Illinois ' first game of the 2026 campaign (a 42-23 win over UAB) wasn't perfect - but it was far from a dud. There were plenty of encouraging signs , and focusing in on individual performances, a few Illini even had excellent nights. Here are three Illinois stock risers heading into Duke - and what the team needs from each on Saturday.
Sep 3, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema during the second half against the UAB Blazers at Gies Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After one week, Illinois' decision to slide Holmes from linebacker to defensive line this offseason appears to have been a fantastic call. Holmes registered five total tackles - including 0.5 tackles for loss - along with a game-high three quarterback hurries. Without a doubt, Holmes was the Illini's most unexpected Week 1 standout (even if the coaching staff had been singing his praises).
The Illini need Holmes to do what he does best in Week 2: get after the quarterback. If he can consistently create pressure against Duke's Walker Eget , who will often run for the hills at the first sign of a pass rusher nearby, the Blue Devils' passing attack will struggle to take pressure off running back Nate Sheppard . (Also, Illinois will need all hands on deck - Holmes included - to help out bottling up Sheppard.)
The stat line - one catch for 11 yards - wasn't eye-popping for Trimble in Week 1. But on that lone reception, which was a screen pass, Trimble showcased his speed, vision and ability to break tackles. More importantly, though, Trimble played his role to a T.
With all of the buzz surrounding him - he was another of the Illini's fall camp standout - he may have expected a healthier share of targets. Instead, he was the primary decoy on a pair of plays that led to Collin Dixon touchdowns. But he seemingly happily embraced that responsibility.
In Week 2, the Illini may need more than just decoy duty out of Trimble. Clearly, Dixon is WR1 and we know Hudson Clement is an excellent option as well. But if injured Jayshon Platt is once again a no-go (and it's very much looking that way ), Trimble will get the start.
In that scenario, Illinois needs Trimble to be another legitimate weapon for quarterback Katin Houser , who only connected with two receivers (Dixon and Clement) more than once in Week 1.
Sep 6, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils cornerback Kimari Robinson (5) is tackled by Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Jojo Hayden (30), linebacker Kenenna Odeluga (39), linebacker Ismael Kante (26) and defensive lineman Gentle Hunt (92) during the fourth quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The pick-six - which stemmed from Holmes' pressure - was the highlight of the game for Kante, and the Illini defense as a whole. Kante was in the right place at the right time, but it was nevertheless a heads-up play that he was able to finish for the score. Also, he was second on the squad with six total tackles (trailing only safety Matthew Bailey ).
Kante had an impressive first start , though there was room for improvement. He, along with the entire Illinois defense, made too many tackling mistakes. And with Duke's Nate Sheppard (227 yards and two scores in Week 1) coming to Champaign on Saturday, the Illini can't afford to let any more ball carriers - or opportunities - slip through their fingers.
Kante recognizes that: "Clean up some tackling issues that - I feel like I missed some tackles today, too," Kante said in his postgame press conference after the UAB win. "Just moving forward, I have got to be better with that. We'll get there."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/illinois as 3 Illinois Stock Risers the Illini Will Need to Produce vs. Duke in Week 2 .
