Bret Bielema enters his fourth year at Illinois, coming off a 5-7 season in 2023. Having to play a much more difficult schedule than in years past has many people looking past the Fighting Illini as threats in the Big Ten this season.
This isn't the case with CBS college football analyst Tom Fornelli, as he is much higher on Illinois than most are.
"Illinois should have one of the best offensive lines in the league," Fornelli wrote. "And history suggests that when Bret Bielema has good offensive lines, they tend to do well. … My expectations aren't sky-high here; their preseason win total is 5.5, and I've seen procrastinators pegging them for the bottom third in the league. But this feels like a solid bowl team to me."
Running behind that strong offensive line will be highly touted sophomore running back Kaden Feagin. In the past, Illinois has had some strong running back play, such as current Cincinnati Bengal Chase Brown, so there's a good chance Feagin could be next in line for success in the Illini backfield.
Illinois will also need to replace some key faces on the defensive line, as Jer'Zahn Newton and Keith Randolph are off to play in the NFL. The defense will need Dannis Briggs and TeRah Edwards to fill in some big shoes as the Illini will face some tough Big Ten running backs this season.
Bielema and company open the 2024 season in Champaign on Thursday, Aug. 29, when they face in-state opponent Eastern Illinois.