The Champaign Room

The Champaign Room • 30th January 2026

Illinois overscomes clunky start, extends winning streak to 10

Perhaps a predictable product took the floor on Thursday night after a thrilling and historic Purdue upset at Mackey Arena last weekend. Because of it, Illinois freshman sensation Keaton Wagler was welcomed with an especially loud cheer from the crowd in his first appearance at the State Farm Center following his record-setting 46-point outburst against Purdue.And for a microscopic moment, it appeared history could continue to follow him as he was the only Illini to score through the first six-p...

The Champaign Room • 22nd January 2026

Illinois comfortably blows by Maryland despite Boswell’s absence

Unfortunate for Illinois, considering how close this iteration of the team was to firmly settling into their roles ahead of entering a heavy stretch of conference play with trips to Purdue and Nebraska for two of its next four games.Boswell had established himself as Illinois’ best defender — on a team not known for defending as one of its key attributes. And leading up to Maryland’s Wednesday night visit, the Terrapins had won two straight and heavily featured David Coit, who had scored a combi...

The Champaign Room • 15th January 2026

Second half three-point shooting fuels Illinois to first win in Evanston since ‘22

EVANSTON, Ill. — Illinois began the night shooting only 3-for-15 from three in the first half. The team went on to make eight of its next 15 attempts, outlasting Northwestern in the process en route to winning its first game in Evanston since January 2022, 79-68.“I do know we’ve had two overtime losses here; no one has more respect for Chris Collins than I do. I mean, Northwestern has a hell of a basketball coach, a hell of an environment,” Underwood said after the game. “You don’t win without h...

The Champaign Room • 4th January 2026

Keaton Wagler battles foul trouble in Illinois win over Penn State

Against the best of the best, they can’t survive without him. He’s the type of player who can melt into a game. The kind that provides a 10-0 spark with his elegant movement on the court, high basketball IQ, elite shooting ability, and an ideal positional length at 6-foot-6.The only problem? He’s an 18-year-old freshman. And on Saturday night, he ran into foul trouble, being charged with his fourth foul only a mere 30 seconds into the second half. With his availability on shaky ground, it forced...

The Champaign Room • 23rd December 2025

Illinois dismantles Mizzou to secure biggest win in Braggin’ Rights history, 91-48

A sour taste in the mouth shook the Illini faithful after Illinois dropped its first conference game against Nebraska at the State Farm Center. And it didn’t help when that taste lingered an excruciating nine days before fans would get to see Illinois again.Illinois won by a 43-points, the largest margin of victory in Braggin’ Rights history. And they blew past the previous record blowout in the series, which came 20 years ago, when then-No. 6 Illinois beat Mizzou 82-50. A 32-point margin of vic...

The Champaign Room • 7th December 2025

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.Inside a Bridgestone Arena that’s, at least on paper, supposed to feature a majority of Tennessee fans, given the proximity, Illinois fans — as they tend to do during basketball season — spilled out in Nashville to add to an electric environment...

The Champaign Room • 8th November 2025

Stojaković debuts as Illinois registers beatdown of FGCU

But on Friday night’s 113-70 beatdown of Florida Gulf Coast at State Farm Center, it was the blocks by Zvonimir Ivisic, frenetic flashes from freshman Keaton Wagler, and the occasional energizing dunk that woke up the crowd and ignited the arena.Illinois’ starting lineup found itself in disarray with big man Tomislav Ivišić popping up on the injury report. As one door closes, the other opens, and this door had another Ivisic’s name stamped on it; Zvonimir, or Big Z, made his first start as an Il...

The Champaign Room • 25th January 2026

‘He’s him’: Unpacking what will be remembered as ‘The Keaton Wagler Game’

“It’s a crazy thing that even I never thought that I would do,” Wagler said. “I just let the game come to me, and it was my night tonight, and I think my teammates knew that too, so they were trying to find me the ball and let me go to work, and that’s what happened.”This is where it’s important to realize Wagler never really expected to ever have a game like this. But then the second half began. That’s when it hit. The realization that this day belonged to Wagler. That this game belonged to Wag...

