It is quite common, within the world of sports, to feel that the status quo will never change for the better. Until one day it finally does, and then that one long-awaited breakthrough leads to a new standard, and with that, a new ceiling. You saw that with the 2022 Illini football team, which was Bret Bielema’s second year in charge of the program.
That team laid the groundwork for the 2024 Illini football squad, which is a slightly better team, by some regards.
Citrus Bowl FYIs
#15 South Carolina Gamecocks vs #20 Illinois Fighting Illini
Kickoff: Tue. Dec. 31, 3pm EST
Spread: South Carolina -9.5, Money Line -360, U/O 47.5, ESPN Analytics South Carolina 72.4%
Illini Football Material: History Nuggets & Tidbits Coaching History Part 1 Coaching History Part 2 Coaching History Part 3
Citrus Bowl Opt-Outs Illini Football 2022 vs 2024
On Saturday, we’ll see if one of Illinois’ old Big Ten West division rivals, Nebraska, can finally turn the corner. The Cornhuskers, who are facing Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl, haven’t won a bowl game since 2015, and this is their first appearance in one since 2016.
When Joe Ganz was done playing quarterback at Nebraska, he held 23 school records, including single season and single game passing yards.
Ganz analyzed the current state of his alma mater in an exclusive with RG: “I think they’re just looking for that one breakthrough moment, as cliché as it sounds.”
“Once that [moment] happens it’s going to help a lot, because I think [Dylan Raiola] is going to attract a lot of good players to play there offensively.
“And their defense has been pretty good for the past couple of years anyway.”
We’ll see if Matt Rhule can do in Lincoln what Bielema has done in Champaign, but Ganz knows a thing or two about turning around a sputtering football program.
In 2002, when he was in high school, he led the Amos Alonzo Stagg Chargers to the state semifinals.
Like the Illini, the Stagg Chargers were a team in Illinois (Palos Hills to be exact) in navy blue and burnt orange that knew far more failure than success.
Until one day, they finally didn’t, and they realize, yes, they can have nice things.
So we’ll see what happens with the Huskers, but for now, let’s look at how the 2022 Illini football team stacks up versus the current one.
2022 Illini Football: Far Superior Talent-Wise
This team accomplished the first win at Wisconsin since 2002 and the first W over Iowa anywhere since 2008. They got off to a 7-1 start, and with that, earned the program’s first ever College Football Playoff ranking. Of course, as you know, they limped to an 8-5 finish, with the eighth victory coming over a completely awful Northwestern team.
However, this was the breakthrough team for the program, and their legacy lives on not just in Champaign, but in the NFL.
2022 Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year Devon Witherspoon became the 5th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He made the Pro Bowl his rookie year. Quarterback Tommy DeVito has seen plenty of time as the New York Giants QB1.
The main overall individual star of the 2022 Illini, RB Chase Brown, is on the verge of accomplishing a 1,000 yard rushing season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Quan Martin and Jer’Zhan Newton (a second round pick this past April) are major contributors for the Washington Commanders.
The current Illini football team just does not have a lot of NFL Draft prospects.
And the pro prospects that they do have aren’t projected to do anything at the next level even remotely close to what the aforementioned has done/is doing.
2024 Illini: A Better Overall Team, More Successful Season
The 2024 Illini finished the regular season 9-3, one better than 2022’s 8-4. They also got a slightly better state of Florida, traditional New Year’s Day bowl. The Citrus Bowl is just plain more prestigious than the Reliaquest/Outback.
They are just a more complete team, with a superior Gestalt over the ’22 Illini football team. And the story arc of the season was more even and consistent.
They just feel more solid and reliable.
Plus, they had more team accomplishments than the ’22 side.
- Illini are one win away from tying the program record of 10 wins; having achieved the eighth 9+-win season in program history.
- The three teams that beat the Illini combined to go 31-6. Two of Illinois’ three loses were on the road to top-4 teams in the country.
- Illinois has five wins when ranked this season, the most since the ’90 team.
- The Illini football program has 22 wins over the last three seasons, the most in a three-year span since 1999-01.
- Illinois’ six Big Ten wins are tied for the most since the Illini went 6-2 in Big Ten games in 2007. It was the program’s third six-win Big Ten season since 1990 (2001, 2007, 2024).
- The Illini won three games in November for the first time since 2007.
So Which Season Was More Memorable and Exciting?
2022 was a bigger surprise, which nobody saw coming. And while it was a tremendous season, with a lot of accomplishments, it was also a roller coaster. That year also had a novelty factor.
They were in line to win the Big Ten West division title.
They had an achievable trophy, right there for the taking, and with that, a chance to play in Indianapolis for something more.
However, they blew it, and never made the Big Ten championship game. But that specific dangling carrot made that season very special.
This year’s team never had that.
The current Illini football team were never true, serious contenders for a CFP berth. However, they do have a signature win/program defining moment, which the ’22 side really didn’t.
They beat a reigning national champion for the first time since 1941, and they did it on the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Stadium dedication/Red Grange game.
It came with faux-leather helmets and everything, and overall, it was a perfect day that Illini football fans will never forget.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.