Dan Lanning Admits Why Oregon Can’t Overlook Bret Bielema, Illinois

The Oregon Ducks will look to earn another road win in Big Ten play over the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on before a game against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fresh off a last-minute 17-14 home win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Oregon Ducks (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) will hit the road to face the Illinois Fighting Illini (3-3 overall, 1-2 Big Ten), again looking to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.

The Ducks will face a Fighting Illini team led by coach Brett Bielema. During his coaching tenures with the Wisconsin Badgers and Illinois Fighting Illini, Bielema has become a staple of the Big Ten and earned the respect of many throughout the conference

Oct 17, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning walks out to the field after taking a time out late in the second half in a game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While this is only Oregon’s third season in the Big Ten, Ducks coach Dan Lanning is among those coaches who have credited Bielema. As the Ducks prepare to face Bielema and the Fighting Illini on Saturday, here’s what Lanning said about Bielema’s team as Illinois comes off the bye week.  

What Dan Lanning Said About Bret Bielema, Illinois Fighting Illini 

Oct 3, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema before a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Gies Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Coach Bielema always does a phenomenal job. They’ve obviously had this previous week to really prepare for us and get healthy. So, I know they’ve been looking at us for a bit, and you feel like you’re behind a little bit when you start looking at a team like Illinois and the skill set that they have.”

“They’ve dealt with a lot of injuries this season, but they’ve done a good job taking advantage of the personnel they do have and creating explosive plays. You immediately recognize what they’re able to do on offense.”

“They have some playmakers and some weapons, and they do as good a job as anybody in football as far as getting their guys the ball and taking advantage of those weapons. What they do on defense is extremely unique.”

“You don’t see a ton of teams playing the three-three stack the way that they play it, so it creates some different guys to identify in the back end, a lot of different pressure variables, and really kind of hard to get a bead on what they’re doing at times.”

“So, something we have to be really sound against, find effective answers, and then, obviously, you know, play well to have success in this game. So that being said, definitely, definitely excited to go get on the field again, and anxious for the body of work that’s ahead of us this week.”

Oregon Ducks vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Preview

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning talks to his team as the Oregon Ducks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 17, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Ducks last met the Fighting Illini at Autzen Stadium in October of 2024, a game which they won 38-9 en route to an undefeated regular season and a Big Ten championship in their first season in the conference. 

On Saturday in Champaign, the Ducks hope to light a spark offensively after back-to-back games in which the unit struggled. The latest DraftKings Sportsbook betting odds suggest that those struggles are likely to continue.

The Ducks are currently 9.5-point favorites over the Fighting Illini after the line opened at 12.5. The over/under line is at 50.5 points, and given how the last two games have gone for the Ducks, the under could be a popular pick. 

Defensively, the Ducks have been on a roll in their last two games against the No. 9 UCLA Bruins and Nebraska Cornhuskers, and look to continue their dominance on Saturday against a Fighting Illini offense that has only scored over 20 points once in a Big Ten game this season, coming in a 38-37 overtime road win over the Michigan State Spartans on Oct. 10. 

Who Will Start For Oregon Ducks At Quarterback?

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dylan Raiola celebrates as the Oregon Ducks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Oct. 17, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Quarterback play remains a major question mark for the Ducks. With Dante Moore's availability in flux, Oregon has seen inconsistent performances from both Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas. Lanning recently addressed the quarterback controversy.

"There's always competition in positions, right?" Lanning said. "There's always competition in positions. Obviously it's funny; the week before, you guys were wondering why did I take so long to switch to Dylan, right?

"There's a body of work that happens between Monday and Friday that is used to evaluate that. Brock the week before went 11-for-15, and you say, oh, the first series, he threw two incomplete passes," Lanning continued.

Whoever is under center for the Ducks on Saturday against the Fighting Illini, Oregon fans are hoping that after two straight games of struggles, they can get a full game of consistency. The Ducks and Fighting Illini will kick off at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, at 12 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

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