Bret Bielema led the Illinois Fighting Illini to an appearance in the 2024 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, where they took down the South Carolina Gamecocks to complete a dream-like season.
With their first-ever bowl game victory since Bielema took over the program, the Fighting Illini got to add some hardware to their trophy case. Now, the players and staff get to add some jewelry to their accessories.
Earlier this week, Illinois finally unveiled its Champion rings for the Citrus Bowl win, featuring a crest of the program's 100-year anniversary as well as the Citrus Bowl Trophy itself.
"This is a ring that means more than just one game," Bielema said. "It embodies a season of a lot of special memories. 2024 was a very special season, obviously ended with a championship at the Citrus Bowl and an end-of-year ranking that we're proud of."
A ring that embodies a season full of memories. pic.twitter.com/LHJIP7TOCt
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) June 29, 2025
While the bowl game was undeniably a monumental win for Illinois, the inside of the ring actually features two trophies: the Citrus Bowl Trophy and the Land of Lincoln trophy.
Earlier in the season, the Fighting Illini defeated the Northwestern Wildcats to lay claim to Illinois after the in-state rivalry game.
Last year, Illinois finished the season with a 10-3 overall record, including the win over South Carolina, and only lost to the then-No. 9 Penn State Nittany Lions, the then-No. 1 Oregon Ducks, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
This year, the Fighting Illini hope to do even better, currently idling as a dark horse to claim the Big Ten title. Bielema brought in a top-50 recruiting class and is set to enter his fifth season with Illinois. So far, he has led the program to a 28-22 overall record and two bowl game appearances.
Illinois is scheduled to kick off its 2025 campaign on Friday, Aug. 29, with an at-home matchup against the Western Illinois Leathernecks. The game is set to start at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be streamed on Peacock.