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Illinois' Bret Bielema Explains Rareness Of Week 2 Matchup Vs. Kansas

Coach Bret Bielema met with the media Thursday morning ahead of Illinois' matchup with Kansas Saturday night in Champaign.
Zain Bando|
Aug 29, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema hugs running back Josh McCray (6) before the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Aug 29, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema hugs running back Josh McCray (6) before the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Coach Bret Bielema is familiar with ranked non-conference games early in the college football season, but it's new for an Illinois program slowly building toward success.

Despite the Illini dropping last season's game against Kansas 34-23, Bielema says there is a different energy entering Saturday night's game (7 p.m. ET, FS1) at Memorial Stadium.

Bielema cited past experiences of playing a ranked non-conference opponent this early in the season. He mentioned a 13-10 victory against Fresno State in September of 2008 as one of the few times he was put in this scenario.

"To play a ranked non-conference opponent this time of the schedule is pretty rare," Bielema said. "Even in my coaching career, being in this league for as long as I have been, we've had ranked opponents early on."

Bielema views Illinois versus Kansas as a potentially significant turning point for both programs.

"When this schedule was created back in the day, Kansas was in a different place. Illinois was in a different place," Bielema said. "They probably threw these two teams together thinking two conferences that are going to be good matchups. Obviously, there's been a change in both programs, thankfully for the better. I'm excited to see where it goes."

Bielema said Illinois' home crowd environment could play a factor. It's the team's first sellout since 2016 and the second of three home games to begin the season.

Illinois last began a season 2-0 in 2019, the program's lone bowl appearance under then-coach Lovie Smith.

Zain Bando is a contributor to Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at zainbando99@gmail.com or follow him on X @zainbando99

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Zain Brando
ZAIN BANDO

Bando is a sports journalist based in the Chicago suburbs. He is a proud Fighting Illini (undergrad alumnus) and completed his Master of Science in Journalism at Northwestern's Medill School, focusing on Sports Media. He’s been covering combat sports since June 2019 and collegiate sports since May 2020, featured in The Sporting News, MMA Knockout On SI, Kansas State On SI, BJPenn.com, Field Level Media, SB Nation's Inside NU, MSN, Yardbarker, Deadspin, Reuters, Mike Farrell Sports, NewsNet Media, FanSided, Men's Journal. Hosts a podcast called Bando’s Breakdowns, which premieres weekly at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT Wednesdays on the Empty The Bench Podcast Network