Keeping Receipts: Illinois' Win Over USC Proves Doubters Wrong Once Again

Illinois football has experience proving the doubters wrong. And, for a program that has been historically bad for decades, the Illini haven’t been short on naysayers.

Last season, one in which many expected Illinois to maybe go 6-6, head coach Bret Bielema and quarterback Luke Altmyer led the program to a magical 10-3 campaign and capped it off with a Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina.

In 2025, returning a hefty portion of its production from a year ago, Illinois finally entered the season with the support and belief of the college football world – and, more importantly, full confidence from its very own, often-skeptical fanbase.

Yet after blazing through their non-conference slate, the Illini faced their most daunting task of the season to date: a road matchup at Indiana – a squad fresh off a College Football Playoff berth and in the midst of its own turnaround.

After Illinois was drilled by Indiana – final score: 63-10 – in Week 4, the narrative immediately shifted back to its typical tune: The Illini are frauds, their 2024 season was lucky, they’ll never be a real contender. You know, the usual stuff.

In reality, it was hard to argue otherwise. Illinois’ 53-point loss could not have been more discouraging. There weren’t any bright spots or glimmers of hope. Every takeaway was a negative one.

With Illinois facing a matchup against No. 21 USC in Week 5, and despite home-field advantage and its continued presence in the AP poll (at No. 23), there was hardly a soul out there picking the Illini to get back on the right side of the win column.

Let’s wind the clock back and take a look at all the expert predictions:

FOX’s 'Big Noon Kickoff' picks Illinois-USC

All four selectors chose USC – and three of them by at least two touchdowns. The crew clearly had a consensus: the Trojans cruise past the Illini.

How the Fox 'Big Noon Kickoff' crew picked USC-Illinois. #CFB
pic.twitter.com/TJpBe1sj2A
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 27, 2025

ESPN’s 'College GameDay' Illinois-USC prediction

Four out of five selectors picked the visitors, while Pat McAfee rode with Illinois getting its bounce-back win.

ESPN College Gameday pick selection USC vs Illinois.

Pat Mcafee picks Illi pic.twitter.com/r6UhRtVGii
— Trojan Football ✌️ ᶠᵃⁿ (@TrojanFBx) September 27, 2025

Illinois on SI's score projections for Illinois vs. USC

Here at Illinois on SI, we hold everyone accountable – and that includes … ourselves. In our pregame predictions, four out of five staffers picked USC, including three of us expecting the Trojans to prevail by double digits (including myself).

The lone wolf to side with the Illini was Pranav Hegde, who also wasn’t too far off with his score prediction of 38-30.

At the end of the day, Bielema and his troops proved everyone – well, almost everyone – wrong, putting their resiliency and toughness on full display in a gritty 34-32 victory.

NO. 23 ILLINOIS WINS IT 🙌

David Olano hits the walk-off FG to down No. 21 USC. pic.twitter.com/yxEsaeAK4l
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 27, 2025

No one summed up the win for Illinois better than Bielema himself:

“Our reputation was put on this field, and I think we answered it,” said Bielema in the aftermath of his squad’s big-time triumph.

The only question that remains: Can Illinois continue to prove the naysayers wrong and earn a spot in the CFP?