Picked in the preseason to finish 13th in the Big Ten, Illinois has exceeded expectations by already beating three ranked teams. For Bielema, this season is gradually erasing memories of his five seasons at Arkansas and building a bridge to the Wisconsin days, when conference titles and Rose Bowls were the norm.

Illinois' win over No. 24 Michigan was its first against a ranked Wolverines team since 1983 and its third win against an AP-ranked opponent this season, tying its most since 1950.

Illinois football head coach Bret Bielema has renewed hope for fans, and it’s clear this isn’t another fleeting success under a new coach.

On Monday Illinois head coach Bret Bielema met with media to discuss the program’s big win over Michigan. He also talked about the chance to get ready for this weekend’s matchup with Oregon on Saturday.

Bielema's salary ranking among the Big Ten shows how much the league's schools must pay to keep the top coaches. USC's Lincoln Riley and Ohio State's Ryan Day lead the Big Ten with total pay of just more than $10 million, both in the top five nationally.