Fighting Illini - (Even More) Salad Days - December 2025

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Earlier this year, I wrote this post calling early 2025 the "Salad Days" for my Fighting Illini1.  That was coming off the Citrus Bowl victory over the SEC (and betting favorite) South Carolina Gamecocks on New Year's Day while the men's hoops team was ranked #22 and beat #9 Oregon on the road the next day.  

Those Salad Days are still here.  And, that's a new feeling for this Illini fan.  

The football team is heading to the Music City Bowl to play the *other orange* team (a worse orange, to be sure) while the hoops team is in the AP Top 15 after beating the SAME TENNESSEE team and are set up to continue winning as they head into conference play.




After a number of tough years, it feels different.  

We've swapped spots with Wisconsin in football.
And, being ranked #13 feels right.  Why?  Because when you look at the list of "Bluebloods" in terms of ALL-TIME Wins, where do the Illini rank?  Number thirteen.


If you asked 10 sports fans, they'd tell you that we're a "hoops school".  But, after 2005, we had a deep slide.   Now, #13 is back where we belong.  Look at the list above.  Those are similar, blueblood2 (or blueblood-adjacent) programs. 

It is hard to explain to my nephews (who are enrolled down in C-U) and especially to my kids that this is NOT NORMAL for us as Illini fans.  

I've long talked about wanting two things:  

1.  Relevant football.  Have a floor of 6 wins every year.  Go to a bowl game.  
2.  Make the second weekend of the tournament.  

Thanks to Coach Bret Bielema, it sure feels like we're in the era of #1 being solid.  And, Coach Brad Underwood has the Illini rolling on the hardwood.  Are we making the second weekend every year?  No.  We're not.

Tough, unlucky draws have held us back (Loyola, Houston and Kentucky), but we went Elite 8 in 2024 and it sure feels like we have a Sweet 16 team this year.  There are a number of Illini playing in the NBA and our fanbase travels to road games.  

These.Are.The.Days.  What a time to be a fan.

1. Of course, I'm using [Salad Days] in the modern manner, no offense to Bill. ↩



2. Who are the "bluebloods"?  I suppose that list includes Kansas, Kentucky, UNC, Duke, Indiana, UCLA, Michigan State, UCONN, Syracuse, Villanova, Louisville and...probably Purdue.↩

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