Two Illinois football commits are lighting up the scoreboard early in their senior seasons, and both are doing it in a way that fits exactly what the Illini are chasing on offense.
Four-star in-state receiver Bennett Konkey has opened the year with 32 catches for 750 yards and 10 touchdowns in four games for Geneva, which is 3-1. Konkey, who stands 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 237 overall prospect in the Class of 2027 and the No. 12 player in Illinois. He committed to Illinois in June over Northwestern, Iowa, Iowa State, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Konkey’s track speed is part of the story, too. He won both the 100m dash in 10.39 seconds and the 200m dash in 21.08 seconds at the IHSA Class 3A state track championships, and his fall production is backing up the athletic profile. Illinois has a receiver class piece here who looks like he could keep climbing.
Florida running back Steven Alexis is making noise as well. The three-star back has rushed for 406 yards on 8.5 yards per carry with three touchdowns, and he’s added 14 receptions for 226 yards and three more scores through four games for St.
Petersburg (Fla.) Gibbs, which is 1-3.
Alexis, who is 6-foot and 205 pounds, flipped from Colorado to Illinois in June and also held offers from Iowa, Virginia, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 108 running back in the Class of 2027.
For Illinois, the appeal is obvious: skill-position talent with real juice. Konkey’s speed gives him a chance to be an early factor, especially with the Illini set to lose a lot of veteran receivers after next season. Alexis brings the kind of size-speed blend that can make him a three-down threat down the line.
On the women’s basketball side, Illinois released its 2026-27 non-conference schedule on Tuesday, and it’s a slate that gives Shauna Green’s team plenty of home dates but not much heavy lifting before Big Ten play.
The Illini have 10 home games and only two matchups against high-major opponents. They open the regular season Nov. 4 against Detroit Mercy and host Missouri in the Braggin’ Rights Game on Dec.
- Illinois also has four games against teams that finished in the top 100 of last season’s NET rankings: Ball State, Marquette, Saint Joseph’s and Missouri.
The schedule starts with an exhibition against UIS on Oct. 30, then Detroit Mercy on Nov. 4, Southern University on Nov. 7 and SEMO on Nov.
- Illinois travels to Ball State on Nov. 18 before heading to The Bahamas for games against Marquette on Nov. 27 and Saint Joseph’s on Nov.
- The rest of the non-conference slate includes Chicago State on Dec.
7, Missouri on Dec. 10, Evansville on Dec.
13, Western Illinois on Dec. 18, Wright State on Dec. 20 and Old Dominion on Dec.
The numbers suggest a manageable path. Ball State finished 70th in NET, Marquette 69th, Saint Joseph’s 88th and Missouri 83rd. Detroit Mercy was 302, Southern University 217, SEMO 232, Chicago State 346, Evansville 265, Western Illinois 94, Wright State 294 and Old Dominion 151.
It’s not a brutal non-conference gauntlet, and that’s the point. Illinois is expected to enter the season ranked in the top 25, and with its entire rotation back from a team that reached the Round of 32 last season, the Illini should be favored in every game. Berry Wallace, Cearah Parchment and Destiny Jackson lead that returning group, and the bigger résumé work figures to come in a Big Ten schedule that should carry much more weight.
The full Big Ten schedule is set to be released today at 4 p.m. CT. Illinois’ home and road conference matchups were announced back in June.
In Other News...
Illinois Has A Real Shot In One Massive Recruiting Battle
Illinois basketball is getting another major look from one of the countrys most coveted young forwards this weekend, when five-star prospect Bentley Lusakueno comes in for an official visit. The 2028 class standout has quickly built a national profile, ranking as the No. 6 overall player and No. 3 power forward in his class while already drawing interest from 20 Division I programs.
Lusakuenos recruiting trail has picked up even more momentum since he transferred to IMG Academy for his junior year, a move that tends to put prospects under an even brighter spotlight. Illinois will be trying to make a strong impression in a race that has already included trips to Tennessee and Vanderbilt, with Iowa also on the schedule, and the way this visit goes could go a long way in shaping where the battle stands next. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Frontcourt Hype Comes With One Huge Concern
David Mirkovic arrives in Champaign with the kind of resume that naturally gets attention. The freshman averaged 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season, and EvanMiya slotted him No. 10 on its top 30 players list, a sign of how much optimism is building around Illinois frontcourt entering the season. Add in the presence of Tomislav Ivisic at No. 15 and Zvonimir Ivisic at No. 19, and it is easy to see why there is buzz about the Illini having a group that can impact both ends of the floor.
The concern, though, is just as obvious: Mirkovics defensive rating was the lowest among the top 10, which makes his development on that side of the ball a key storyline to watch. His increased athleticism and agility could help him close that gap, but a foot injury could also limit what he can do early on, and Illinois needs the whole frontcourt intact for the upside to really show. If the health piece cooperates, the Illini may have the type of depth and versatility in the paint that can change the tone of their season. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Has No Room For Another Flat Performance This Week
Illinois came out of the rankings after a home loss to Duke, an early stumble that shifted the tone around the 2026 season in a hurry. Now the schedule offers one last non-conference tune-up at Gies Memorial Stadium against Southern Illinois, and there is not much room left for a sluggish start or another uneven afternoon.
Collin Dixon and Katin Houser are among the Illinois pieces expected to help steady things on offense, while Southern Illinois brings its own threats in quarterback DJ Williams and receiver Kyle Thomas. It is the kind of matchup that should give Illinois a chance to reset before league play, but only if the Illini bring the urgency that was missing last week. [Read more 🡒]