The Champaign Room • 3rd October 2023

‘Entirely different’: Underwood expects Illinois to ‘shatter records’ in 2023-24

Let’s just take a long, deep breath and forget about Illinois football for a few minutes.

It’s October, and do you know what that means? We’re only a month away from the start of college basketball season.

Illini fans, buckle up. Many of you will go through the same cycle that you do every year: you’ll watch college basketball for five straight months, and after getting even more entrenched in the chaos that is March Madness, you’ll witness it come to its inevitable end and sit there, wanting

The Champaign Room • 19th September 2023

It’s time to trust the process, Illini fans

How did it take only two games for everyone to forget how capable this defensive system is?

Well, 62 combined points and 955 total yards allowed is the short answer.

The defense was expected to be one of the best in the Big Ten yet again this season, but sub-par performances in each of its first two games left fans wondering what changes happened to cause this drastic of a decline from last season’s No. 1 scoring squad.

It probably sounds like a broken record by now, but Devon Witherspoon, Sy

The Champaign Room • 9th March 2023

From Grentz to Green: Building a winner at Illinois

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“You will NOT stop me. No matter what you do, you will not stop me.”

“You don’t practice any harder than we practice. You don’t do anything better than we do it. Why should we lose?”

When you read those quotes in your head, whose voice do you hear?

It has to be a fierce competitor, right? Someone whose intensely confident mindset rivals the all-time greats?

To find the answer, look no further than Illinois Ba

The Champaign Room • 4th February 2023

Orange Krush’s attempt at trickery adds fire to Iowa rivalry

Yeah, yeah, you’ve probably heard about this story a million times over the past few days. The thing is, it just keeps getting more and more interesting.

So let’s start from the beginning, shall we? Don’t worry, this won’t take long. Everything you need to know about the events that transpired up until Saturday’s heavily anticipated game against Iowa is right here.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

In early September, the Big Ten schedule was released, giving the Orange Krush opportunities to buy game tickets

The Champaign Room • 6th November 2022

‘A lot of work to do’: New faces, same expectations for Illinois

A week removed from the first game action in exhibition format against Quincy, No. 23 Illinois is starting its regular season on Monday against Eastern Illinois.

The Illini, led by head coach Brad Underwood, are coming off a second-round exit in the NCAA Tournament, but a successful three-year stretch (44 Big Ten wins, most in the conference).

However, this team is almost entirely different.

On Friday, Underwood and RJ Melendez addressed the media to preview the upcoming matchup against EIU.

The Champaign Room • 30th June 2022

Throwback Thursday: Miracle in East Lansing

Only three weeks after James McCourt’s game-winning FG over undefeated No. 6 Wisconsin, the Illini were winners of 3 in a row, notching victories over Purdue and Rutgers (respectively) in the ensuing two weeks.

The Illinois Fighting Illini (5-4) were looking to do something that an Illinois football team had not done since 2014: make a bowl game. The Michigan State Spartans (4-4) were standing in their way.

Illinois football has seen a fair share of success throughout the program’s 132 years,

The Champaign Room • 24th February 2024

‘Great team win’: Moretti, Hawkins shine in No. 12 Illinois’ win over Iowa

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the leaders weren’t showing up, the unlikeliest of heroes shined.

Illinois’ defensive struggles continued from Penn State into the second half Saturday against Iowa, and with stars Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask being limited, head coach Brad Underwood looked to others to step up.

He benched all of his starters early in the second half, and Niccolo Moretti answered the bell. The freshman made a pair of huge threes — the first two of his career — to retake the lea

The Champaign Room • 10th February 2024

Late offensive woes plague No. 10 Illinois in loss at MSU

Coming into Saturday, Illinois only had a half-game edge over Wisconsin for second in the Big Ten. Following the Wisconsin’s fourth-straight loss earlier on Saturday, Illinois looked to create some space when it faced Michigan State in Breslin Center — a place it had won only once in the last nine years.

It looked like that trend would change on Saturday. Illinois took an eight-point lead with just over seven minutes to go, but a disastrous offensive stretch — no made field goals until the fina

The Champaign Room • 11th November 2023

Paddock’s heroics lead Illinois to overtime win against Indiana

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — No, it wasn’t just a fluke.

It was nowhere near a fluke.

After saving the day in heroic fashion last weekend, backup quarterback John Paddock came back to Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning as the starter for injured Luke Altmyer.

With new pressure and questions aplenty surrounding the fifth-year senior, Paddock didn’t just rise to the expectations. He completely shattered them.

Paddock threw for a whopping 486 yards and three touchdowns in regulation, but a late Indiana

The Champaign Room • 21st October 2023

Illinois falls to Wisconsin after fourth quarter collapse

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It doesn’t get any worse than that.

Despite upsetting high-powered Maryland the week prior, the Illini came into Homecoming Saturday at Memorial Stadium as underdogs against the Wisconsin Badgers.

Just like last weekend, Bret Bielema’s squad went into the fourth quarter with a double-digit lead. However, Wisconsin scored 11 unanswered points to cut the lead to 21-18 before getting the ball back again with under four minutes left.

A few big plays later, the Badger offense sat

The Champaign Room • 17th March 2023

Illinois’ rally comes up short against Arkansas

DES MOINES, Iowa — They almost did it again.

Thirty minutes into Thursday’s game, the Illini found themselves in familiar territory. Turnovers aplenty and horrid shooting put Illinois in a 17-point hole midway through the second half.

However, when facing a seemingly insurmountable lead, the Illini did what they’ve done countless times this season: fight back. Led by RJ Melendez’s 10-point burst, they cut the lead down to five with just over two minutes left.

Coleman Hawkins led the fast brea

The Champaign Room • 24th February 2023

Shannon sparks Illinois’ monster comeback against No. 21 Northwestern

The game is tied at 61. Just over a minute left.

With the entire State Farm Center ready to explode, Shannon has the ball in his hands.

The veteran charges to his left, and with a full head of steam, he gives Illinois its second lead of the game. Pure pandemonium.

“Shannon was electric getting downhill,” said head coach Brad Underwood.

Despite trailing by 18 at half and allowing a career-high 35-point performance to Boo Buie, Illinois kept fighting back. Shannon led the fight with a 24-point

The Champaign Room • 20th January 2023

‘They were tougher’: TJD, Indiana run Illinois out of the building

CHAMPAIGN — In an intense atmosphere at State Farm Center on Thursday night, all eyes were on Trayce Jackson-Davis.

With Illinois fighting back minutes into the second half, the star-studded Hoosier big man blew right past Dain Dainja at the top of the key for a jaw-dropping, tomahawk slam. Less than two minutes later, he spun around Dainja for another one.

Jackson-Davis’ shocking display summarized the entire night, as his 35 points led Indiana in an offensive clinic to a 80-65 win over Illin

The Champaign Room • 19th November 2022

No. 3 Michigan prevails with last-second FG against Illinois

In the past two decades, Illinois Football has had some big moments. An upset over No. 1 Ohio State. A walk-off against undefeated Wisconsin on Homecoming. A thrilling 9OT win at Penn State.

It was seconds away from topping them all.

On a two-game losing streak and entering a hostile Big House as 17.5-point underdogs, the Fighting Illini found themselves leading 17-16 late in the fourth quarter.

Only seconds away from an earth-shattering win over the undefeated No. 3 Wolverines, the Illini de