Ahead of the Virginia Cavaliers contest with the Illinois Fighting Illini, we’ve had the privilege of having our questions about Bret Bielema’s squad answered by our colleagues over at The Champaign Room! Thanks to their team and Andrew Pastorek for enlightening us.
1. Illinois is 1-1 after two games with a tough loss to Indiana on Saturday. What are the general thoughts on the team in the second year of the Bielema era after what seemed like a disappointing and winnable game against Indiana?
Friday’s game against Indiana was almost a carbon copy of last year’s Maryland game — Illinois had something like a 90% chance of winning with four minutes remaining, yet a combination of penalties, poor play calling, and soft defense led to the Illini’s demise.