Illinois Football Season Preview (UAB + Duke), Bielema’s 3-3-5 & Houser Watch 8.28.26

**The IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular** is back! ️ Powered by **IlliniGuys.com**, Larry Smith, Brad Sturdy, Mike Cagley, and special guests dive into the biggest headlines around **Illinois sports**—including a full **Illinois football season preview**. In this episode, we cover: - **Illinois football** expectations heading into **UAB** (Thursday night opener) - **Bret Bielema’s Year 6 vision** and what’s changed on offense and defense - The new-look **3-3-5 defense** + what it means for Illinois vs. UAB and **Duke** - **Katin Houser** development and chemistry with new teammates - Wide receiver depth and key names to watch early in the season - Plus, **Illini men’s basketball** updates: injuries, the latest additions, and the Ivisic brothers If you’re an Illini fan looking for smart breakdowns and insider coverage, **subscribe to the IlliniGuys YouTube channel** and join the Illini conversation! Subscribe to IlliniGuys for more: **IlliniGuys.com** **EXCLUSIVE:** Brian Barnhart, Voice of the Fighting Illini for 25 years, joins the show! ️ **GUESTS THIS WEEK:** Matt Stevens – IlliniGuys.com Senior Football Writer & Analyst Brian Barnhart – Voice of the Illinois Fighting Illini (25-Year Anniversary!) Illinois opens Thursday night at Memorial Stadium vs. UAB — don't miss a second of the coverage! Want FULL access to Illini sports coverage, recruiting news, and insider analysis? Subscribe at IlliniGuys.com — Your #1 Source for Illinois Fighting Illini Sports! Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode of the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular! #Illini #FightingIllini #IllinoisFootball #BretBielema #IlliniGuys #BigTen #IllinoisBasketball #BradUnderwood #KatinHowser #CollegeFootball2026 #BigTenFootball #UAB #IlliniNation #CollegeFootball #MarchMadness #FinalFour #NIL #TransferPortal #UIUC #ChampaignIllinois #IlliniSports #BrianBarnhart #CollegeSports #BigTenBasketball #IlliniMBB #IlliniGuys #IllinoisFightingIllini #IlliniSports #UAB #Duke #IlliniBasketball #BradUnderwood #NCAA #SportsTalk #FootballSeason #IlliniGuysRadioNetwork Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.