Everything is new this year as the Bret Bielema era officially kicks off the 2021 season with home conference game against Nebraska.

It's prediction time, and the Orange and Blue News staff weighs in with our predictions for the upcoming season, including the final record and some keys to success.

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John Supinie’s take: Here’s a schedule offering Bret Bielema a great chance for a strong start to his tenure with the Illini. With non-conference games against Virginia, UTSA and Charlotte plus Big Ten Conference crossover home games against Rutgers and Maryland, the Illini have a chance at getting off on the right foot in the latest reboot. Take a look at that schedule. There’s a great opportunity to win five home games.

If the defense keeps the Illini in the game and injuries don’t overwhelm those spots where depth is already thin, the Illini sure look like they could make a run for six wins and a bowl berth. The key, as Bielema has said repeatedly, is not to beat themselves, like they did for years under Lovie Smith. With a capable running game plus the Peters-Williams passing combo and a new scheme on defense, there’s hope.

More importantly, there’s a favorable schedule. Take the opener and make a statement, then let’s see if the Illini reach six wins before the season finale against Northwestern. From this vantage point, it looks like the Illini are going bowling.

Doug Bucshon’s take: I’m less confident in forecasting this Illini season than any other year since I started covering the team in 2011. Like everyone else who has had interactions with new head coach Bret Bielema, I’m drawn in by his competence and personality. Since being hired in January, he’s done everything right, from hiring an impressive group of assistant coaches, filling key holes on the roster, engaging with the fans, and building relationships with high school coaches. Bielema gets it, and I think he’ll be successful at Illinois.

I don’t have many questions about Bielema’s coaching acumen. He’s been impressive so far, though he obviously faces bigger tests once the season starts. If I have doubts, its whether or not the Illini have the depth of talent or enough difference makers on the roster to pull off a successful season in 2021. Yes, they have an abundance of experience, but not much experience winning.

Depth is often what separates bowl teams from also-rans, and I have questions about the quality of depth on the defensive line, secondary, quarterback, and wide receiver. Things can work out “if” some players surprise, but when the “ifs” start to add up it can become a pretty big mountain to climb. They need somewhere near a perfect storm, and a rash of injuries to key players would be disastrous.

On the positive side, everything is new this year and I have a lot more confidence in the schemes and approach. Even practices appear much better planned, at least in the 15-20 minutes that we get to watch. This senior-laden team gets a new lease on life and some positive energy. I think there will be growing pains implementing the pro-style offense and 3-4 defense, and I would have liked for Illinois to open the season against a cupcake as a test run. Still, I expect to see an improved football team fundamentally and better game-day coaching decisions.

I measure success for this team as reaching 6 wins and bowl eligibility. That should be the goal every year, with a 9-10 win season thrown in every few seasons. There’s a road map to get there with this schedule, which isn’t particularly intimidating. What I like most about the slate is that there are winnable games at home, as John mentioned.

I’ll go with a homer prediction and say 6-6, with wins over Nebraska, UTSA, Maryland, Charlotte, Rutgers, and that team up north in the finale. My positive prognostication is mostly because I expect the competence displayed by Bielema and his staff to carry over to Saturdays. Nothing I've seen so far suggests they'll lay an egg against Nebraska.

Jeff Karzen’s take: I liked the Bret Bielema hire from day 1 and my confidence in him has only grown in the ensuing months. However, programs don't turn around overnight. Illinois is a significant underdog in the opener against Nebraska, and winning that one would be a huge boost for the season ahead. But it seems unlikely. Outside of UTSA and Charlotte, there are no gimmes on the schedule. I think Bielema's first team will finish 4-8.

I do expect the Illini to be competitive in most games, and like most years, the season can turn on a couple outcomes versus Big Ten West opponents. I hope I'm wrong, but my gut says the Illini will be looking up in the standings at most of its competition once again this fall. Road contests against Purdue and Minnesota could be swing games and if Illinois wins both, a bowl game becomes much more attainable.

