By Woodrow Carroll
Bret Bielema’s second season as the University of Illinois head football coach will kick off at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. The Fighting Illini will be host to the University of Wyoming Cowboys. This season will present more than a few challenges for Bielema and the Illini.
Bielema, who guided Illinois to a 5-7 overall finish in 2021, most likely has to face scaled-down expectations. A winning regular-season finish and an invitation to a bowl game are realistic targets.
Not since 2007, when the Illinois final record was 9-3 prior to falling, 49-17, to the University of Southern California in the 2008 Rose Bowl, have the Illini concluded the regular season with a winning record. In 2010 and 2011 the Orange & Blue ended with winning records, however, on both occasions, bowl victories made it possible following 6-6 regular season finishes.
The Big Ten Conference football race in that time was no kinder to Illinois. Except for a 4-4 finish in Big Ten play in 2010, the Illini have been on the down side of .500 since 2007.
The recent addition of University of Southern California and UCLA to the Big Ten in 2024 is not likely to help Illini football in the won-loss column. Southern California is 11-2 lifetime against Illinois. UCLA is 6-5.
The quarterback picture in Champaign has Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito and Artur Sitkowski contending as the starter.. Sitkowski played in plenty of games last season when starter Brandon Peters went down with an injury. DeVito has the physical tools to be successful.
Last season after an opening victory over Nebraska, the Illini dropped four straight games which effectively consigned Illinois to a losing season. A victory over Charlotte in game six last year started a pattern of a victory followed by a defeat.
Illinois played seven games last season decided by eight points or less and lost four.
Illinois did have some good moments last season. A 20-18, nine-overtime victory, at Penn State was most memorable. Defeating Northwestern, 47-14 that ended a six-game losing streak to the Wildcats, was a sweet way to close out the season. Prior to meeting Northwestern, 30 points was the season-high point total for Illinois.
Traditional scheduling with non-conference foes prior to conference play action is gone.. Last season, Illinois did battle with Conference member Nebraska to start the season. This time around, it’s non-conference Wyoming of the Mountain West Conference that sets Illinois’ season in motion.
Wyoming returns to the Land of Lincoln again. Last season the Cowboys beat Northern Illinois, 50-43, in DeKalb.
Three non-Big Ten teams, Wyoming, Virginia, and Chattanooga, are on the Illinois schedule. Each foe paints a different picture.
Wyoming is winnable. A victory over Virginia would open a few eyes. Last season the Cavaliers handed Illinois a 42-14 defeat so a bit of payback is in order. Chattanooga, of the Southern Conference, is a lower-division FCS team the Illini must defeat, or, likely write off the season.
Following the Wyoming game,. Illinois will go to Indiana, Friday, Sept. 2 in the Big Ten. The meetings with Virginia and Chattanooga will follow. The game with Chattanooga will be Thursday, Sept. 22..
Big Ten games will be at Wisconsin October 1 and at home in Champaign against Iowa October 8.
A member the Big Ten West Division, the Illini will play Indiana, Michigan, and Michigan State from the Big 10 East with Michigan State the lone visitor of the three in Champaign November 5.