Big Ten Daily (Oct. 21): It's Impossible Not to be Happy For Bret Bielema
His voice cracked, eyes teared up and there were a few long pauses during the postgame press conference. Yeah, Illinois' 21-7 win over Michigan meant something to coach Bret Bielema.
Saturday was a special day in Champaign — arguably the most important weekend the program has had since since the Rose Bowl season in 2007. Illinois celebrated the 100-year anniversary of Memorial Stadium. The Fighting Illini honored the 100th anniversary of Red Grange's incredible performance against Michigan in 1924 by donning unique throwback uniforms.
All of those factors made Saturday's win over Michigan special. But for Bielema, this weekend's game against the Wolverines was personal.
In an emotional postgame press conference, Bielema talked about losing his mother, Marilyn, just a few days before Illinois played Michigan in Ann Arbor in 2022. He also reflected on his 1990 season as a player at Iowa, learning about the tragic passing of his sister, Betsy, after a win over the Wolverines.
"The last time we played these guys, I lost my mom," Bielema said, fighting back tears. "This week I told our team on Sunday, I battled some demons — probably more than you can ever imagine.
"When I was a player (at Iowa playing against) Michigan, I actually lost my sister the day we played Michigan. So, this game has always had a lot of things around it that has been tugging on my heart all week."
Sometimes — actually, often times — fans and media overlook the personal battles coaches and players endure throughout their life. We tend to measure them in terms of wins and losses and not by character.
Since taking over at Illinois, Bielema has been nothing but genuine. He's offered his gratitude towards athletic director Josh Whitman for giving him a chance to resurrect his coaching career. There have been some rough patches, but Bielema has taken advantage of the opportunity.
Bielema doesn't only enjoy it for himself and for his players, but he's also glad the Illinois faithful are getting a chance to relish the moment.
"To have this moment — this is what I came here for, right?" Bielema said. "I thought we could build Illinois into something that is sustainable, and this is a very big step in that direction."
To some, it's frowned upon to have a rooting interest when you're in this profession. But I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't pulling for Bielema and the Fighting Illini to continue this special run.
Bielema is one of the most genuine coaching figures we have in college football. It's almost impossible not to smile when you see the success he's having in Champaign.
Is Michigan State better than advertised?
Before Saturday's game against Iowa, Michigan State sat with a 3-3 record and a 1-2 mark in Big Ten play. Turnovers and penalties had been a problem. While the Spartans were far from the worst team in the conference, it appeared that Jonathan Smith would endure some growing pains in his first season in East Laning.
Then, Saturday night happened. On a primetime stage against an Iowa team that won the Big Ten West two of the last three seasons, the Michigan State offense showed signs of growth. The Spartans posted an impressive 32-20 victory, improving to 4-3 on the year.
Quarterback Adan Chiles threw for 256 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Receivers Nick Marsh and Montorie Foster Jr. each had over 100 receiving yards. The Spartans accounted for 212 rushing yards, averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
Michigan State may not be one of the Big Ten's elite teams, but it is spicy. The two conference losses have come to Oregon and Ohio State, two of the league's top squads. Life doesn't get much easier, with matchups against Michigan, No. 13 Indiana, No. 20 Illinois, Purdue and Rutgers remaining.
Are the Spartans better than we thought? They'll have a chance to prove they're at least the best team in the state with Saturday's showdown against Michigan in Ann Arbor.
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