Illinois is already thin at the wide receiver position, and their newest starter, Brayden Trimble, might be added to the injured list. In a tight battle with Duke in the first half, Trimble was twisted up in a tackle and was seen limping off the field, clearly in some pain.
Trimble quickly, or as quickly as he could, made his way to the blue injury tent. No official update has been given on the nature of Trimble's injury or whether he will return to the game. When the Illini took the field for a quick drive before the end of the half, Trimble couldn't be found.
Brayden Trimble is heading to the injury tent.
— Joey Wagner (@mrwagner25) September 12, 2026
Brayden Trimble's availability for the second half vs. Duke is unknown
There was no update given before the teams headed to the locker room on Trimble's injury, so he could return to play or not. At this point, until the teams return to the field in the second half, his availability will remain unknown.
This is a big hit for Illinois, which, as mentioned earlier, is already thin at the wide receiver position with Jayshon Platt out with an injury and Alex Perry out for the season. If Trimble goes down, it looks like Ty Robinson will be called upon to step up, or it opens the door for the tight ends to make some noise in the passing game.
In Week 1, the tight ends for the Illini didn't make a big impact on the passing game, other than helping with blocking. If Trimble can't return in this game, their presence could be crucial for the Illini.
Wide receiver Collin Dixon is having a monster game for Illinois vs. Duke with nine receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. If the Blue Devils find an answer for him, Illinois will need other guys like Hudson Clement, Christian Abney, and Ty Robinson to step up.
Brayden Trimble returns to the field in the second half
It is good news for the young sophomore as he returned to the field in the second half. Trimble even caught a couple of passes midway through the third quarter that helped the Illini extend the drive. It seemed to be just a small injury, and now that won't keep Trimble off the field.
Ultimately a sigh of relief for the Illini and Trimble, especially for the depth of the pass catchers.
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