News across Champaign County
Illinois set to jump into action against Purdue
Illinois begins a new season Friday at home against Purdue, also kicking off its 2026-27 season. The Illini are coming off a 7-4 year with all four losses coming in conference meets. After a 14th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, the new squad splashes into a new season…
Opinion | Instagram sucks now
If you’ve ever seen long captions about the “Mercedes CLR GTR,” Vogue World: Hollywood or how #🇯🇵Japan is turning footsteps into electricity under Instagram posts, you’re not alone. How many times can you scroll through Instagram posts without seeing AI summaries or…
Column | Illinois prepares for high-stakes tilt vs. No. 22 Washington
Despite decisive victories over then-No. 15 Minnesota (6-4, 0-2) and then-No. 23 USC (7-5, 1-1), Illinois (10-3, 2-0) is still unranked. While one may quibble with that decision, one thing remains true: The Illini have the opportunity to earn the respect of their peers Friday, as…
Opinion | The undemocratic nature of selective reporting
As an avid CNN 5 Things reader, here are the five things I can tell you about CNN right now: Journalism. Is. An. Indisputable. Right. In all irony, a nation that prides itself on freedom of speech only seems to theoretically own up to its concept. Journalism is society’s leading…
Bielema speaks on Hauck’s departure, declines to name new play caller
“I just don’t know (that) our identity was really there,” said head coach Bret Bielema. Former defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck spoke with Bielema Sunday to discuss his role. They came to a mutual agreement that Hauck would step down as the defensive coordinator for Illinois.…
Column | What positions outperformed in Illinois’ loss to Ohio State
In football, like any sport, there are winners and losers. While the Illini (2-2, 0-1) ultimately lost to the then-No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1, 1-0), certain players and positions stood out for its individual performances. While some players for Illinois did all they could to…
Column | Notebook from Illinois’ conference-opening defeat
Score vs. stats While Illinois (2-2, 0-1) lost handily to No. 5 Ohio State (3-1, 1-0) 42-19, the stats told a different story. The Illini racked up 462 yards of offense and averaged 6.5 yards per play, not far behind the Buckeyes 518 yards and 7.6 yards per play. Eight of…
Illinois parts ways with defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck after 4 games
According to a press release from Illinois (2-2, 0-1), defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck and the program have parted ways after just four games. Hauck, a longtime head coach at Montana, was hired this offseason to implement a new 3-3-5 defensive scheme. “Coach Hauck reached out…
Opinion | The financial hierarchy — how wealth has overridden the integrity in naming the Kennedy Center
Infrastructure should maintain its assigned name. Grocery stores should be labeled as grocery stores, forest preserves should be labeled as forest preserves and cafes should be labeled as cafes. Titles allow us to learn about infrastructure before dedicating time to an in-depth…
Column | How the Illini can take down the No. 7 Buckeyes
After closing out its non-conference slate 2-1, Illinois is finally going on the road to open up Big Ten play against none other than No. 7 Ohio State (2-1). While the Illini enter this matchup as scrappy underdogs, anything is possible in college football. “A tremendous…
Illinois doubles up on Ivy League at Chowderfest
The Illini sent four competitors to compete in the three-day Harvard Chowderfest this weekend. Sophomore David Bakonyi, freshman Jon Gamble, freshman Nicholas Mekhael and senior Colson Wells all competed in singles and doubles. Bakonyi paired with Nebraska transfer Wells for this…
Bielema speaks on roster budget discrepancy
Pay to win is no longer a phrase that applies only to video games. Last week, David Ubben, a reporter for The Athletic, released a story about how much each Power Four college football program spent on its roster. The Ohio State topped the Big Ten, spending approximately $49-54…