Illinois coach Bret Bielema takes subtle shot at Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz while making his CFB playoff expansion thoughts known

Illinois Fighting Illini coach Bret Bielema has taken a shot at Missouri Tigers coach Eliah "Eli" Drinkwitz during the Big Ten Media Days. Bielema held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss his thoughts on the potential expansion of the College Football Playoff format.

He shared that he is in favor of expanding the tournament to allow more teams to compete for the national championship. However, he did seem to mock Drinkwitz's idea of having a 30-team format with a play-in system.

RedditCFB transcribed Bielema's quotes on X(formerly Twitter).

"I hope it goes to 16. I'm not going to go Eli Drinkwitz 30 or whatever he came up with. But I think a bigger number is a better number," Bielema said, per RedditCFB.

Fans have also spoken out against Drinkwitz's proposal on X. The potential expansion of the College Football Playoff is currently in limbo. One of the challenges has been deciding how many automatic bids each conference should have.

On3's Brett McMurphy reported last Wednesday that the Big Ten wants four automatic bids and nine conference games for the Southeastern Conference. He noted that the SEC is unlikely to agree to the Big Ten's demands, which would delay a decision on expanding the College Football Playoff for the 2026 season.

Bielema is optimistic for a 16-team expansion as he aims to help Illinois win their first national championship since 1951. The Fighting Illini finished last year with a 10-3 record and was placed fifth in the Big Ten standings. On Dec. 31, 2024, Bielema led his team to a 21-17 win against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Citrus Bowl.

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Two key players that the Illinois Fighting Illini lost ahead of the 2025 season

Bret Bielema's chances of leading the Illinois Fighting Illini to the College Football Playoff could be difficult after losing key players in the offseason. One notable loss for the team is wide receiver Pat Bryant, who declared for the 2025 NFL draft.

Last year, Bryant had the most receiving yards on the team with 54 receptions for 984 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round with their 74th pick.

Another player who isn't returning for Bielema is Josh McCray. On April 20, the running back transferred from Illinois to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. He led the Fighting Illini in rushing yards with 117 carries for 609 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The loss of two key offensive players for the Fighting Illini could impact their performance in the upcoming season.

Edited by Satagni Sikder