Illinois

‘Routine for him’: Illinois’ receivers showed up when it mattered most

Published

1 year ago

September 8, 2024

‘Routine for him’: Illinois’ receivers showed up when it mattered most

Goooood afternoon, Illini fans. If you’re reading this on Sunday, it’s the one-year anniversary of the Illini’s loss to Kansas in Lawrence. It’s also the one-day anniversary (not sure if that’s a thing) of the win over No. 19 Kansas in Champaign. There were plenty of positives to take away from the game, including but not limited, to our receiving game.

“Holy cow, did you see that catch?”

That’s a question you could’ve asked a handful of times during Illinois’ 23-17 upset win over the Kansas Jayhawks, but for the most part, you said it while pointing at the players wearing 13 or 4.

While even the more pessimistic Illini fans might point to the team’s slow start and argue that a better first quarter may have made things easier, we’d like to argue it wouldn’t have made the game as fun as it was.

The Illini exited the gates playing great defense, with a Xavier Scott interception and a turnover on downs keeping the game close despite a Zakhari Franklin fumble in Illinois territory.

Just when Illini fans started hoping for Luke Altmyer to start slinging it, he did. With around two and a half minutes left in the second quarter, it looked like Barry Lunney Jr. made the call to start slinging it to a target the OC is very familiar with.

Franklin, who knew Lunney from his days at UTSA, made this catch look easy.

“It was third down. I saw Luke scrambling, and I just wanted to stay in bounds. Keep my feet in and make the catch,” Franklin said, reminiscing on the catch. He’s a man of few words, and when asked what the key to making a grab like that, he said: “Concentration. Focus.”

On the play following the catch, Franklin was called for an offsides, turning 1st and 10 on the 28 to a 1st and 15 on the 33. The drive would end with David Olano sinking a 50-yard field goal into some wind.

“Flush it. Mistakes are gonna happen, so [I] just play the next play,” Franklin said on the mindset following the earlier fumble and the penalty. He says that’s been his mindset when handling in-game mistakes, something that’s developed as he’s matured. He’s a journeyed veteran and is currently college football’s active career leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. When asked when that ability to simply ‘flush it’ came to him, he said: “Man, I don’t even know man. It just happened over time.”

While Illini fans may be quick to label Franklin to be as good as advertised, Bielema says there’s much more left to come from him.

“I think he’s only going to begin to get better,” he said. Franklin was a late addition to this recruiting class, committing in June. “He’s understanding how we do things here, and [he’s] put himself in a position to not only help us this year but also for the future.”

Following a quiet third quarter that saw Kansas reclaim its lead, Altmyer’s arm got back to slinging, leading the charge on an eight-play, eighty-yard drive looking to reclaim the lead.

A big 37 yards. The hesitation, acceleration and separation before the catch were perfectly orchestrated by the veteran.

Directly following that pass, Illini fans wouldn’t be blamed for having a feeling of déjà vu: a chunk of that big gain was taken away by a seven-yard sack.

The passing game was on line and in the heads of the Kansas defense. That success through the air opened the door for Luke Altmyer on the ground. He’d scramble for 18 yards to convert the 2nd-and-17 and threw another dot to Bryant two plays later.

TCR staff photographer Brad Repplinger got a great shot of Bryant’s stretch for the pylon, too:

TCR // Brad Repplinger

“He does it every day in practice man, it’s just like routine for him,” fellow wideout Franklin said on Bryant’s pass-catching ability after the game.

The following play would be a one-yard punch-in for running back Kadin Feagin, giving Illinois its first lead since going up 13-10.

A 15-play, 42-yard and nearly seven-minute drive burned plenty of clock and gave Illinois a 23-17 lead, which featured true freshman running back Ca’Lil Valentine. The back, who Bielema says is as “quick as a hiccup”, finished with eight rushes and 25 yards, including two crucial first downs to set up Olano from 43 yards out.

After that, the game boiled down to letting the defense do what the defense had been doing for the past three quarters.

Illinois might not have had a ton of yards through the air (just 192) or any receiving touchdowns, but Altmyer, Franklin and Bryant made the passing game look good when it mattered most.

Illinois is off to its first 2-0 start since 2019. Next week, they’ll be chasing their first 3-0 start since 2011. If they can do that and grab one or two road victories, Kansas might not be the last sellout of the season.

“I look forward to playing in [front of] some more sellout crowds here,” Franklin said.

Saturday will be a September Homecoming at home against the Central Michigan Chippewas. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium be at 11 a.m., and the game can be seen on Peacock.

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Illinois

FEMA rejects Illinois’ appeal for major disaster relief after August storms hit Chicago area

Published

1 hour ago

February 10, 2026

Press Room

FEMA rejects Illinois’ appeal for major disaster relief after August storms hit Chicago area

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 1:39AM

FEMA rejects Illinois' appeal for major disaster relief

CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois families hit hard by storms last August will not get extra federal help.

Video captured some of the damage.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has denied the state’s appeal for a major disaster declaration for Boone, Cook, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday called it a politically motivated decision that punishes thousands of families.

