One of the biggest sells is the success of former Fighting Illini standout Devin Witherspoon, who now plays cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks. His success is a testament to the coaching staff with the program, who took him from an unranked recruit to a first-round draft selection.

Illinois will have to prove the doubters wrong again next season after coach Bret Bielema improved his previous year's win total by five games this season, resulting in a bowl victory.

Bob Asmussen | What does 10 wins mean for Illinois football recruiting? We are about to find out

Illinois coach Bret Bielema and his staff land a commitment from coveted OL target Landen Von Seggern. He talks about his decision here.

Bob Asmussen is a college football reporter and columnist for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at 217-393-8248 or [email protected].

Quan Martin got props from his hold Illinois coach Bret Bielema during the Commanders-Lions NFL Divisional Round game.

Coach Bret Bielema and the Illini boosted their 2026 class and began building their offensive line of the future

Nothing's more satisfying when you get what you've worked hard for. The post Bret Bielema Gets His Wish Fulfilled as Top OL Target Makes Commitment Call to End Hopes for Big Rivals appeared first on EssentiallySports.

Illinois has added to its family with a 2026 commitment. Omaha (Neb.) Millard South offensive lineman Landen Von Seggern announced his commitment to the Illini on Wednesday. The Nebraska native visited Illinois on Jan. 11 and couldn’t have been more impressed with the visit.

Bettendorf's Matt Drinkall was named the head football coach at Central Michigan in December, after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at Mary.

The luncheon will feature Bret Bielema, head football coach at the University of Illinois. Price per luncheon ticket is $40 and may be obtained by going to the ihsfca.com website, or ticket info is available by emailing [email protected]. Future nominations can be made at the IHSFCA website www.ihsfca.com.

College football's 2025 season is filled with marquee matchups. In the expanded College Football Playoff era, every weekend is vital toward building resumes. Many of the preseason ranked teams face out-of-conference showdowns that could be the difference in landing as an at-large or just missing out.