Bielema continues to stabilize the family business.

It’s deja vu again.

Illinois football’s elite defense dominates another Big Ten West opponent as the Fighting Illini improve to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the division.

Many things change at the same rate. Illinois head coach Brett Bielema is tackling the family business one game at a time.

Expectations are raised. Performance is improved. Illinois is winning games before losing them, something its head coach has preached since arriving in Champaign nearly two years ago.

This is the first time we’ve beaten them since 2008, but that’s about it. We beat Iowa and Wisconsin for the first time since 1989.. We’re clearing a lot of good hurdles and moving forward,” Bielema said.

I will be 40 in December. The last time it happened, I was in kindergarten. A bird.

Despite losing QB Tommy Devito and three other starters, Illinois led the way to victory. Updates on the team’s overall health after this week’s meeting with Iowa.

Nation’s leading scoring defense at 8.0 ppg; Ryan Walters’ class will determine the fate of the Big Ten WestAnd which team will dismantle Ohio State in Indy on Dec. 3. That is the national view.

If that team was Illinois, that would be fine with me. With this defense, a healthy Illinois team will make it interesting.

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As the weekly tip, Chase Brown carried the ball 31 times for 147 yards. Ho-hom. OC Barry Lunney must find a way to get Brown into the end zone regularly, or he will continue to be a national afterthought.

The program cannot afford to waste an opportunity to gain such national exposure for a key focus on crime. It’s also unfair to Brown.

Now 4-0 at home, Illinois remains the only team not to allow a touchdown.

“Our defense came into the field today and we are the only team that hasn’t lost at home. That statistic is impressive when you think about it. We give a lot of credit to our defensive coaches, our players and the response they got,” Bielema said.

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Illinois is tied for the division lead at the halfway house. In 2022. In football.

Bielema has talked about the “rematch” games/opportunities the team has this season since the beginning of the season.

Virginia…win. Wisconsin…win.

Iowa… won.

The last time the Hawkeyes were in town, they beat Illinois so well that AD Josh Wittman decided to fire coach Lovie Smith after the game.

Not this time. Not today or yesterday, as it were.

Bielema’s extremely confident and honest demeanor during press conferences and games is starting to rub off on the team, especially on defense.

Bielema continues his unbeaten streak at home. The athletic department has put a big push behind ticket sales, and is working hard to please Illini fans across the state and region and replicate the Memorial Stadium atmosphere the basketball team enjoys at State Farm Center.

I know Josh (Whitman) and his staff in our athletic department have done a lot to make this game the best environment we’ve had since I’ve been here.

Ron Johnson-America Today Sports

The atmosphere and noise was evident on the broadcast. It came up in locker room conversations.

“We came for our walk at 11:30 and the fans were already queuing up there and our kids were commenting about it. “Hopefully it’s an indication of what we can do more,” Bielema said.

I say this in every column, but the only blemish is a Bloomington team that is Indiana’s only conference winner to date.

If you leave out Ohio State, the Big Ten is wild this season.

Looking forward to seeing how close Illinois is in the Big Ten Championship game in a few months.