The Champaign Room • 20th November 2025

Small details erased Illinois’ chance for statement win: ‘Need to learn how not to lose’

CHICAGO — Tuesday night was poised to become a battle of moments. For the longest time, it looked like whoever had the biggest would take home an elusive ranked nonconference win on an exhilarating night at the United Center. All night, No. 8 Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic was determined to lift the Illini to a win despite an ugly second half.Early in the first half, Stojakovic would hit an impressive three from NBA range. Next possession, Alabama would see Stojakovic’s three and raise an emphatic...

The Champaign Room • 12th November 2025

Andrej Stojaković shines in Illinois’ first true non-conference test

“That’s not even a joke. Immediately, I started calling this dude. I was probably bugging this kid,” Boswell said. “He was one of my favorite players that I watched over the summer… big shoutout to me for doing that.”It seems there was a good reason for Boswell’s emphatic push. In the waning seconds of No. 14 Illinois’ intense first true test of the season against No. 11 Texas Tech at a packed State Farm Center, Stojaković had the opportunity to seal the deal with a late basket in the paint.He m...

The Champaign Room • 4th November 2025

David Mirkovic impresses in season opener: ‘He has tremendous joy for the game’

CHAMPAIGN — As Illinois churned out a beatdown of Jackson State on Monday night’s season opener, freshman forward David Mirkovic launched a pass from inside Illinois’ paint to the other end of the court intended for forward Jake Davis. Instead, the intended dunk unraveled, and eventually, center Jason Jakstys somehow got his hands on the ball and finished the play. The pass appeared to be the only blemish on Mirkovic’s day after enjoying an exhilarating second straight stellar performance at Sta...

The Champaign Room • 9th December 2025

Ben Humrichous embraces defensive role: ‘I want to do what it takes to win’

But at least one of his rebounds came in the middle of the second half and was instrumental in kick-starting a run for Illinois as time began to swirl away from them.“It’s fun that my play was a part of that turnaround. I love the way that when we needed to make a play, there were a lot of guys who made plays right in a row,” Humrichous said. “I loved our collective effort to turn it around.”When Humrichous first arrived in Champaign in 2024, media and fans alike were quick to point out the para...

The Champaign Room • 30th November 2025

Miles Scott, seniors ascend amid blistering snowstorm

It made snow pile up on Gies Memorial Stadium, it made the winds howl, and temperatures drop. It culminated in a less-than-picture-perfect Senior Night for the Illinois football program. If this game were to be played, nay, if this game were to be won, Illinois would have to do it in the thick of the elements.Caught beneath the snow swirled a struggling Illinois offense that couldn’t produce at the levels it’s accustomed to, the fate of the game would rest in the hands of Illinois’ defense, much...

The Champaign Room • 23rd November 2025

Badgers barrage Illini, 27-10, shellshock Illinois’ season

When Illinois woke up in Madison on Saturday morning, it was favored by 8.5 points. By dark, Illinois found itself down 14 points midway through the fourth quarter, well on its way to a disastrous loss to a Wisconsin program, years removed from the peak of its powers, and lumbering its way to the tail end of a turbulent season.Two killer penalties for 25 yards were the impetus for an offense that stalled more often than it took off. In the first quarter, Illinois tight end Cole Rusk got called f...

The Champaign Room • 25th October 2025

Illinois loses more than just a game in ugly collapse at Washington

SEATTLE, WASH. — There was always a potential for turbulence on Saturday afternoon, with slippery conditions looming at a consistently hostile Husky Stadium on top of a West Coast cross-country trip. But a no-show performance on defense led to a second-half collapse to Washington, 42 - 25.With Saturday’s loss, Illinois lost any hope of maintaining its college football playoff chances. It’s time to put those conversations to bed. With a loss of this magnitude, which comes after a bye, coming into...

The Champaign Room • 27th September 2025

No. 23 Illinois upsets No. 21 USC with euphoric game-winning field goal drive

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — They had failed to close out the game on multiple occasions. They had failed to score on the heels of multiple turnovers. Yet they still toed the line between a prolific display of offensive football and a lack of complementary football.In a top-25 matchup on a day when Illinois was celebrating its homecoming, and all weekend long, Champaign felt the euphoria of the Fox Big Noon Kick-Off, an imperfect win followed.It required a bit of trickery, it was mistake-prone, offensive c...

