Illini Football 2025

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#76      
IlliniFan85
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Ron Zook Era | 2005 - 2011
2011: 6-0 and #16 ... finished 7-6 and NR, lost Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
2007: 5-1 and #18 ... finished 9-4 and #20, lost Rose Bowl
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Not to pick nits... but we won that game with our interim coach Vic Koenning

fightingillini.com

Illinois beats UCLA 20-14 in Fight Hunger Bowl - University of Illinois Athletics

Waiting 12 weeks between wins was hard enough for Illinois. Terry Hawthorne and a stingy defense made sure the Illini didn't have to wait an entire offseason as
fightingillini.com fightingillini.com
 
#77      
lstewart53x3
Fighter of the Nightman said:
I've really enjoyed these "perspective posts," and I think they have been even more necessary in the wake of that Indiana loss. That was just such a shock to the system for our fan base, and it's understandable why some traumatic responses rooted in our history reared their ugly heads for many here, haha ... but it is really important to remember just how foundationally different this current setup is than what we have had in many, many decades.
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Yeah, I think mild disappointment by the fan base is understandable. We started off the season ranked #12 in the AP poll. 12 teams make the playoff, so much of the fan base set the expectation at playoff berth.

And up to this point, we don’t look like a playoff team, especially on defense.

But, this has still been a really good year and a half run and not just for Illinois football standards. We have a better record in the past 1.5 years than Penn St, USC, and Michigan, along with all of our old B1G West rivals.

So I just want to help the fan base see that even though there’s still room for improvement, this is an amazing time to be an Illinois football fan and it’s okay to enjoy it (even if it’s not perfect).
 
#78      
Curbelo Fanboy
Fighter of the Nightman said:
I've really enjoyed these "perspective posts," and I think they have been even more necessary in the wake of that Indiana loss. That was just such a shock to the system for our fan base, and it's understandable why some traumatic responses rooted in our history reared their ugly heads for many here, haha ... but it is really important to remember just how foundationally different this current setup is than what we have had in many, many decades.

So, that got me thinking that our fan base seems nowhere near "jazzed" enough to be 5-1 ... and that made me want to look at all of the 5-1 (or better) starts we have had since the Slush Fund Scandal ... so I chose the Pete Elliott Era (beg. 1960) as a cutoff for head coaching regimes. I also tried to use one name for bowl games that have changed names over the years (e.g., "Outback Bowl" for our ReliaQuest and Hall of Fame bowl appearances).

Bielema Era | 2021 - Present
2025: 5-1 ... TBD
2024: 5-1 and #23 ... finished 10-3 and #16, Citrus Bowl champions
2022: 5-1 and #24 ... finished 8-5 and NR, lost Outback Bowl

Lovie Smith Era | 2016 - 2020
N/A

Tim Beckman/Bill Cubit Era | 2012 - 2015
N/A

Ron Zook Era | 2005 - 2011
2011: 6-0 and #16 ... finished 7-6 and NR, lost Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
2007: 5-1 and #18 ... finished 9-4 and #20, lost Rose Bowl

Ron Turner Era | 1997 - 2004
2001: 5-1 and NR ... finished 7-6 and NR, lost Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

Lou Tepper Era | 1992 - 1996
N/A

John Mackovic Era | 1988 - 1991
1990: 5-1 and #5 ... finished 8-4 and #25, lost Outback Bowl
1989: 5-1 and #8 ... finished 10-2 and #10, won Citrus Bowl

--- Mike White Era | 1980 - 1987
1983: 5-1 and #11 ... finished 10-2 and #10, lost Rose Bowl
1982: 5-1 and #15 ... finished 7-5 and NR, lost Liberty Bowl

Gary Moeller Era | 1977 - 1979
N/A

Bob Blackman Era | 1971 - 1976
N/A

James Valek Era | 1967 - 1970
N/A

Pete Elliott Era | 1960 - 1966
1963: 5-0-1 and #2 ... finished 8-1-1 and #3, won Rose Bowl

In 65 years, we have been off to a 5-1 or better start only 11 times ... and Bielema has 3 of those in his 5 years as head coach. He's a few INCREDIBLY close losses in 2021 and 2022 from having us at (presumably) 6+ wins for FIVE straight seasons; that is truly unimaginable given where Lovie left us. I know the defense is concerning and many are psychologically worried about another embarrassment vs. OSU ala the Indiana game ... but good teams suffer bad defeats from time to time. We are in a really good spot, and if we can give OSU a game on Saturday, I would argue the Indiana loss should be permanently put in the rearview mirror, win or lose!
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One quick edit, 2001 Ron Turner we started 5-1 & ended 10-2 with loss in the Sugar Bowl.

