Skip to main content

The Champaign Room

https://www.thechampaignroom.com/ | 325 entries published

A Fighting Illini community since 2012

Latest Entries

Luke Altmyer to play in Music City Bowl

Luke Altmyer will finish his college career as Illinois looks for back-to-back nine-plus win seasons. The Illini QB announced Friday afternoon he will be active for the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 vs. Tennessee in Nashville. Altmyer famously returned to Illinois for his senior season, despite the overtures of big money from big-name SEC […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Gabe Jacas to opt out of Illinois bowl game

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois star senior outside linebacker Gabe Jacas will not be playing in the Music City Bowl, ending his college football career. In a personal statement, he stated that he will be opting out of the bowl game. A four-year player for the Illini, Jacas tallied 27 sacks, seven forced fumbles and 184 […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Illinois is proving this season it CAN bounce back

The Illini may have eased some worries with their play this past week. After a disappointing performance in Madison Square Garden on Black Friday, there was good reason for some concern surrounding this Illini team. The UCONN Huskies were in control the entire game, and the Illini offense looked stagnant at times. It even began […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

What to expect from Illinois & Tennessee in the Music City Bowl

It is official: Illinois accepted an invitation to the Music City Bowl in Nashville on Dec. 30 at Nissan Stadium. The opponent will be the Tennessee Volunteers out of the SEC. This will be the first time the Illini and the Vols have met on the gridiron, and the Illini’s first time in the Music […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Illinois women off to best start since 1981-82 season

COLUMBIA, Mis. — What a game. What a finish. And what a team. The Illini have the Braggin’ Rights. Illinois won its annual rivalry game over Missouri 70-62 Wednesday night in Columbia. After some early foul trouble from star sophomore Berry Wallace, a senior and a freshman took over the game for the Illini. With […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

How to Watch Illinois vs. Nebraska: Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds

How to Watch Illinois vs. Nebraska Game Time: 3 p.m. Saturday TV Channel: N/A Online Streaming: Peacock Odds: N/A (Illinois 80.2% Chance To Win – ESPN Matchup Predictor) Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season) Last Game: Illinois 88, Ohio State 80 Gameday Reading: Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-0, 0-0 Big Ten) Head […]

about 2 months ago | 2 reads

Wagler and Mirkovic don’t look like freshmen for Illinois

Illinois picked up its first Big Ten win by beating Ohio State on the road Tuesday 88-80. This victory gives the Illini their second Quad 1 win of the year and an essential 1-0 start to conference play. The Illini freshmen came ready in their first true road game, leading Illinois throughout. David Mirkovic opened […]

about 2 months ago | 1 read

FanDuel: Big Ten bowl game picks and predictions

Bowl season is here, and while the Big Ten has three teams competing in the CFP, some of the league’s teams play their final game of the season as soon as this weekend. Here you’ll find a full schedule of Big Ten bowl games (non-CFP) with their odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, and a few of […]

about 2 months ago | 2 reads

Illini come away with tough road win in Big Ten opener

COLUMBUS, OH. — A roadkill to start off conference play? You bet. Illinois (8-2, 1-0 B1G) took care of business at Value City Arena in Columbus on Tuesday night, beating Ohio State (7-2, 1-1 B1G) by a score of 88-80. Brad Underwood’s crew is headed back to Champaign with its third Quad 1 victory thanks […]

about 2 months ago | 1 read

What we’ve learned about Illinois through 1/3 of the season

Coming into this season, there was a belief that Illinois has a very talented team but with lots of new players and new roles, there were a lot of question marks. There was the potential for a special season, but if things didn’t gel right, it could look a lot like last year or the […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Illinois’ offensive template remains the same

Brandt Dolce of The Champaign Room rejoins me to recap Illinois’ men’s basketball win over Tennessee in Nashville (3:42), discuss Brad Underwood’s offensive template (23:02) and the challenging schedule ahead (34:21), and preview this week’s Big Ten matchups versus Ohio State (41:11) and Nebraska (48:39). We also break women’s basketball’s dominant win against Indiana (61:09), […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Illinois’ offensive template remains the same

Brandt Dolce of The Champaign Room rejoins me to recap Illinois’ men’s basketball win over Tennessee in Nashville (3:42), discuss Brad Underwood’s offensive template (23:02) and the challenging schedule ahead (34:21), and preview this week’s Big Ten matchups versus Ohio State (41:11) and Nebraska (48:39). We also break women’s basketball’s dominant win against Indiana (61:09), […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Illinois moves up in AP poll after win over Tennessee

It’s a slow stretch of the schedule for Illinois, but it certainly picks up this week with two Big Ten games. But last week, the Illini played only one game, a 13-point win over No. 13 Tennessee in Nashville. With that win, Illinois made a leap in the AP poll, back up to No. 13 […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Brad Underwood’s Illini can beat teams in multiple ways

If you told Brad Underwood before the Tennessee game that his team would be out-rebounded by 15 and still win, he probably wouldn’t have believed you. For a program that prides itself on dominating the glass, Illinois’ rebounding effort in Nashville was shocking. It was actually the second straight game that Illinois lost the battle […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

FanDuel: Illinois opens as underdog in Music City Bowl

For the third time in four years, Illinois is bowling. And for the second time in as many years, Illinois is hoping to win a bowl (and claim back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time… ever). But not so fast, my friend: The oddsmakers at FanDuel Sportsbook think the Illini have some work to do […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Illinois Football heading to Music City Bowl for first time

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — For the second consecutive year the Illinois Fighting Illini are going bowling, as the team was selected to play in the Music City Bowl against Tennessee. The (8-4, 4-4 B1G) Illini are heading to Nashville, for their third bowl game in five years under head coach Bret Bielema. It’s Illinois’ first-ever appearance […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

How to Watch Illinois at Ohio State: Game Time, TV Channel, Online Streaming and Odds

How to Watch Illinois at Ohio State Game Time: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday TV Channel: N/A Online Streaming: Peacock Odds: N/A (Illinois 46.9% Chance To Win – ESPN Matchup Predictor) Quick Hits: Illinois Fighting Illini (7-2, 0-0 Big Ten) Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season) Last Game: Illinois 75, Tennessee 62 Gameday Reading: Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Late surge pushes Illinois past Tennessee despite lack of rebounding

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Saturday night in the Music City featured two teams in desperate need of a high-profile win to add to their March resume. But for as much as these teams desperately needed that elusive quad one win, neither could get out of its own way. Until Illinois decided enough was enough, and a […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

Illinois bullies Indiana in Big Ten opener

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Shauna Green might have something special brewing in Champaign. Despite welcoming a host of new players this offseason, Illinois rolled Indiana in its Big Ten opener on Saturday, 78-57, at State Farm Center. The Hoosiers entered the game 8-1 overall only with a loss to No. 10 Iowa State, but the Illini […]

about 2 months ago | 0 reads

‘Super excited about this class’: Bielema talks 2026 recruits

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Dec. 3 marked a special day in the college football world, as the next generation of football stars signed their letters of intent on National Signing Day. In high school gyms and special gatherings across the country, players were declaring which college program they’d be bringing their talents to, much to the […]

about 2 months ago | 1 read

Illinois ramps up conditioning before physical test at No. 13 Tennessee

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After a draining stretch of ranked matchups, head coach Brad Underwood had the Illini spend this week rediscovering their legs. Following back-to-back ranked losses against Alabama and UCONN, the No. 14 Illini traded rest for intensity this week to prepare for Saturday’s 7 p.m. tip at Bridgestone Arena against the No. 13 […]

about 2 months ago | 1 read