These are heady times at Illinois, which is enjoying its most successful run of football in over two decades.

The No. 9 Illini entered the top 10 of The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday for the first time since 2001. The 20 weeks they've been ranked since Bret Bielema took over in 2021 are the most over a five-season stretch in four decades.

They're on a six-game win streak heading into Saturday's home game against Western Michigan.

That Bielema's team continues to ride the momentum it created during a 10-win season is really not a surprise. The Illini returned 16 starters, including quarterback Luke Altmyer, who led five straight second-half scoring drives during a confidence-building 45-19 win at Duke.

“Anybody on the schedule can give us a good run and beat us, but we know if we

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