Here is the Illinois Sports news from around the country and around the internet.
The State Journal-Register: Illini football team’s defense makes giant strides
Week to week, the conversation about Illinois football is heavily based on the success or sins of its offense, especially with major injuries to tight ends, wide receivers and running backs on the roster.
But beneath the grime shines a gem in the form of the Illini defense, which has pulled itself from the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision and has taken massive strides toward becoming one of the toughest statistically in the nation.