Looking ahead to 2025
- Status
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
With a favorable schedule and assuming Luke is back, do we have a chance to take another step forward?
I know we lose PB/Franklin but seems like we’ll return a lot of contributors?
I know we lose PB/Franklin but seems like we’ll return a lot of contributors?
I would put our schedule for next year like this (and it's pretty impossible to predict especially in today's transfer portal landscape)
Likely wins
Western Illinois
Western Michigan
Northwestern
Rutgers (yeah I said it)
at Purdue
Toss Ups
at Duke
Maryland
at Wisconsin
Likely Losses
Ohio State
USC (maybe this belongs in the toss up category but I just have to assume they are going to bounce back in a big way next year)
at Indiana (I don't expect them to sustain what they did this season, but they have clearly turned a corner)
at Washington (maybe this belongs in the toss up category as well, just tough to predict a win in the PNW)
The path to 6-8 wins is there. Even in the Likely Losses category, Ohio State is the only one that seems like an automatic loss (if there is such a thing). Next season is big for our trajectory as a program. Making a bowl in 3 of 4 seasons would be huge.
IU will turn over a huge chunk of their roster so as you said, impossible to predict with the portal. They will come out confident though based on this season, so maybe depends where that game falls on the schedule.
Rutgers loses their QB (at least I am pretty sure?)
Maryland seems to be regressing to their mean without Taulia.
OSU will be OSU, but if we can get some good WR talent in the portal, a home game with a senior QB..
Unless we solidify our lines and greatly increase our speed on defense, 6-7 wins would be pretty good with that schedule.
From AutoPoster 3000, which says it all:
“Now in his 11th year as a head coach in the Big Ten, it has become clear that Bielema is the quintessential coach for the oldest conference in major college athletics.”
This is pretty much my belief at this point.
Zook I always had mixed feelings about for all his Zooky reasons. But it never felt like he belonged here.
I absolutely despised Beckman from the very first press conference and my opinion only went downhill from there. The worst representative of the university in its 157 year history. He was a complete and utter embarrassment and his final downfall proved that beyond all doubt.
Of course I’m forgetting about Bill Cubit, and a lot people do.
I was 100% behind the Lovie hire when it was made. I thought his NFL-junior strategy was going to be game changing. It wasn’t. Or it was, in that it changed our game for the worse. By the end, I was 100% against Lovie. The Miles Smith debacle was the final blow. He never got the college game, and was too complacent and indifferent to learn it.
Then came Bielema. And I have loved every part of it. He’s the perfect embodiment of everything we are and should always be. A big doughy bullheaded midwesterner with red cheeks and a chip on his shoulder about everything. This might be the hill I die on, but after decades backing this program, I genuinely believe that if we can’t win with Bielema, we can’t win with anybody. And guess what? We ARE winning.”
“Now in his 11th year as a head coach in the Big Ten, it has become clear that Bielema is the quintessential coach for the oldest conference in major college athletics.”
This is pretty much my belief at this point.
Zook I always had mixed feelings about for all his Zooky reasons. But it never felt like he belonged here.
I absolutely despised Beckman from the very first press conference and my opinion only went downhill from there. The worst representative of the university in its 157 year history. He was a complete and utter embarrassment and his final downfall proved that beyond all doubt.
Of course I’m forgetting about Bill Cubit, and a lot people do.
I was 100% behind the Lovie hire when it was made. I thought his NFL-junior strategy was going to be game changing. It wasn’t. Or it was, in that it changed our game for the worse. By the end, I was 100% against Lovie. The Miles Smith debacle was the final blow. He never got the college game, and was too complacent and indifferent to learn it.
Then came Bielema. And I have loved every part of it. He’s the perfect embodiment of everything we are and should always be. A big doughy bullheaded midwesterner with red cheeks and a chip on his shoulder about everything. This might be the hill I die on, but after decades backing this program, I genuinely believe that if we can’t win with Bielema, we can’t win with anybody. And guess what? We ARE winning.”
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Depends on what your definition of step forward is. I think 7 wins would be a good season, given the schedule looks pretty tough. A repeat 8 to 9 win campaign would be a ridiculous achievement, IMO. A lot will ride on portal activity and player development (the bowl game prep will be important for development of younger players).
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Assuming Luke returns at QB, Robert has been touting 2025 as our next really strong and senior-laden Illini team (on par with 1963, 1983, 2001, 2007 (and now) 2024. Maybe we're just 4-5 really good and strategic NIL transfers from seriously competing for a CFP berth!
We need a LARGE increase in NIL, because I guarantee that a few programs who have it are coming for Luke Altmyer and maybe a few others.
This is a good problem to have.
This is a good problem to have.
I believe he has a better chance at playing on Sundays at linebacker
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- Batavia
I agree 6-8 wins seems to look very obtainable. A conservative estimation that we lose to Washington and USC, which who knows maybe we can win, especially the USC game, and that puts us at 8-4? Very exciting that we may be putting ourselves into a position to make a bowl every year. The program has never felt stronger!
