Sep. 19—LINCOLN, Neb. — There’s a time to rejoice and a time to work, based on Illinois soccer coach Bret Bielema.
Whereas the Combating Illini fan base is gleaming with satisfaction with the college’s first nationwide rating (No. 24) since 2022 and a 3-0 report for the primary time since 2011, the gamers and coaches are targeted on simply this week’s Huge Ten opener on the highway in opposition to the No. 22 Nebraska Cornhuskers this Friday night time.
“With a brief week of preparation we turned the web page rapidly,” Bielema mentioned. “We flipped the web page and went from Saturday to Monday — we skipped Sunday.”
It is just like what Illinois did earlier than its season opener in opposition to Japanese Illinois on a Thursday night time.
“These guys have dealt with their enterprise pretty much as good as any workforce I have been round,” mentioned Bielema, noting that the Combating Illini had no points with cramping or hydration throughout its first afternoon recreation of the season on a really heat and humid Saturday in opposition to Central Michigan. “We made an enormous problem from Thursday on concerning the game-day temperature, the warmth issue and taking part in at 11 o’clock. The best way we dealt with that made a fairly large assertion to me.”
Now, his Combating Illini could make a fair greater assertion taking part in their first convention recreation on the highway in opposition to a nationally-ranked opponent in a sold-out Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
“That is 400 straight sellouts,” Bielema famous from the Nebraska recreation notes. “It is a great problem. We had a Friday night time recreation with these guys final 12 months right here in our stadium.
“Simply due to what they completed and what we’ve completed, to have two Huge Ten groups ranked in a Friday night time recreation on nationwide tv is somewhat bit uncommon.”
And whereas that’s undoubtedly the storyline for the fan bases on either side, Bielema says it is really fairly easy for his workforce.
“Greater than something, it is our first Huge Ten recreation, it is a rematch recreation from final 12 months. There are a variety of various things that issue into this in addition to simply two Huge Ten groups which might be ranked,” he mentioned. “As soon as our guys get into Huge Ten play, due to the convention now with the publicity of 18 groups from coast-to-coast, these 9 convention video games imply rather a lot.
“I simply preserve difficult these guys to play their finest soccer and to do it in opposition to one other actually good workforce. I feel going into the Kansas recreation, I do know our guys had been excited to play in opposition to good competitors.”
Nebraska (3-0) is similar to the workforce that beat Illinois 20-7 in Champaign on Oct. 6, 2023.
“Lots of the identical gamers that we noticed a 12 months in the past,” Bielema mentioned.
However, there may be additionally an enormous distinction as freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola from Buford, Ga., has taken management of the Cornhusker offensive assault. Within the first three video games, Raiola has accounted for 684 yards and 5 landing passes.
“He brings a unique component instantly,” Bielema mentioned. “He’s a really proficient younger man that has unimaginable consciousness … has an incredible deep ball throw. They maximize and make the most of him fairly effectively.
“I do know he was a highly-recruited participant that introduced a variety of consideration, deservedly so.”
Whereas Raiola is a foremost function within the Cornhuskers offense, they nonetheless have a stable operating assault averaging greater than 170 yards per recreation led by Dante Dowdell with 184 yards and three scores.
For Illinois, the numbers are fairly comparable. Luke Altmyer has thrown for 647 yards and 6 touchdowns whereas the Illini floor recreation is averaging simply over 150 per recreation with Kaden Feagin having a team-high 173 yards and three scores.
However, Bielema is wanting extra from his floor recreation.
“The numbers communicate for themselves. The final word quantity we care about is three wins and 0 losses,” he mentioned. “I feel good groups do three issues. They run the ball, defend the run and canopy kicks.
“Our offense must be balanced, however we’ve to run the ball successfully, particularly when sure conditions come up. If we wish to win in Huge Ten, having the ability to run the ball in sure conditions is required.”
Friday’s recreation is about for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The sport may be seen on Fox and heard on the Busey Financial institution Illini Sports activities Community.
