CHAMPIONS — The situation couldn’t be better for Illinois football. At least not this week.
On Saturday, Illinois defeated the Dragons at the House of Grange, marking the second time in more than 40 years that it had defeated Michigan State at home. Red would have been proud too.
It wasn’t 39-14 like in 1924. How great would that have been? – but 21-7 works just fine.
The victory capped off a special week on campus that celebrated the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium and a magical Grange game.
Illinois did everything right, including winning. Bringing back a number of star players, including Dana Howard, David Williams, Mo Gardner and Brandon Lloyd, added context to this moment.
As in 1924, there was no question that Illinois was the better team. They dominated the defense and special teams and earned a bowl berth before Halloween. Offensively, Illinois outscored Michigan on the ground.
University of Illinois coach Bret Bielema joins a special list of coaches who earned a win against Michigan.
Of course, Bielema has three wins against the Wolverines while coaching at the University of Wisconsin. And be sure to point out that that number is currently 4.
“This is what I came here for,” Bielema said. “We thought we could make Illinois sustainable, and this is a really big step in that direction for our fan base.”
Beating Michigan is special for Illinois fans. From disrespectful T-shirts (I won’t write what’s written in the family newspaper) to near misses that haunt them.
When the newcomers arrive in Champaign-Urbana, they quickly learn that Michigan is their enemy. Annoyingly, it’s a rival that doesn’t feel the same way about CU’s team.
Quarterback Luke Altmayer was solid again Saturday and learned about the rivalry.
“This means a lot,” Altimer said. “It was our mission to play against a historic program and win, and I’m glad we were able to do that.”
Tight end Tanner Arkin previously played against Michigan when he was at Colorado State.
“We didn’t win,” Arkin said. “It was great to have the opportunity to come back here and play against them on this stage in this type of game. This game definitely circled our schedule for this year.”
A one-sided series could have quickly turned in Illinois’ favor. Nothing the University of Michigan did on Saturday resembled the team that was covered in confetti after winning the national title last season.
I got into the elevator with Michigan State athletic director Warde Manuel at the end of the game. He looked gloomy.
Illinois, on the other hand, is in a happy situation. Returning to the Bowl for the first time since 2022. And there are many more possibilities.
“I heard a lot of stories about things I’ve never done before,” Bielema said. “I’d rather talk about what we’ve been doing. Okay, I understand.”
He hopes expectations will rise.
“We had a crowd that affected the game,” Bielema said. “Knowing that moment, and more importantly, knowing that my opponent felt it was a huge deal.”
great opportunity
Illinois entered the weekend ranked 22nd in the Associated Press Top 25 (16th in my poll). The rest of the voters will likely join me this week in ranking Illinois in the mid-to-high teens.
The 6-1 team can move into the top 10 and into the College Football Playoff discussion with a win over No. 2 Oregon State on Saturday.
“What we did was prepare for a really good ranked matchup against Oregon,” Bielema said.
Before you say “no chance,” remember that the University of Illinois was trailing by one point at home against the University of Michigan.
While bowl-eligible, Illinois clearly has bigger goals in mind. It’s like playing for the Big Ten Championship.
That won’t be possible without eliminating the winningest program in college football history.
on the news
Saturday’s win officially put Illinois in the national conversation. Especially with a trip to Eugene, Ore., on hold for another game on CBS. The good guys, Gary Danielson and Brad Nessler, have settled into Illinois well.
Bielema understands the value of winning and what it means for the future.
“It’s one thing to have this moment,” Bielema said. “It’s important to take advantage of that. We’ve had quite a few new employees here. Some of the guys from around here may have said they were going somewhere else. Today they changed their minds. It might have been.”
The fourth-year coach choked up while talking about playing at Michigan. Two years ago, the week Illinois went to Ann Arbor, he lost his beloved mother. And when he was a player, his sister died the week he met the Wolverines.
He shared his experience with the players.
“I told the team on Sunday that I fought the devil,” he said. “It’s more than I imagined. There’s always a lot more to this game.”
