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Illinois releases Week 1 game trailer for season opener vs. Toledo
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Illinois kicks off its 2023 season on Saturday night as it welcomes Toledo to Memorial Stadium.
After a 5-7 mark in Bret Bielema’s first season in Champaign in 2021, the Illini saw a 3-win improvement, finishing 8-5 overall (5-4 in the B1G West division) despite losing the ReliaQuest Bowl. It was the first winning season for Illinois since a 7-6 mark in 2011.
Can the Illini take the next step forward? They’ll look to get things started on the right foot against the Rockets, who they are meeting for the first time on the gridiron. The Rockets finished 9-5 in 202, winning the MAC Championship over Ohio last year and topping Liberty in the Boca Raton Bowl.
On Thursday, the Illini released their hype trailer ahead of Saturday’s matchup. You can take a look at the video below:
The next chapter starts this weekend. #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/ujyo2b7xRE
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) September 1, 2023
Kickoff between the Illini and the Rockets is set for 7:30 p.m. Et and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.