Why Bret Bielema Declined National TV Opportunities Before Ohio State Game

The national spotlight hasn’t truly shone on Illinois football in decades. Although 2007 – which included that huge win over No. 1 Ohio State – was a memorable season, the Illini weren't consistently attracting national attention at the time. (They were ranked in the AP poll for only six weeks total that year.)

Will 2025 be a year to remember in Champaign?

Oct 4, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Hank Beatty (80) gestures after making a first down against the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

You would have to trek all the way back to 2001 – a campaign in which Illinois went 10-2 and won the Big Ten championship – to find a full season that could match the buzz the Illini have created in this 2025 campaign.

And despite that brutal Week 4 loss at Indiana, Illinois can still have a program-best year. Illini football, if you can believe it, is hot. With all that excitement and coast-to-coast recognition, head coach Bret Bielema has been a coveted man by national television outlets.

With No. 1 Ohio State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) rolling into town this week, imagine the phone calls and interview requests Bielema has fielded from major media outlets. Especially considering Illinois is attempting to grow its brand and widen its reach, there are few better opportunities to do that than showcasing the face of the squad.

Yet it seems Bielema has said no to all of them.

Bielema turns down national TV outlets

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema leads his team down the Illini Walk before an NCAA football game with the Southern California Trojans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

“I’ve had several major organizations call me about doing something on game day, like doing something live, and I’m just like, ‘No,’" Bielema said on Thursday, two days ahead of kickoff for OSU. "Because I live my routine and I preach to our guys about living their routine, and if I do something on national TV the day of a game, they’ll know that I’m not living my routine, and it’s a bad message."

Even with #1 Ohio State coming to Champaign, Bret Bielema isn't changing his routine.

Says he was approached about live segments on national TV before the game, but declined.

"They'll know that I'm not living my routine, and it's a bad message." #Illini pic.twitter.com/6CrpHBU19Y
— Tristan Thomas (@TristanThomasTV) October 9, 2025

At this point, it's clear that few coaches are more detail-oriented and regimented than Bielema. Mind you, this is the same head coach who recognizes how common practice times – most teams practice in the morning – may have certain clubs ill-prepared for the location of the sun during punting and kicking situations.

Illinois doesn’t always have more talent on the field – which will be the case Saturday – but you had better believe Bielema always has his team as well-prepared as any in college football.

And the best preparation is born out of consistency and repetition. Sticking to game-day routines, it could be argued, has been a key part of Illinois’ recipe for success. It may feel like a missed opportunity to wave off the TV cameras, but it should be encouraging for Illini fans to see Bielema stick to his guns and set the precedent for his team.