Best Look Magazine

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. –  Illinois quarterback  Luke Altmyer  has been named to the preseason watch list for the 89 th  Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday. Altmyer is one of 47 quarterbacks, and one of 14 offensive standouts from the Big Ten on the 80-player list. MAXWELL AWARD The Maxwell Award has been presented annually to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Maxwell Award Website Last three winners: 2024: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State 2023: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington 2022: Caleb Williams, QB, USC LUKE ALTMYER 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Ten Second Team 2025 Athlon Preseason All-Big Ten Third Team 2025 Big Ten Preseason Honors 2025 Wooden Citizen Cup nominee 2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention Leads the nation with five career game-winning drives in the final minute/...

  Illinois Athletics Press Release -    LAS VEGAS —  Illinois seniors  Luke Altmyer  and  Gabe Jacas  were named to the Big Ten's Preseason Honors list, which was announced Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas. The prestigious 15-player list signifies the top players in the Big Ten, as projected by the media.  Altmyer is one of the top returning quarterbacks in the nation and one of two quarterbacks to earn Big Ten Preseason Honors, along with Penn State's Drew Allar. Altmyer threw for 2,717 yards and 22 touchdowns last season while leading Illinois to its first 10-win season since 2001.  Jacas had 74 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks last season to lead the Illinois defense. The projected All-American finished tied for the second-most sacks in Big Ten games (7.0) last season. Atlmyer and Jacas are two of 18 returning starters from Illinois' Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina. The Illini were picked t...

  Flying the Line: The Unsung Guardians of Illinois Agriculture In the heartland of Central Illinois, where rows of corn and soybeans stretch as far as the eye can see, a brave and skilled cadre of pilots take to the skies each summer in small fixed-wing aircraft. Known as crop dusters—or more formally, aerial applicators—they form a vital, if often underappreciated, line of defense against the insect pests that threaten the region's bounty. Their flights are anything but leisurely. Navigating low over fields, sometimes just a dozen feet above the crops, these pilots must execute precision maneuvers that rival those of stunt aviators. Each mission demands split-second judgment: dodging power lines, tree stands, irrigation rigs, and even cell towers as they loop and dive to cover every inch of farmland with pesticide treatments. The work is risky, physically demanding, and technologically sophisticated. Aerial applicators rely on GPS-guided systems, wind-speed monitors, and real-tim...

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —  Illinois head coach  Bret Bielema  was named to the Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc. announced Monday. Bielema is one of five Big Ten coaches on the list, which features 26 of the nation's top college football coaches. Last season, Bielema led Illinois to 10 wins, tying the Fighting Illini program record. Illinois was ranked by the CFP selection committee for a program-record four straight weeks, appeared in 12 AP Top 25 polls, and tied the program record for ranked wins with four. The Fighting Illini capped one of the best seasons in program history by beating #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, 21-17, in one of the top bowl game victories in Illinois history and finished the season ranked #16 in the AP Top 25. The 2025 Fighting Illini return 18 starters from its Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory, the most starters returning among any bowl team in the ...

   The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has transformed parts of the Mackinaw River State Fish and Wildlife Area into a golden sea of sunflowers, creating a vibrant habitat that supports a wide array of pollinators. These sunflower plantings are more than just a scenic attraction—they serve as a vital ecological resource, drawing in bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects that are essential to the health of local ecosystems. Bees, in particular, are among the most frequent visitors to these sunflower fields. The image accompanying this article captures a bee nestled among the sunflower’s florets, gathering nectar and pollen. This interaction is not only visually captivating but also ecologically significant. As bees move from flower to flower, they facilitate pollination, ensuring the reproduction of both wild and cultivated plants. The sunflowers, in turn, offer a rich source of food and shelter, making the fields a seasonal haven for these industrious ...

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Illinois Announces Multi-Phase Plan for Memorial Stadium Enhancements CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —  Over the next two seasons, all 60,670 fans attending Fighting Illini football games at Memorial Stadium will see major upgrades to their gameday experience. As part of ongoing enhancements to the University of Illinois' historic, 101-year-old home, Illinois will invest more than $9 million in a new wireless internet system for the 2025 season, with planning underway for numerous other upgrades, including all new videoboards, a new sound system, and LED lighting for 2026. "The upcoming Memorial Stadium projects are a key step in our commitment to providing one of the best college football experiences in the nation," said Director of Athletics  Josh Whitman . "We are grateful for the enthusiasm and loyalty demonstrated year in and year out by our fans, and the environment we create together at Memorial Stadium is pivotal to our success. Over the last five ...

  CHAMPAIGN, Ill.–  History was made for Fighting Illini Basketball on Wednesday night, as freshmen  Kasparas Jakucionis  (Vilnius, Lithuania) and  Will Riley  (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) became the first-ever one-and-done players for the Illinois program. The Illini stars were selected back-to-back in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, with  Jakucionis  taken at No. 20 overall by the Miami Heat and  Riley  going to the Washington Wizards the very next pick at No. 21 as part of a trade with Utah. Illinois stands as one of just three programs with multiple first-round picks in this year's draft, along with Duke (3) and Rutgers (2). This marks the first time in 20 years, and just the third time in school history, that Illinois has had two first-round picks in the same draft, joining 1989 (Nick Anderson and Kenny Battle) and 2005 (Deron Wiliams and Luther Head). Illinois has now had four players selected in the NBA Draft during He...