My number one key this season is seeing if the defense improves. Illinois finished last in the B1G in total defense last season, so significant improvement is needed if the Illini have any chance of competing against conference foes. On the bright side, the Illini have several starters back, including linebackers Jake Hansen, Owen Carney and Isaiah Gay, cornerback Tony Adams and tackle Rod Perry. But those guys were part of the defense that got absolutely gashed last season, so better play from everyone is needed. Thankfully, the antiquated Tampa-2 defense is gone, and it will be interesting to see how new defensive coordinator Ryan Walters puts the pieces together with this unit.

In football, we probably place too much emphasis on the quarterback and dissecting every move the starting QB makes. That said ... the Illini need a big season from Brandon Peters. The 6th year transfer from Michigan has started 16 games for Illinois, throwing 21 TDs and 8 interceptions. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, he looks the part. And Peters has had flashes of excellence, but a lack of consistency and missing time with injuries has plagued his career. If Peters can finish his college career by playing his best football, he has a chance to lead Bielema's first Illini team to a bowl game.

Alec Busse’s take: I’ll say 4-8. The reason that I’m picking this Illini team to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten West is because it’s a roster that largely hasn’t won very many games in their time in Champaign. In the final four seasons under Lovie Smith, the Illini won just 14 and lost 31 total games. Even with a new coaching staff – that I think is significantly improved – it’s hard for me to see Illinois doing much better than four wins.

I’m not a sports gambler, I don’t like losing money, but if the over-under on the season win total was set at 3.5, I would press my luck and take the over. But, if it was raised to 4.5 I would probably take the under. I think the Illini will win nonconference games against UTSA and Charlotte, but I expect the UTSA game to be fairly close. The Roadrunners went 7-5 last season and played in the ServPro First Responder Bowl and lost to Louisiana 31-24.

I think the third and fourth wins come from any combination of Nebraska, Purdue, Rutgers, Maryland or Minnesota. While the talent gap between Illinois and any of those programs isn’t very big, Illinois will likely have to play a clean brand of football – something they have struggled with – to win more than two of those games.

Going to a bowl game would be a massive jolt to the program and would allow Bret Bielema to continue to build on the good momentum he has built on the recruiting trail, but arguably just as important as looking like Illinois belongs on the same field as the premier teams on their schedule. Getting blown out by Wisconsin and Iowa is embarrassing and if Bielema’s team can be competitive into the fourth quarter that’s a major step in the right direction for the program.

There are a couple of keys that I’m looking for, aside from how competitive the games are in the fourth quarter to judge the season. First, I’m really intrigued to see what kind of passing attack Illinois has. It’s no secret that they want to run the football – and they should with the running backs they have – but how they throw the ball this season could be a real barometer for how successful the team is this season, and long-term.

I think it’s going to be really hard for Illinois to beat Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern at their own game of essentially playing old-styled smashmouth football. But if Illinois is able to effectively throw the ball across the field and combine that with a good running game things could begin to change.

On the defensive side, Lovie Smith preached takeaways like nothing else. While that aggressive style of defense may have led to some big wins it also helped lead to some fundamental struggles in the tackling and coverage games. I have always thought a defense that forces a ton of three and outs is better than a defense that forces a bunch of takeaways. If Ryan Walters’ defense is able to get off the field regularly this season then maybe the Illini are able to exceed my win projection.

Jim Cotter’s take: With the schedule being what it is, my prediction as of right now is a 5-7 regular season with Illinois just missing a bowl appearance. However, there are a couple games that could sway that prediction in either direction. The UTSA game is the one I’m debating on at the moment.

Normally looked at on paper as a win, the high from the Nebraska win will catch up with them and they will be looking past UTSA and looking ahead to their trip to Virginia.

One key for the 2021 season for the Illini will be the play of the wide receiver corps. Coming into the spring, the position was lacking some depth, but switches by Isaiah Williams and Marquez Beason, and the return of Casey Washington and transfer Jafar Armstrong have given new offensive coordinator Tony Peterson a lot of options for quarterback Brandon Peters.

Another key will be how the offensive line holds up. With Illinois having the most super-seniors in the country, three of those, Doug Kramer, Alex Palczewski and Vederian Lowe, return to anchor a veteran line that will be asked to create holes for the running backs that will be on full display. With the departure of Kendrick Green, the other spot on the line will be filled by either Blake Jeresaty or Jack Badovinac, two players that have experience playing collegiate football at the FCS level.

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