Hottest Takes From Illinois Football's Win Over UAB

The Illini emerged from their opener with a 42-23 win over the Blazers, but there was more to know than met the eye

Sep 3, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Katin Houser (4) passes the ball during the first half against the UAB Blazers at Gies Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sometimes things just fall into place. Despite being outgained in total yards, holding possession for less than half as long its opponent and giving up 24 first downs – 24! – Illinois walked out of the smoke like an '80s action hero with a 42-23 win over UAB on Thursday at Champaign's Gies Memorial Stadium.

It wasn't close to perfect, but the Illini seemed to escape relatively unscathed (we'll have to check back on right guard Brandon Henderson) and learned a thing or two about themselves ahead of their first true test next week: Duke next Saturday back at home.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with my hottest takes from the season opener:

We aren't going to see the real Katin Houser until Week 4 at Ohio State

Illinois got what it needed from its new quarterback Thursday against UAB, but the basic questions observers had hoped Week 1 would at least help begin to answer is as open-ended as ever:

Exactly how good is Katin Houser?

Yes, he finished with 182 passing yards, four total touchdowns (one rushing) and no turnovers, and showed a strong arm and notable mobility. He avoided mistakes. He took what the Blazers gave him. Houser kept the trains running on time and looked the part in Illini offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.'s offense.

But ... how good is he?

The Blazers gave the Illini far more trouble Thursday night than it ever had a right to, but let's be clear: UAB isn't Ohio State. Hell, the Blazers aren't even Duke, which suddenly looks like a very credible threat to Illinois in Week 2.

The Blue Devils will likely throw a lot of funky alignments, pre-snap movement and pressure packages at Houser, in which case we should get closer to answering the question at hand. But if Duke's defense is a rocky road, the Buckeyes' D is a Bataan Death March.

Houser essentially made all the right moves in Week 1. but until an opponent comes along that forces him to zig when he wants to zag, over and over again, Illini fans won't get a chance to really know their starting quarterback.

Collin Dixon gets the first touchdown of the 2026 season!

📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/bnWZlNrVVO

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 4, 2026

Illinois' defense is going to be up and down (and maybe mostly down) all season

No reason to freak out needlessly after just four quarters of a September game that was never going to reveal much more of new defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck's scheme than was absolutely necessary, but ...

Gulp.

For Illinois, the opener is supposed to be a leg stretch, an opportunity to work out the kinks, take the new defense out for a test drive and tinker to make sure the engine is purring in time for the Big Ten schedule.

Time to get back under the hood.

Concerns about how Hauck's 3-3-5 scheme would hold up against the run weren't going to be quelled against UAB. But who knew they'd be heightened?

The Blazers are an American Conference club coming off a 4-8 season, and for all the smoke-blowing about their new head coach, Alex Mortensen is not a warlock and UAB's Roderick Robinson II is not Barry Sanders.

And yet somehow Illinois gave up 194 rushing yards and more big plays in the run game than Hauck should be comfortable with. The Illini appeared to create more upfield pressure on a play-to-play basis on Thursday than on most game days in 2025, but they were controlled – and too often manhandled – at the point of attack. Those battles only grow more brutish from here.

No NCAA defender plays louder than Matthew Bailey

Sep 3, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Matthew Bailey (7) tackles UAB Blazers running back Bam McReynolds (3) during the first half at Gies Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the second quarter, he cracked Braylon McReynolds in a hellacious head-on collision. Later, his hit on a UAB receiver along the sideline popped like rifle fire over the BTN broadcast audio. In the second half, he very nearly exploded Ryder Burton into pieces the instant the Blazers quarterback unloaded the ball.

Matthew Bailey: volume tackler.

Bailey, the Illini safety who led the team in tackles a year ago (despite missing the Music City Bowl), finished with eight tackles (seven solo), a quarterback hurry and a tipped pass against the Blazers. He was both productive and disruptive.

He also turns up his game to 11.

You don't get extra points for noisy hits, but I promise that even if opponents don't see Bailey coming, they hear – and feel – him when he arrives. Whether or not Hauck gets this thing figured out in Year 1, Bailey will be one of the guilty pleasures of watching Illinois' defense in 2026.