Illinois was one of the big surprises of last season. A team many thought to be a pest to play, but not necessarily a contender, Illinois was one of the big players in the Big Ten West.
Backed by a fantastic defense and rushing attack spearheaded by Chase Brown, the Illini quickly established themselves as a force in the West. Illinois won seven of their first eight contests. Had it not been for a bad call, they should have beat Indiana as well.
Unfortunately, the end of the season was a disaster for Bret Bielema’s squad. They dropped four of their last five, including a monumental game against eventual division winners Purdue. They had their spot in the Big Ten Championship game in clear view and just fumbled it away.
Despite the failure in the end, it still was a largely successful season for Illinois. Their 8-5 finish was definitely better than their 5-8 record in Bielema’s first season. They certainly looked better than they ever did under Lovie Smith.
Roots football under Bielema brought the Illini back to relevance, and it should keep them from derailing after losing a lot this offseason. Much of what made them successful last year is gone, from their fantastic secondary to Brown all going to the NFL. Whoever the key players are to emerge for Illinois, you can be sure they will give the Hawkeyes a hell of a fight.
Here is a preview of Illinois.
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