The 2025-26 Illini are raising a golden middle finger
“That’s why they call it a bird because you fly it high in the sky.” - Eminem
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 28: Keaton Wagler #23 of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrates after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Toyota Center on March 28, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images When the 2025-26 season kicked off, I made two predictions on the Oskee Talk Podcast . Michigan would be significantly better than Purdue.
(I was mocked virulently. ) Illinois would win 19 regular-season games and be a bubble team. (I should be mocked virulently for that.
) It’s easy to remember the losses. The gag at Breslin, the choke job at Pauley, and letting an Illini-lite, diet Illinois Wisconsin squad get two wins were all perplexing defeats. It was as if Jeremy Fears had cloned himself and delivered multiple crotch kicks to the Illini.
Those losses looked symbolic of bigger problems. In the moments in which they occurred, they sounded like a death knell for a season that carried so much promise. Were they too dependent on Keaton Wagler?
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