Illinois football is still in the hunt for a prime bowl game, and these players are a big reason why.

Kante has stepped into a starting role in 2026 and is already showing his playmaking ability in the heart of the Illini defense

A few Illini shined in Week 1 vs. UAB. Here are three of them - and what Illinois needs out of each against Duke on Saturday.

Illinois football continued its strong play under coach Bret Bielema with a runaway win in the second half over UAB. Several performances stood out.

Aug. 12—CHAMPAIGN — Roger Cooper made a point to share a quick word with Ismael Kante during a pre-practice stretch at the start of spring practices. The new Illinois linebackers coach had watched film after being hired to get an idea of who he'd have in his room. Kante didn't have a lot — at least not from games after playing primarily on special teams during the 2025 season — but Cooper was ...