The Illini opened football season with a win, soccer is rolling, and volleyball gets back on the court today.
🏈 The Big Story
Illinois won, but there are still some questions to answer
Illinois got exactly what it needed Thursday night: a win.
The Illini beat UAB 42-23 to move to 1-0, with Katin Houser accounting for four touchdowns in his Illinois debut and Collin Dixon catching two TD passes. Ca’Lil Valentine also broke loose for a 51-yard touchdown run.
But it wasn’t exactly an stress-free opener. UAB controlled the ball for more than 41 minutes and ran for 194 yards, putting
plenty of pressure on Bobby Hauck’s new-look defense.
The good news? Illinois made the big plays when it needed them. Mac Resetich’s 65-yard punt return set up an early touchdown, while Ismael Kante’s 59-yard pick-six helped put the game away.
⚽ Soccer
Illinois is still unbeaten.
The Illini cruised past Western Michigan 3-0 Thursday night behind goals from Cayla Jackson and Hedda Ornberg, along with an own goal. Izzy Lee recorded another clean sheet as Illinois improved to 2-0-3.
🏐 Volleyball
After dropping three straight sets to No. 22 Tennessee on Tuesday, Illinois gets a chance to bounce back today.
🏀 Basketball
Brad Underwood is already setting a pretty high bar for the 2026-27 Illini.
In a recent preview, Underwood made it clear that the goal remains a national championship after last season’s Final Four run. He also discussed the team’s new identity and highlighted several newcomers and returning players expected to make an impact.
📅 Coming up
Today: Volleyball vs. McNeese State — 1 p.m. CT
Sunday: Soccer at Virginia Tech — 11 a.m. CT
Sunday: Volleyball at Rice — 2 p.m. CT
Sept. 12: Football vs. Duke — 2:30 p.m. CT
👀 One thing to watch
Can Illinois’ defense clean up the UAB issues before Duke comes to Champaign? The offense showed plenty of promise. The defense has a week to prove it can match it.
