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Bret Bielema reflects on Illinois’ win over Michigan: ‘This is what I came here for’
By Sydney Hunte
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Bret Bielema and Illinois are 6-1 in 2024, handling Michigan 21-7 in Champaign. The Illini are 3-1 in the Big Ten with the win as they look to keep pace with the teams atop the conference.
Wins like Saturday’s should be the rule and not the exception, the Illini head coach said after the game.
“I’ve heard so many about things we haven’t done. I want to talk about things we’ve done. I get it. But let’s leave the past in the past. I want this to be the standard,” he said.
Illinois built a 13-7 halftime lead, but despite Michigan shaking off a slow start, the hosts claimed the win. The Wolverines were shut out in the second half as they fell to 4-3 on the season.
“[We] have to capitalize on this in recruiting. Gotta have the horses. Gotta fill that stadium as much as humanly possible to help the rest of the athletic department,” Bielema said.
Under Bielema, the Illini have failed to truly get over the hump. They struggled to a 5-7 mark in his first year in 2021. In 2022, they got off to a 7-1 start and were ranked No. 16 but went 1-4 the rest of the way, plummeting out of the Top 25. That was followed by another 5-7 season in 2023.
Fast forward to 2024, with the Illini bowl-eligible and still in the hunt for a potential B1G Championship Game berth. A College Football Playoff bid isn’t totally out of the question, especially if they upset No. 2 Oregon in Week 9.
“This is what I came here for,” Bielema added.