Since hiring head coach Bret Bielema in the winter of 2020, the Illinois Fighting Illini have recovered from a decade of irrelevance under Tim Beckman and Lovie Smith to re-emerge as a nationally relevant college football team.
Illinois made just two bowl games in the eight combined seasons that Beckman and Smith coached. At 5-1 entering this week’s showdown with the Michigan Wolverines, it seems inevitable that the school will pick up at least one more win over the final month and a half of the season and make their second bowl game in four seasons under the new coach.
This weekend marks a significant opportunity for the Fighting Illini, as the squad has a chance to defeat Michigan for the first time since 2009. Illinois has lost six straight head-to-head matchups in that time.
Unfortunately for the Illini, they’ll be without one of their primary offensive pieces. Bielema announced Thursday that running back Kaden Feagin would miss a second straight game as he recovers from a left leg injury.
Bielema noted it’s not realistic to expect Feagin back anytime soon.
Things don’t sound good for #Illini RB Kaden Feagin.
“I think to think that he’s gonna be back anytime soon is not real,” said Bielema.
Bielema says they’ve consulted at least four different medical voices.
— Said Bravo (@Said_Bravo1) October 17, 2024
“I think to think that he’s gonna be back anytime soon is not real,” Bielema said via Illinois beat writer Said Bravo. The head coach also disclosed that they’ve consulted four different medical voices to understand the injury’s extent and specificity.
The Illini will likely turn to junior running back Josh McCray, who filled in for Feagin in Illinois’ 50-49 overtime win over the Purdue Boilermakers last week. McCray had a pair of rushing touchdowns along with a receiving touchdown and 124 all-purpose yards.
So far this season, Feagin had rushed for 306 yards and three touchdowns.
