Illinois

How Illinois should defend Eastern Illinois’ offense

Published

1 year ago

August 27, 2024

How Illinois should defend Eastern Illinois’ offense

We are so close to a real, live, regular season football game.

Finally, instead of previewing the Illini from countless different angles and trying to decipher all the training camp buzz, we have an opponent to dive into.

The opponent — the Eastern Illinois Panthers, an in-state FCS foe coming off a strong 8-3 season in 2023 that left them just outside the FCS playoffs. It was the program’s best mark since Jimmy Garappolo was under center in 2013.

The Panthers sit just outside the AFCA preseason FCS Top 25 coaches poll, receiving the third most votes among non-ranked teams. While Illinois is currently a 27.5-point favorite on Thursday night, Eastern Illinois has proven itself as a quality team for its level.

Today, let’s start by taking a look at the Panthers’ offense:

Eastern Illinois returns nine starters from an inconsistent 2023 offense that saw some ups and downs. Overall, the Panthers ranked 76th in FCS in points per game and 46th in total offense.

It is, however, a talented unit of returnees. Quarterback Pierce Holley is back and was named the preseason Big South-OVC Player of the Year after throwing for 2,723 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2023. Alongside him return leading rusher MJ Flowers (852 yards, 8 TD) and leading receiver Eli Mirza (680 yards, 3 TD).

Eastern Illinois Athletics

Holley, a transfer from Georgetown in 2022, isn’t the most athletic, strongest-armed quarterback but is a veteran who’s been a consistent presence throughout his career. He’s unlikely to fire off a bunch of explosive downfield throws, but he’s equally as unlikely to play the Panthers out of the game with turnovers and poor decision-making.

Keeping Holley clean was the biggest point of struggle for the EIU offense in 2023. The Panthers allowed 35 sacks, a bottom-15 mark in all of FCS. When facing pressure, Holley struggled mightily, completing just 35.4% of his passes and turning many pressures into sacks. The Illinois defensive front will have an opportunity to impose its will up front and keep the veteran quarterback from getting comfortable.

If Eastern Illinois wants to give Illinois a scare, it’ll have to find success in the run game.

The Panthers will likely look to run the ball early and often with Flowers, an FCS Freshman All-American in 2023. He’ll be running behind an offensive line that made up for its pass blocking struggles with plenty of push on the ground and has FBS size throughout, led by All-Conference guard Sebastian Pares and center Drew Wilder. Testing a questionable Illini rush defense is certain to be a focal point for Panthers offensive coordinator Kyle Derickson.

For Illinois, the size, talent, physicality, and athleticism advantage need to show up defensively to make life difficult for the Panther offense. Dominating the trenches and overpowering Eastern Illinois physically is necessary and attainable to take care of a respectable FCS opponent in Week 1.

Three Keys for the Illini defense vs EIU:

Get consistent pressure on QB Pierce Holley — Seth Coleman and Gabe Jacas will be key here. They’re expected to be the leaders of the Illini defense, and they need to dominate an FCS offensive line who struggled mightily at pass blocking a season ago. An uncomfortable quarterback and a handful of drive-killing sacks are what the Illini will need to impose their will early and cruise to victory.
Contain the EIU run game — Run defense is a major question mark for Illinois after losing all three starting defensive linemen, but that shouldn’t be exploited by an FCS opponent. The Panthers will try to run the ball often, but the Illini front needs to contain it and allow its pass rushers to turn up the pressure on third and longs. Illinois has a large talent advantage in the trenches and that needs to show itself from kickoff.
Be strong tacklers — When FCS teams spring upsets on FBS opponents, the cause usually comes down to sloppy play and a lot of mistakes. We know what that looks like offensively, but on defense Illinois needs to be strong in the tackling department. EIU’s gameplan will likely be heavily simplified and involve a lot of running and quick hitters in the passing game, and Illinois needs to avoid the missed tackles or missed assignments that could lead to explosive plays and yards after catch opportunities.

Check back tomorrow for a look at the Eastern Illinois defense.

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Illinois

2026 IHSA Illinois Wrestling State Finals Schedule And Brackets – FloWrestling

Published

2 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.

Join The State Wrestling Conversation On Social

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Illinois

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

Published

14 hours 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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