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Illinois Fighting Illini Still Projected to Reach Bowl Eligibility

Despite stumbling to a two and two record and parting ways with defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck just months after his hiring, the Illinois Fighting Illini remain on track for postseason eligibility under head coach Bret Bielema. ESPN analysts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach project the team to reach a December bowl game, slotting them into matchups against Louisiana in the Frisco Football Classic or Army in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl respectively.

On3 analyst Brett McMurphy similarly forecasts a Birmingham Bowl appearance against Oklahoma for the squad.

Securing that sixth victory will require navigating a grueling schedule following early losses to Duke and Ohio State, alongside wins over UAB and Southern Illinois. Quarterback Katin Houser and the rest of the roster face an upcoming slate featuring Big Ten opponents such as Purdue, Michigan State, Oregon, Maryland, Nebraska, UCLA, Iowa, and Northwestern as they attempt to lock down their postseason destination.

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