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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When Illinois coach Bret Bielema stood before his team last Sunday, ahead of a highly anticipated home game against Michigan, he knew he would “battle some demons.”
The last time Illinois had faced Michigan, in 2022, Bielema had lost his mother, Marilyn, two days before the game. As an Iowa defensive lineman in 1990, Bielema learned about the accidental death of his sister, Betsy, hours after the Hawkeyes beat Michigan in Ann Arbor.
As he spoke to his team last Sunday, the emotions poured out.
“This game has always had a lot of things around it that have been tugging on my heart all week, so thank you to my wife, my family, to have this moment,” Bielema said Saturday. “This is what I came here for, right? I thought we could build Illinois into something that is sustainable, and this is a very big step in that direction for our fan base to have them get rewarded.”
Bielema cried happy tears late Saturday afternoon after No. 22 Illinois finished off a 21-7 win against No. 24 Michigan, the team’s first against the Wolverines since 2009 and its first against a ranked Wolverines team since 1983. Donning throwback uniforms and customized leather-style helmets designed for Memorial Stadium’s 100-year rededication game, the Illini controlled the line of scrimmage in a performance befitting Bielema’s best teams. The Illini recorded their third win against an AP-ranked opponent, tying their most since 1950.
Quarterback Luke Altmyer, who had a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the win, was among the players unfamiliar with Bielema’s deeply personal history in facing Michigan. But after hearing his coach speak, Altmyer felt an even stronger connection.
“He tends to keep a lot of things like that away from us,” Altmyer said. “I don’t think he planned to go there, but just such a man of love and passion heart for his family, obviously, and his program, these individuals that are in this building. I don’t know if a lot of other you know a lot of people in that meeting got emotional, but I was feeling out for him and knew this meant the world to him.”
Altmyer made sure to find Bielema after Saturday’s win, even after a portion of the sellout crowd had rushed the field to celebrate. Illinois built its 5-1 record largely on Altmyer, a dynamic passing game and a defense that shined in the back end. Illinois entered the game ranked 87th nationally in rushing but ran for 187 yards on 38 carries — the most Michigan has allowed in the regular season since 2021 against Michigan State.
The Illini defensive front seven also rose up against a bumbling Wolverines offense, as outside linebacker Gabe Jacas and defensive lineman TeRah Edwards combined for 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. The Ilini finished with five sacks, seven tackles for loss and three takeaways, while committing none.
Illinois also shined on special teams, executing a fake punt in the third quarter where tight end Tanner Arkin gained 26 yards, setting up its third and final touchdown.
“Momentum is a big thing and calling that fake was huge,” Arkin said. “One of our keys for offense was controlling the tempo of the game, and I think we did a pretty good job of that.”
Bielema quoted his mentor and former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez, whom he replaced with the Badgers, in saying that beating Michigan requires preparation “365 days a year.” Illinois lost narrowly in 2022 to the Wolverines, who went on to win the Big Ten, but had not competed well against them in previous years.
Bielema said the win and the environment should be the standard for Illinois, which remains very much alive in the Big Ten race as it visits No. 2 Oregon next week.
“Our success certainly didn’t happen because of a week of preparation,” Altmyer said. “It came from last year’s failures, it came from training throughout the offseason.”
Added linebacker Dylan Rosiek: “This has been a steady crescendo that we’re trying to keep building on.”
When Bielema spoke to the team six days earlier, he knew that “half that room” didn’t know his personal history with facing Michigan. By Saturday night, they had added a new, happier chapter.
“To come full circle, I know she’s smiling right now,” he said of his mother. “There’s a lot of people that make this day happen, but to have the love and support of the people around me in this place, in this building … is really, really cool.”