State officials vowed to continue supporting local recovery efforts.

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Illinois

2026 IHSA Illinois Wrestling State Finals Schedule And Brackets – FloWrestling

Published

13 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Press Room

2026 IHSA Illinois Wrestling State Finals Schedule And Brackets – FloWrestling

Of all the states in the country, Illinois has a unique format for its postseason high school wrestling action.

The Illinois High School Association Wrestling State Finals will feature three events across two action-packed weekends.

First up, will be the 2026 IHSA Boys Individual Wrestling State Finals, being held Feb. 19-21 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. The venue is home to University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign basketball and countless other events throughout the year.

The following week (Feb. 27-28), the boys will be back on the mats for the 2026 IHSA Dual Team State Finals, and they’ll be joined at the Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington, Illinois, by the top female wrestlers in the state for the 2026 IHSA Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals.

Though these tournaments won’t be broadcast live on FloWrestling or the FloSports app, each match will appear in the FloWrestling archives minutes after concluding.

While giving each field of competitors the chance to shine, the three events also have very different histories.

The first individual state meet for boys took place in 1937. The dual event was held for the first time in 1984. Only just recently, in 2022, did the girls get their first opportunity to compete for state titles.

From 1937-1973, there was one classification, and there were two (A, AA) from 1974-2008. Since 2009, the boys side of things, including the dual tournaments, have featured three classifications – 1A (under 600 enrollment), 2A (601-1,200) and 3A (more than 1,200).

So far, the girls have been limited to a single classification.

To reach the state finals, student-athletes in Illinois must run a gauntlet of competition.

For the boys, the postseason journey began with one-day regional events across 16 locations on Jan. 31. The first-, second and third-place finishers from each regional advanced to the sectional round.

The two-day sectional tournaments, held at four locations, are scheduled for Feb. 13-14.

Once again, the first-, second- and third-place finishers will advance and get the chance to wrestle at the state finals in Champaign.

The girls schedule is similar, with regional meets taking place Feb. 6 or Feb. 7, and sectionals set for Feb. 13-14.

Three top performers from the regional meets advance to sectionals, and the top four finishers at sectionals, in each weight class, advance to the state finals in Bloomington.

As the individual drama unfolds for the boys in February, teams also must focus on the Dual Team Tournament Series.

The Feb. 5 sectional qualifiers were held at the home of the teams that scored the most points at the individual regionals, and each included four teams, or semifinalists. The two semifinal winners from each sectional meet qualified for the state event.

In all, 24 teams now will compete at the Dual Team State Finals (eight per classification).

Whew, that’s a lot of information!

The important thing to remember is that the best of the best from the state of Illinois will get to battle for state titles this month, and every single match will live forever in the FloWrestling archives!

As you get settled in for the new championship season, here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 IHSA Wrestling State Finals, including links to the brackets.

What Are The Weight Classes For High School Wrestling In Illinois?

In Pounds

Boys: 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, 285
Girls: 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190, 235

2026 IHSA Wrestling State Finals Brackets

Here’s where you’ll be able to find the brackets for the 2026 IHSA Wrestling State Finals:

How To Watch The 2026 IHSA Wrestling State Finals

Coverage of the 2026 IHSA Boys Individual Wrestling State Finals, being held Feb. 19-21 in Champaign, Illinois, and the 2026 IHSA Dual Team State Finals/2026 IHSA Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals in Bloomington, Illinois, the following weekend, won’t be broadcast live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, but the matches will be available in the FloWrestling archives minutes after they conclude.

News, notes, stats and more will be available on both platforms.

If you’re going to be in the area and want to catch the action in person, check this page for spectator and ticket information for the boys finals and this page to purchase tickets for the dual/girls finals.

2026 IHSA (IL) State Championships – ARCHIVE ONLY

2026 IHSA Wrestling State Finals Schedule

Here’s a look at when everything is going down in Illinois:

All Times Central

Thursday, Feb. 19

Session 1

8-9 a.m. – Packet pickup in lobby of East Main entrance
9 a.m. – Doors open for weigh-ins and skin checks
9:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins and skin checks
9:45-10 a.m. – Coaches meeting
10 a.m. – Table workers meeting
10:15 a.m. – Official meeting
10:15 a.m. (approx.) – Open mats
10:45 a.m. – Close mats
11 a.m. – Class 1A Preliminaries
1 p.m. (approx.) – Class 2A Preliminaries
3:15 p.m. (approx.) – Class 3A Preliminaries
5:30 p.m. (approx.) – Class 1A, 2A, 3A Winner’s Bracket Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 20

Session 2

6:30 a.m. – Doors open for weigh-ins
7:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins
8 a.m. – Doors open to the public
9 a.m. – Round 1 Wrestlebacks (1A, 2A, 3A)
1 p.m. (approx.) – Round 2 Wrestlebacks (1A, 2A, 3A)
4:30 p.m. – Clear State Farm Center

Session 3

6 p.m. – Doors open to the public
7 p.m. – Championship Semifinals (1A, 2A, 3A)

