CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Might not have been pretty, but it was a total team effort win to start the season.
For over a decade, Illinois football didn’t mean anything to anyone. Last season, the Illini came out of nowhere to compete for the Big Ten West title, and all of a sudden, everything changed.
The atmosphere surrounding the program elevated. Expectations were risen. Following this groundbreaking season, almost 50,000 fans came to Memorial Stadium on Saturday night to witness the potential revival of this long-dormant football program.
Flash forward to the third quarter. Favored by over a touchdown, the Illini watched their dominant, number-one-scoring defense from 2022 falter significantly to the defending MAC Champions.