It is too early (for me) to evaluate the team for 2025 (NIL, portal). But, based on observations, I just think they will be a better team overall next year regardless of their record.
I know there are some obvious guys not coming back, but I don't really know all the eligibility each player has (I quit trying to keep up). I would like to hear some opinions. Off the top of head, I see J.C. Davis, Pat Bryant, Zakhari Franklin, Seth Coleman, Dennis Briggs, Terah Edwards, Ezekial Holmes, and Ryan Meed. I think Gabe Jacas could be enticed by the NFL possibility. Are there other specific players that people think we might lose to the portal or I missed otherwise?
I know there are some obvious guys not coming back, but I don't really know all the eligibility each player has (I quit trying to keep up). I would like to hear some opinions. Off the top of head, I see J.C. Davis, Pat Bryant, Zakhari Franklin, Seth Coleman, Dennis Briggs, Terah Edwards, Ezekial Holmes, and Ryan Meed. I think Gabe Jacas could be enticed by the NFL possibility. Are there other specific players that people think we might lose to the portal or I missed otherwise?
Last edited:
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Because they took the Big Ten West from us.
Iowa is our contemporary now that BB is here and rolling. I think we can match their level of success moving forward, which withouth B1G west probably means 8 win season should hopefully become the norm and every 3-5 years we will have a magical 10 win season. The goal is to be a fringe CFP team most years, which means we will be fighting for a 4th place finish in the B1G moving forward. Assuming most years 1-3 will be some combination of OSU, Oregon, Michigan, and Penn State
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
This is the unfortunate answer for why we can't be like Iowa was in the sense of lucking into 10-win seasons and regular appearances in the Big Ten Championship Game, but the other answer is that we absolutely CAN be like Iowa as far as true program level ... and you could argue we already are. The fan support/craziness Iowa enjoys will naturally lag a bit behind multiple seasons of being as good as we are this year, but we have already seen such incredible improvement.
EDIT: This is why it is incredibly frustrating that we don't have a protected rivalry with Iowa (our own doing ... we sucked for the multiple decades that were needed to be in Wisconsin's spot with them right now) and that we are no longer divisional opponents. That is by far the most natural rivalry for our football program right now, and it is prevented from happening due to scheduling.
I really hope we can hit it big in the portal and keep our key contributors, because this would reasonably be the most hyped Illini season since 2008, right? I know people really thought we had a ton of talent in 2009, but 2008 was such a disappointment that that had to water down the enthusiasm a tad. I can't think of another year that would come close. If we see continued positive trends for our attendance that even KIND OF match the improvement we have seen each offseason since 2021, we will have some awesome crowds next year and hopefully solidify Memorial Stadium as a bona fide great gameday atmosphere.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- Batavia
Following this season, while I still think we should have 3 non-conference opponents that are relative easy wins, I will be less fervent about cancelling the Mizzou series. While I'm sure they are still nothing to scoff at, I think this year showed that Bret's program can certainly go toe to toe with Eli's Mizzou team. That can always change one way or the other. But the prospect of sub-.500 Illinois going up against top 10 Mizzou every year seems a lot less likely than it did a few months ago.
Also, I understand a B1G-SEC scheduling agreement is definitely being worked on at the moment, and the Illinois-Mizzou series would be a fixed part of that. So I understand keeping that as it is while that gets figured out.
Bottom line: Mizzou doesn't seem so scary anymore. We can go out and beat them any year if we keep our **** together.
Also, I understand a B1G-SEC scheduling agreement is definitely being worked on at the moment, and the Illinois-Mizzou series would be a fixed part of that. So I understand keeping that as it is while that gets figured out.
Bottom line: Mizzou doesn't seem so scary anymore. We can go out and beat them any year if we keep our **** together.
Sat, Aug 30: Western Illinois (Win)
Sat, Sept 6: at Duke (Win)
Sat, Sept 13 Western Michigan (Win)
B1G Home Games
Ohio State (Toss up)
USC (Win)
Maryland (Win)
Northwestern (Win)
Rutgers (Win)
B1G Road Games
Indiana (Toss up)
Purdue (Win)
Washington (Win)
Wisconsin (Win, low confidence)
Sat, Sept 6: at Duke (Win)
Sat, Sept 13 Western Michigan (Win)
B1G Home Games
Ohio State (Toss up)
USC (Win)
Maryland (Win)
Northwestern (Win)
Rutgers (Win)
B1G Road Games
Indiana (Toss up)
Purdue (Win)
Washington (Win)
Wisconsin (Win, low confidence)
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
I honestly think 9 wins again is most likely (maybe even the expectation?), but we'll look better doing it. 10-11 wins is not out of the question. Seems crazy to even be saying that.
- Status