Saturday, Feb. 21

Session 4

6:30 a.m. – Doors open for weigh-ins
7:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins
8 a.m. – Doors open to the public
9 a.m. – Quarterfinal Wrestlebacks (1A, 2A, 3A)
11 a.m. – Semifinal Wrestlebacks (1A, 2A, 3A)
1 p.m. – Third-, Fourth-, Fifth-, Sixth-Place Matches (1A, 2A, 3A)
3:30 p.m. – Clear State Farm Center

Session 5

4:30 p.m. – Doors open to the public
5 p.m. – Grand March line-up
5:30 p.m. – Grand March
6 p.m. – Championship Matches (1A, 2A, 3A) (three mats)

Friday, Feb. 27

Girls Individual Tournament (Six Mats)

7:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins
8:15 a.m. – Coaches meeting
9 a.m. – Round 1
11 a.m. – Quarterfinals and Round 1 Wrestlebacks
1:30 p.m. – Round 2 Wrestlebacks

Dual Team Tournament (Six Mats)

3:30 p.m. – Weigh-ins
4:15 p.m. – Coaches meeting
5 p.m. – Top Bracket Quarterfinals
7 p.m. – Bottom Bracket Quarterfinals

Saturday, Feb. 28

7:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins for all wrestlers

Girls Individual Tournament (Three Mats)

9 a.m. – Championship Semifinals & Round 3 Wrestlebacks
11:30 a.m. – Consolation Semifinals
12:15 p.m. – Placement Matches
1:45 p.m. – Grand March
2 p.m. – Championship Matches (one mat)

Dual Team Tournament (Three Mats)

9 a.m. – Top Bracket Semifinals
11 a.m. – Bottom Bracket Semifinals
6 p.m. – Championship & Third-Place Duals (three mats)

2026 IHSA (IL) Dual Sate | Girls State Championships

What Teams Won At The 2025 IHSA Wrestling State Finals?

Here are the 2025 team state champions in Illinois:

Boys

Class 1A – Coal City
Class 2A – Elmhurst (IC Catholic)
Class 3A – Aurora (Marmion Academy)
Duals – Aurora (Marmion Academy) def. Rockton (Hononegah), 42-31

*Illinois only crowns individual champions in girls wrestling.

Read more: 2025 IHSA Illinois Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets | 2025 IHSA Girls Individual State Finals

Did You Know: There Are Layers To The History Of Illinois HS Wrestling

The three segments of high school wrestling in Illinois – boys, boys duals and girls – began wrestling for state titles in 1937, 1984 and 2022, respectively.

In the long history of boys high school wrestling in Illinois, only 16 boys have won four individual state titles. The latest was Seth Mendoza of Chicago Mt. Carmel, who won titles from 2022-2025 at 106, 113, 126 and 138 pounds.

For the girls, one athlete has won a state championship each year. Angelina Cassioppi from Rockton (Hononegah) won her first title in 2022 at 100 pounds and followed that with three victories at 120 pounds.

The pool of 14 winners at the 2025 Girls Individual Wrestling State Finals featured seven undefeated champions (five were repeat winners) and three others who only lost once all season.

Seven of the winners were the first girls wrestling champions for their schools. Five participants, including Cassioppi, became four-time medalists

2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings

Top 20 as of Jan. 12, 2026

Curious about how the top wrestlers from each state stack up against competitors from across the country?

Click here to see the latest high school rankings from FloWrestling.

You’ve Never Seen A High School Wrestling Dual Like This | Episode 2

Bo Bassett, Jax Forrest, Melvin Miller and Jude Correa are all ranked No. 1 in the country. What happens when you throw them all into one dual?

Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling

Trackwrestling officially has merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform.

Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.

This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.

FloWrestling Archived Footage

Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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Illinois

WATCH: MSU celebrates, dances in locker room following win over Illinois

Published

1 day ago

February 9, 2026

Press Room

WATCH: MSU celebrates, dances in locker room following win over Illinois

Even a walking boot couldn’t keep Divine Ugochukwu from dancing in the Spartans’ locker room following Saturday’s win over Illinois.

When you beat a top five team in the country, there’s going to be dancing in the locker room. That was the case for the Spartans on Saturday night.

Michigan State rallied in the second half to beat No. 5 Illinois in overtime in a thrilling game on Saturday. The Spartans trailed most of the game, but took the lead late and eventually pulled away in overtime for the notable victory.

Following the game, there was plenty of celebrating from the fans and alumni that support the Spartans. And it also was occurring within the Michigan State locker room with the players.

In the video posted below on Coen Carr’s instagram, you can see a number of players dancing in the locker room — including recently injured Ugochukwu dancing in his new walking boot. Check out the video below:

It had been a long week for the Spartans, who came into this matchup on a two-game losing streak with defeats to rival Michigan and lousy Minnesota. So it’s nice to see the players celebrate and rewarded with the marquee victory.

Michigan State will look to keep the dancing going next week in a tough road test at Wisconsin on Friday. That’ll be the Spartans’ next game, with tipoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Friday.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

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