The Champaign Room • 6th September 2025

Five Duke turnovers cue Illinois’ dominant win in Durham

For a second, he paused, realizing the opportunity in front of him and jumping on it, putting Illinois deep into Duke territory. The Florida native’s recovery would lead to the first Illinois touchdown of the day. Up until then, Illinois was sluggish on offense, struggling to muster hardly any momentum.And while the recovery did not necessarily swing momentum in the game at the time, it was the first of a slew of Duke mistakes that Illinois would exploit in their 45-19 routing of Duke.“Just to g...

The Champaign Room • 2nd November 2024

Illinois falls short of fourth-quarter comeback, fails to stop red-hot Minnesota

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It was a chilly November morning kickoff as Illinois came into the game ‘with the best week of preparation for the season.’ But the Illini struggled to muster offensive consistency and failed to stop Minnesota on key possessions, as they fell to the Golden Gophers, 25-17.
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema had been undefeated against Minnesota in his career, winning all 10 meetings — the last three as Illinois’ head man. That streak ended on Saturday, as the Illini struggled all...

The Champaign Room • 12th October 2024

Illinois narrowly avoids second half collapse to squeak past Purdue

It was a tale of two halves. The first half had Illinois in the driver’s seat, and it looked like there was no reason to sweat this one out.But the second half had all the makings of a ‘trap game’ as the Boilermakers got within one score multiple times until they eventually took their first lead of the game with 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter, 43-40.“Offensively, I felt like we were clicking,” Walters said. “We got a chance to win, you know, the game is in control, in your hands, on that...

The Champaign Room • 21st September 2024

Illinois pulls off upset in overtime thriller at No. 22 Nebraska

While Illinois has a wide variety of flavors in the running back room, the backs have struggled to put up big numbers in the trenches. That trend continued tonight as the Illinois running back room only combined for 166 yards.Raiola played poised and confident in the pocket. But for as poised as he looked, he’s still a freshman quarterback, and there were moments when he took too long with the ball in his hands, leading to two fumbles.In the ladder half of the second quarter, on a 4th-and-8, the...

The Champaign Room • 7th September 2024

Altmyer’s late heroics cue Illinois’ upset of No. 19 Kansas

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a game that looked to be defense-dominated up until its final moments, some heroics from Illinois’ offensive leaders got the job done in a 23-17 upset over No. 19 Kansas on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
Illinois’ first ranked win since the nine-overtime victory over Penn State, and first victory over a ranked opponent in Champaign since homecoming in 2019, a 24-23 win over No. 11 Wisconsin.
The win is also the program’s first over a non-conference-ranked opponent sin...

The Champaign Room • 24th November 2024

‘There was no panic’: Inside the final minute of Illinois’ last-second win over Rutgers

PISCATAWAY, NJ. — Illinois had failed to stop Rutgers’ offense in critical moments all game, including what would have been the late game-winning drive as the Scarlet Knights took a 31-30 lead with 1:08 left, leaving Rutgers in prime position to seal the deal.“I caught the ball and I saw the sideline, and nobody was over there, so I had one guy to beat, and with a little move I saw the endzone,” Bryant said. “I heard everyone get up and say ‘get down, get down’, but I put trust in myself and sco...

The Champaign Room • 18th November 2024

How Illinois snapped its two-game skid in Senior Day win

Illinois kicked off their first offensive drive with a three-and-out. After seeing success on opening drive scripts in the early part of the season, Illinois has not scored on its first drive of the game since its loss at Penn State.It was the first time the Illini scored a touchdown in the first quarter since last month’s shootout win over Purdue. But following a relatively successful first half, Illinois saw offensive struggles in the third quarter, scoring only one field goal over its three d...

