Illini football kicked off their 2025 season with a 52-3 blowout over Western Illinois. Mike Carpenter reacts to the team's performance, including a dominant Gabe Jacas, star turn by Hank Beatty, and efficient quarterback play from Luke Altmyer. Next up: a crucial non-conference road game at Duke.

It's Game Week! To wrap up all the preseason prognostications, Mike Carpenter welcomes Lon Tay onto the show for a wide-ranging discussion about all things Illini football. In Bret Bielema's fifth season at the helm, can Illinois take advantage of a favorable schedule and experienced roster to nab a spot in the College Football Playoff?

We're less than a week away from the 2025 Illini Football season! Mike Carpenter is joined by Jeremy Werner for a wide-ranging discussion on Bret Bielema's team, what it's like to cover a winning Big Ten program, and how sustained success may finally be within reach for long-suffering Illinois fans.

Mike Carpenter and Trevor Vallese discuss the upcoming Illinois football season, including a deep dive on the schedule and which games will be the most consequential. They also talk about Bret Bielema's five-year reclamation project, taking the Illini program from Big Ten bottom-feeders to College Football Playoff contenders.

Mike Carpenter is joined by The 200 Level contributor Isaac Ambrose for a wide-ranging discussion of the upcoming Illini football season. They discuss the team's lofty expectations, reasons for optimism and concern, and which games on the schedule will make or break their CFP aspirations.

Illinois football season is just around the corner, and with the latest coaches' poll slotting Bret Bielema's team at #12, expectations are high. Mike Carpenter discusses how the Illini program has been transformed under Bielema - from Big Ten basement dwellers to a sexy pick for the College Football Playoff.

One, two, three, four . . . FIVE BALKANS?! Illinois basketball lands its biggest portal addition of the offseason, adding junior wing Andrej Stojakovic to the team. Mike Carpenter discusses the marquee addition, just two days after Serbian point guard Mihailo Petrovic signed with the Illini. Brad Underwood's 2025-26 roster looks to be (nearly?) complete, so how will all these mostly-veteran new faces gel together?

The European Pipeline continues to produce for Brad Underwood's Illini with the addition of Tomi's twin brother Zvonimir and 6'9" David Mirkovic. Mike Carpenter recaps the last week-plus of offseason craziness, including the returns of Kylan Boswell, Ty Rodgers, and Jake Davis. He also discusses some of the general stupidity with the portal era, including Morez Johnson's commitment to Michigan, and how the non-stop player movement impacts fandom.

Portal season begins inauspiciously for Brad Underwood's program as Morez Johnson Jr. and Tre White are leaving after just one year. Mike Carpenter discusses the importance of retention as evidenced by three of the Final Four team rosters, and how the lack of a returning core makes the offseason even more consequential. He also talks about the significance of losing Morez Johnson Jr., a highly-touted in-state prospect who stayed committed to the program for three years, and how it raises concerns beyond just the loss of a talented big.

*** This is an excerpt from The 200 Level: An Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Fan's Journey by Mike Carpenter ***

March 26, 2005 is a date etched into Illini basketball lore. Top-seeded Illinois took on a familiar foe in #2 seed Arizona at Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Mike Carpenter reflects on the greatest comeback in program history, a 15-point deficit erased with just four minutes to play in regulation. Dee Brown's steal-and-score to bring it within three points, Deron Williams' game-tying shot, Luther Head's breakaway layup in overtime, Bill Murray's shocked reaction from the stands, James Augustine at church the next morning . . . relive it all with this excerpt from The 200 Level book.

The 200 Level: An Illinois Fighting Illini Basketball Fan's Journey is available in CU at Gameday Spirit and Jane Addam's Book Shop, or online at the link below:

https://a.co/d/ad3HTRu