Crim: Early-season matchups could determine if Fighting Illini can muster elusive winning season

By Don Crim, Senior Columnist | July 22, 2024
The University of Illinois football program has enjoyed just four winning seasons since 2001 and now tackles a beefed up Big Ten Conference. | Photo courtesy University of Illinois athletics

QUINCY — Random thoughts with the opening night of high school football season just 40 days away: • Illinois has had just four winning football seasons since the 10-2 Sugar Bowl team under Ron Turner in 2001. The program has been mired in mediocrity, managing just 15 campaigns of eight or more wins in 134…

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Crim: Illinois, Mizzou searching for improvement, consistency as college football season dawns

By Don Crim, Senior Columnist | August 29, 2022
Illinois junior running back Chase Brown and the Illini got the reason started with a 38-6 thumping of Wyoming on Saturday in Champaign, Ill. | Photo courtesy University of Illinois athletics

In case you missed it, Alabama is once again the consensus pick to win the college football national championship, with Ohio State nipping at its heels, and so yawn. Sure, Georgia, Clemson and Utah have the potential to reach the four-team playoff, but the Crimson Tide are expected to avenge last season’s championship game loss…

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