Nov. 16—CHAMPAIGN — If only …
Yes, the Illinois football team clinched just the second winning season at the school since 2011. A dominant 38-16 victory against Michigan State on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium put it over the top.
Everyone associated with the team celebrated: players, coaches, fans. They left the building in a good mood as the team completed a 6-1 home season.
The last time Illinois had as much fun at First and Kirby was in 2001, when Ron Turner’s Big Ten champions went 6-0. Appropriately, the quarterback of the ’01 team, Kurt Kittner, served as Saturday’s honorary captain.
“We’ve made a big push to make Memorial Stadium something special,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “Hopefully, it’s something to continue in the fall.”
So what’s with the “if only?” Let me explain.
Three weeks from now, when the folks at the College Football Playoff are doling out bids, Illinois might be looking back achingly at the home game that got away.
Minnesota came to Champaign on Nov. 2 and walked away with a 25-17 victory. The lone glitch for Illinois in an otherwise perfect home season.
If Illinois does what looks likely and wins at Rutgers and Northwestern in the final two games of the regular season, the Minnesota game will go down as one of the most costly in recent program history.
Still, a winning season is a step in the right direction for Bielema’s program.
“It’s called the expectations,” Bielema said. “What we’ve tried since we’ve come here is try to change the expectations, what people think of this place and what it is.”
The fourth-year coach talks constantly about going 1-0 each week. Excellent goal. If it follows the plan the next two weeks, it will finish the regular season 9-3, about four wins more than projected before the season.
“We’re just telling our guys just keep working on what’s in front of you, continue to take advantage of every opportunity you get,” Bielema said.
Unfortunately, the team didn’t go 1-0 against Minnesota and will now likely be on the outside looking in when the 12-team CFP field is announced.
Still, it’s progress. Illinois wasn’t on the national radar before the season, which opened with a win against Eastern Illinois way back on Aug. 29. It is now.
Illinois didn’t receive a single vote in The Associated Press Top 25 last week.
The coach lobbied, not-so-subtly, for my vote after Saturdary’s game.
“You should vote us in the Top 25,” Bielema said. “You’ve got a vote. Put our record against other people’s records and see where we are.”
As of early Saturday evening, before all the results were in, I was considering ranking Illinois. Not a “lock” but a definite “maybe.”
Louisville, Missouri and LSU all lost, so there were openings.
Illinois clearly found the right replacement for departed receiver Isaiah Williams.
It has been a pleasure watching Pat Bryant play four years at Illinois. He stepped into the leadership role left by Williams and thrived.
Bielema said this week, he didn’t know what he had in Bryant when he first took over the program. Bryant had been signed by Lovie Smith’s staff.
Bryant stuck with the team, ignored off-season pursuits from other programs and saw it all pay off Saturday. Four catches for 135 yards and a touchdown.
The head coach talks about Bryant with the pride of a father.
“Pat Bryant is a shooting star,” Bielema said.
Bielema talks to NFL scouts about Bryant … in a nice way.
“I tell those NFL scouts ‘Wherever you have Pat Bryant rated, I would double-down and bet him one round higher,’ ” Bielema said. “‘He’s a big-catch guy. He makes things happen.'”
A year after ending the season on the bench, quarterback Luke Altmyer continues to be highly productive.
He threw for 231 yards and two scores. More important, no turnovers.
Bielema said Altmyer’s success starts in practice.
“Just really, really diligent,” Bielema said “I think (Saturday) was one of those great examples of what you see during the course of the week is what you get during the game.”
Altmyer’s steady hand has helped the team pile up wins.
“It’s crazy what a year difference can make,” Altmyer said.
“I’ve just been so confident out there,” Altmyer said. “Not afraid to make mistakes. It’s all credit to the coaches who have supported me through hard times, but also the people around me.
“I’m just happy for our team. Seasons like this, you never want to end. It’s been a lot of fun.”