To your bigger point, this is only the 3rd time since 82-83 that we have gone 5-1 in back to back years & first time since pre early 60's we've done it 3 out of 4 years. That has been the bigger problem at IL. Turner's 5-1 start ended at 10-2 but was followed by back to back years of 5-6 & 1-10. Momentum killed. Zook's was followed by 5 wins in 08, 3 wins in 09. So again Rose Bowl mometum at least stunted severely.

We've never given the casual fan base a chance to really count on Illinois football to at least be solid more than 1 year in a row until Bret came around. The fan base is responding as evidenced by the crowds. If solid starts remain the norm, it becomes more of a thing that the fanbase can really come to expect & get behind.

I know I've been one of those "negative Nellies" at times over the years but I haven't been more optimistic about the direction of the program (both near term & long term) than I am with Bret at the helm. I thought he was a solid hire, but he has impressed me at every turn. Always thought he was just kind of a "dumb jock" football coach. But he's really intelligent about the game, has done a great job on the PR/fan relations side of things, and seems to be viewed positively by lots of national media. I think his past failing at Arkansas really humbled him & he has matured thru experience. He seems so thorough in attention to detail both in the game plan & how his program operates.
 
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#91      
gibb52
Long way to go yet. CFP conversation needs to wait a couple of weeks to hopefully start sorting itself out. No question we have to get to 10-2 to even worry about it. Of course so does everyone else. USC@ND will be a big game. A 3rd loss for ND would eliminate them unless there is chaos everywhere else. Of course that would elevate USC into the convo so not sure if that's good for us or not. OSU and IU both look legit. Oregon hasn't beaten anyone yet and just lost at home. Need to see more of them. There are a lot of teams with a shot at 10-2 or better so we need some folks to start piling up some losses. And of course we need to win out.
 
#95      
lstewart53x3
Here’s how I know we have a great coaching staff:

We lost a game by 53 in a season with playoff expectations. That’s enough to break some teams. Look at PSU, for example. Or FSU last year.

But instead of folding, we came back and knocked off a ranked team very next week, then took care of a lesser opponent the following week.

That’s coaching & mental toughness.
 
#96      
lstewart53x3
This season also shows why preseason strength of schedule predictions are useless.

The talking heads said we had an easy schedule this year because we didn’t have to play Penn St, Michigan, or Oregon.

What they didn’t realize at the time was that Ohio St and Indiana would be the two best teams in the conference.

SP+ has Ohio State & Indiana the #1 and #3 best teams in the country.

USC (SP+ #14) is better than Penn St (SP+ #18).

@ Washington (SP+ #21) is basically @ Michigan (SP+ #22).

Maryland (SP+ #31) is basically Iowa (SP+ #35).

@ Duke (SP+ #42) is basically @ South Carolina (SP+ #40).

Our “easy schedule” is currently rated as the 4th most difficult schedule in the nation.

Granted, after the Washington game, it does lighten up a little.
 
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#97      
STLini25
gibb52 said:
Long way to go yet. CFP conversation needs to wait a couple of weeks to hopefully start sorting itself out. No question we have to get to 10-2 to even worry about it. Of course so does everyone else. USC@ND will be a big game. A 3rd loss for ND would eliminate them unless there is chaos everywhere else. Of course that would elevate USC into the convo so not sure if that's good for us or not. OSU and IU both look legit. Oregon hasn't beaten anyone yet and just lost at home. Need to see more of them. There are a lot of teams with a shot at 10-2 or better so we need some folks to start piling up some losses. And of course we need to win out.
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There are not a lot of Big Ten teams that can realistically go 10-2 or better. Maybe 4 teams will do that. If we go 10-2 we are 100% in.
 
#98      
kmunt09
What is everyone expecting the outcome of Ca’Lil Valentine’s injury to be?
 
#100      
lstewart53x3
After Washington, the schedule lightens up so much:

IMG_0359.jpeg
 
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