CHAMPAIGN — We won’t know for days or weeks what the game really means to the future of Illinois football.
But the 23-17 upset win against No. 19 Kansas on Saturday night felt important. Lift-altering? We’ll see.
It sure made the 60,670 spectators who packed into Memorial Stadium giddy. The fans were loud, involved and disruptive to the Jayhawks.
“Just want to say thank you to anybody and everybody that came here (Saturday night) and put that stadium to a level I’ve never seen before,†Illini coach Bret Bielema said. “I’ve seen this stadium full, but I was a visitor on the other sideline. To see it cheering on our program, I thought this was a great moment not just for our players but our fans. I just really can’t say thank you enough for that.â€
And one he expected to happen.
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“I told our coaches, our players, ‘When we win this game.’ ... I said that several times (Saturday) and (Friday). I just had a feeling that we were going to match up well.â€
Bielema’s fourth Illinois team was attempting to buck tradition. The program hadn’t won at home against a ranked nonconference opponent since Ron Zook’s guys did it against Arizona State in 2011. That was four coaches ago.
The Illinois players, many back from a disappointing 2023 season, did the work.
“I told them after the game: They earned this baby,†Bielema said. “I don’t think anything in life that you get, that someone just gives it to you, really means a lot. But when you work for it and put a lot of energy and put a lot of work into it, it means a lot.â€
The Illinois defense, led by second-year coordinator Aaron Henry, received special praise from the head coach.
He was thrilled with an opportunistic group that forced four turnovers. Defensive back Xavier Scott turned one into a touchdown, intercepting Jalon Daniels’ pass in the second quarter and returning it 30 yards for a 13-10 lead.
“For us to get points on the board at the end of half is really big, momentum and the energy,†Bielema said. “It kind of lulled out there a little bit, so it gave our guys some juice. I knew if we could lead at halftime going in that was going to be a big deal. Obviously, it played out that way.â€
Scott was happy to help. He had two interceptions and forced a fumble. You can mark him down for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and expect national awards, too.
So what did he see on the first pick?
“I’m like, ‘No way is he going to throw it.’ I’m like, ‘I’ve got to get this one.’ We kind of owed them,†Scott said. “They beat us last year, so we didn’t forget about that. We embraced it all week.â€
And on the second interception?
“I appreciate Coach Henry putting us in a great call,†Scott said. “We kind of switched it up a little bit. They didn’t see us play this type of coverage before.â€
Keep it going
Good teams expect to take every game. So a win, even against a ranked opponent, is quickly put in the past. Bielema knows it.
Lose the next time out and all the crowd-surfing and high-fiving will be for naught.
“We’ve got to build on this,†Bielema said. “We’ve got a Central Michigan team that will come in here and play their hearts out.â€
The homecoming crowd figures to quite a bit larger than originally expected.
“One of our team goals this year is to remember the past but plan for the future,†Bielema said. “Hopefully, we just did this (Saturday night).â€
Kansas was the first of six rematches from 2023 the Illini have scheduled this season. They went 1-5 in those games last season, the lone victory coming at Minnesota.
After Central Michigan, Illinois makes consecutive trips to No. 23 Nebraska on Sept. 20 and No. 8 Penn State on Sept. 28. A home matchup with No. 17 Michigan on Oct. 19 and a trip to No. 9 Oregon on Oct. 26 also make up a nasty part of the schedule.
Wisely and properly, the Illini are not talking big picture. It is way too early for that.
“We’ve got more work to do,†Bielema said.
Pitching in
Second-year quarterback Luke Altmyer hit 16 of 25 passes for 192 yards. More importantly, no turnovers. He appreciates the Memorial stadium crowd support.
“It’s crazy how life works, how God works,†Altmyer said. “I remember last year there were times they were booing us off the field. To be able to have that moment is just really cool for my team, to be honest.â€
When Altmyer decided to transfer to Illinois before the 2023 season after starting his career at Mississippi, nights like Saturday were what he had in mind.
“Our athletic director, Josh Whitman, preaches this is a place that breeds champions and it breeds success,†Altmyer said. “These fans are rowdy and awesome. I just want to put on a good show for them.â€
One last question
Where did Illinois find itself ranked when the new Associated Press Top 25 was released Sunday?
The answer: just outside the AP Top 25. The Illini received 101 votes from the national panel. That left Illinois at No. 26 behind 25th-ranked Northern Illinois, which stunned No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend on Saturday.
The easiest way for the Illini to crack the Top 25: keep winning.