Illinois Football Is in an 'Awesome' Position, Says Bret Bielema

The Illini program has serious momentum, which only makes 2025 more important

Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema celebrates a 50-49 win over the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – Illinois football coach Bret Bielema knows expectations for his team in 2025 have – relatively speaking – shot right through the roof.

It's not often the Illini are ranked in way-too-early lookahead top 25s, and by "not often" we mean essentially never. But every national outlet put out a top 25 for 2025 as soon as Ohio State's national championship coronation was final, and the Illini – coming off 10 wins and a Citrus Bowl victory against South Carolina – could be found in most of them.

"I'm not going to run from that," Bielema said Sunday.

Nor does a ranking eight-plus months before the season opener mean a whole heck of a lot.

"We've got to be able to control our environment to get to where we want to go," Bielema said.

Reflecting on the past, but more importantly, focused on the 12 games in future. pic.twitter.com/AyfaN9ACsF

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) January 23, 2025

If Bielema seems to be in a good mood these days – and he does – it might be because he'll have more starters back in 2025 than almost anybody, anywhere.

"Anywhere from 17, 18, 19 of our [starting] 22," he said. "Whatever it is, we've got a lot of guys coming back."

Or it could be because Bielema hasn't had to exhaust himself – again, relatively speaking – in the transfer portal, instead being able to focus on what promises to be a milestone 2026 recruiting class.

Or that Illinois gave new contracts to many of his key assistant coaches, with the core 10 staffers expected to stay together.

Come to think of it, it must be all of the above.

"It's been awesome," he said.

The Illini program has serious momentum, which only makes 2025 more important. If it goes well, Illinois football will have turned the corner without a doubt. But what if it doesn't?

"I never think of things that way," Bielema said. "I never think of: What if we don't do well? I don't go down that road. …

"I'd be [more] concerned if I didn't have a lot of returning players who've been in this building. … We just have so many strong, veteran returning players. I think they understand the chip on their shoulder."

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