The Champaign Room • 17th November 2024

‘We said we were going to do this, and we did it’: Defensive depth flash in bounce-back win

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Following Illinois’ second bye week of the season, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema had listed off several names that would see the field on Saturday against Michigan State.And in the absence of one of their captains linebacker Dylan Rosiek, the Illinois coaching staff indicated a trust in their personnel.Defensive back Mac Resetich was thrust into the starting role to address the first-half absence of Miles Scott, who was suspended after a targeting call ejected him from the g...

The Champaign Room • 27th October 2024

How Oregon’s prolific offense dominated Illinois

EUGENE, Ore. — Early in the first quarter, a late Illinois defensive substitution caused the Illini to burn a time-out. That was the start of a catastrophic performance at Autzen Stadium.Despite the momentum coming off a ceremonious upset victory against Michigan at home, No. 20 Illinois did not look ready to take on No. 1 Oregon in an ugly 38-9.And while fans can debate whether Illinois could have ever matched up to the ‘best team in the country’, one thing remains true: Illinois did not look c...

The Champaign Room • 20th October 2024

‘I battled some demons’: Michigan victory more than just a win for Bielema

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Following Illinois’ 21-7 victory over Michigan, an emotional Bret Bielema took to the podium for his postgame press conference.For many programs, beating Michigan at football is a special feat, but for Bielema, it means much more than football.“Last time we played these guys, I lost my mom,” Bielema said. “I told our team on Sunday I battled some demons, more than you can ever imagine.”That was in 2022. When Bielema was an Iowa defensive Lineman in 1990, his sister passed away...

The Champaign Room • 29th September 2024

‘Some things we need to address’: Illinois fails to stop PSU in trenches

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Late in the fourth quarter, Penn State running back Kaytron Allen rushed down the middle to score a touchdown on a five-yard carry. Allen rushed for 19 yards on that drive — all inside the red zone.While several issues plagued the Illini on Saturday night, none were bigger than the inability to stop the run, leading to Illinois’ first loss of the season, 21-7.“They had more rushing yards than we had total yards, so we’ve got to figure that out on our end,” said Illinois line...

The Champaign Room • 20th September 2024

‘We played for him’: Aaron Henry coaching amid personal tragedy

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — If you saw him, or talked to him, you would not think anything is wrong. Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry greets you with a smile and is an animated, vibrant man ready to talk ball.As a child, Henry would often get scared at night, and he would find himself searching for Lee for comfort.“I feel really bad for my nieces and nephews,” Henry said. “Anytime you got young babies who have to go through something like that and to lose their mother — that’s very challenging.”...

The Champaign Room • 14th September 2024

‘We bounced back’: Despite early struggles, Illinois powers through CMU

“We knew we had our work cut out for us. Unfortunately, I think we made it a little more difficult than needed to be,” said Illinois head coach Bret Bielema after the win to extend Illinois’ start to 3-0.CMU came in with a game plan that presented Illinois with plenty of challenges — at least in the first half. After last week’s upset against a nationally ranked opponent, fans might have expected Illinois to breeze past a mid-major opponent like CMU.“We kind of came in a little too confident, we...

The Champaign Room • 2nd September 2024

‘No jitters at all’: Illinois’ Torrie Cox Jr. is ready for the spotlight

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Late in the first half Thursday night, up 17-0 against EIU, quarterback Pierce Holley takes the snap on 2nd-and-9, and quickly Illinois’ defensive front penetrates the offensive line. The play isn’t able to develop and the pocket collapses. At the same time, Illinois defensive back Torrie Cox Jr. branches out of coverage and reads the screen for an easy takeaway.“We were in cover two, I saw the screen, and I shot the screen,” Cox Jr. said after the win. “I was expecting to make...

The Champaign Room • 5th April 2025

‘We all love it here’: Illinois’ four running backs all coming back

“I don’t know. I just try to be honest, right?” Ward said, “They’re unselfish young men, so it’s really not about me, it’s more about them, to be honest with you.”“It’s the first time I’ve seen it where you have four guys who are willing to put the team first and not make it about themselves,” Ward said.“It’s cool having the hardware and all, but at the end of the day, I was just worried about doing my job and being the best me every day for my teammates,” McCray said.“When he broke that run, I...

