4 hours Ago
Sign up for our daily Illini football newsletter here Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves. *** On Monday night at 5 p.
m., do I have a plan for you. Especially if you live within shouting distance of Champaign' Esquire Lounge.
Head over to the long-time home of Monday's "SportsTalk" on WDWS for the first appearance by Illinois football coach Bret Bielema. To add an inducement, email me your questions to [email protected] and I will ask the best one.
As judged by me. We are happy to have the Coach on the air. Hopefully, it turns into a semifrequent gig for him.
He will find what we already kow: The regulars at the Esquire shows are a treat to see every week. I enjoy the conversations and catching up with everyone. The current in-person radio run is winding down.
The last show at the Esquire will be the night of the NCAA title game April 7. We will return to the downtown establishment in the fall, shortly after the start of the college football season. Bielema has plenty to talk about Monday night, starting with a team hat returns most of its 2024 starters.
If the team wins one more regular-season game than in '24, I'm projecting that will mean a spot in the College Football Playoff. That is a long time down the road. You can ask Bielema about the newcomers to the staring lineup and about the additions to his coaching staff.
What is this year's version of the Michigan game for the coaches and team? Is he looking forward to welcoming the defending national champion to Memorial Stadium for the second year in a row? These are the kinds of questions I have in mind. The smart readers of CWFS will come up with topics I haven't even considered. Again, best if I am able to see you in the crowd Monday night.
It is an otherwise slow night for sports on TV, with only a few want-to-see games. Nothing is must-see until the weekend when the big conferences hit the semifinals of their tournaments..
