of offense in Illinois' win at Minnesota. He carried the ball 22 carries for 89 yards and had a 54-yard touchdown reception for the first receiving score of his career. The touchdown reception gave Illinois a 21-20 lead in the third quarter and was the longest reception by an Illini this season. Feagin's 148 total yards led all players in the game.

After starting the last three games, Feagin is adding his name to the Freshman All-American conversation. His 418 rushing yards are third in the nation among true freshman, behind only Minnesota's Darius Taylor (591) and BYU's LJ Martin (438). Feagin is sixth in the nation in rushing yards among all freshmen (including redshirt) and he ranks in the top ten in the Big Ten in yards/carry (7th, 4.7) and yards/game (10th, 52.2).

Illinois will definitely recruit him. Lots of SEC competition, though. Ole Miss is a major player.

HS teammates with Illinois commit QB Trey Petty.

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A plan B kid to watch. I think he has a chance to be one of the most improved players in the state. Pure point guard.