The Champaign Room • 31st March 2025

Inside the experience for Illinois’ incoming freshmen who are already on campus

He graduated from high school early, packed his bags, and left his hometown. Although he did go back for prom, he got a head start on his college football career by joining then-Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema and his staff to hit the ground running in Madison ahead of football season.It’s evidence that the college football season never really ends — it is more similar to a cycle. And it is clear where the cycle begins: in February and March with spring ball.“She did not want Brayden to be her...

The Champaign Room • 6th March 2025

‘Different but similar’: How two distinct coaches’ destinies collided at Illinois

“Being a bubble guy, you were always on edge. Like me and my wife, we might be gone tomorrow or here the next day,” Harris said. “Here, I think it’s honestly the same, you know, being here in the moment and being laser-focused.”“He cares about people, he cares about who you are,” Harris said. “We spent a lot of time going over football stuff, but he likes talking about life and getting to know the person. He wants the best for everybody. And that meant a lot to me.”“What I’ve learned is that eve...

The Champaign Room • 17th February 2025

From walk-on to hometown hero: Hudson Clement’s path to Illinois

Clement broke records during his senior year of high school, including an eight-touchdown postseason game, and garnered local buzz. But despite his success in high school, he did not generate much, if any, recruiting buzz.When his high school career was all said and done, it was either play at one of the most successful Division II schools in the country — Shepherd University — or walk on at West Virginia.Clement redshirted his first season with the Mountaineers and went on to earn a scholarship...

The Champaign Room • 6th February 2025

‘Coming here, I can run my own race’: Tomiwa Durojiaye on transferring to Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Former Florida State Defensive lineman Tomiwa Durojiaye was very particular about his fourth destination in his college football career. After all, his father always told him to do his research before making a major life decision.“You don’t want to go into a situation just saying, ‘Oh I’m excited to go there,’” Durijiaye said. “You want to know what you’re getting into.”Durojiaye came into college football with sky-high expectations for himself at Kentucky. He’s now transferred...

The Champaign Room • 26th January 2025

Bielema’s coaching staff retention: Who’s staying and a look inside Illinois’ carousel

“The core group of guys, my 10 main coaches, for the most part, feel really good about all those guys being back in the mix,” Bielema said on Sunday.“[Whitman] has been awesome — sometimes it’s obviously financially, but a lot of times it’s also just little things around,” Bielema said. “Whether it be how we’re taking care of them, and how we’re supporting them.“And the more we can help their kids and their families and people be a part of the community, that helps all of us.”Bielema was pleased...

The Champaign Room • 22nd November 2024

‘I’ve been waiting’: Alex Capka-Jones resilient despite challenging season

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Late in the first quarter against Michigan State, the Illini were looking for some semblance of offense following an opening drive three-and-out. Quickly, Illinois was behind the sticks, but on a 3rd-and-15, quarterback Luke Altmyer zipped a ball to Alex Capka-Jones for a first down.Not only was it a critical 16-yard reception to spark Illinois’ offense, but it was also Capka-Jones’ first reception of his Illinois career.“It was a weight off my shoulders, for sure. I mean, I’ve...

The Champaign Room • 15th August 2024

‘I’m playing the game I love’: How Keith Randolph Jr. is adjusting to the NFL

The former Illini captain now finds himself spending some of his days running errands, getting food and carrying pads for NFL veterans — a stark contrast to his days at Illinois.“It’s been a fantastic transition,” Randolph told The Champaign Room. “It’s always been my dream to play in the NFL. And at this level, it’s a little bit faster and a little bit tougher, but I’ve enjoyed it a lot. I live for it.”“The deciding factor for my decision was: Where can I go and make an impact and help and comp...

The Champaign Room • 24th July 2024

‘I believe in him’: Illinois has plenty of optimism for Luke Altmyer

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — As fall camp draws closer and Illinois shifts its focus toward the season opener against Eastern Illinois, it feels like there is insurmountable pressure on the football program to win in what will be year four of Bret Bielema’s tenure.A lot of that success is hinged on quarterback Luke Altmyer, who decided to return to Illinois in 2024 after a shaky first season in Champaign. Last season was a campaign that ended with Altmyer suffering a concussion that would rule him out f...