Bret Bielema celebrated a 24-13 Illinois Fighting Illini victory over Nebraska by dissing the SEC. Bielema’s words sparked quite the stir online with supporters and critics of the ex-SEC coach who once led Arkansas.
One Super Bowl winning performer joined the former, though, in backing the Illini head coach.
Who Defended Bret Bielema
Bielema took this veiled shot at the SEC and even included the College Football Playoff committee following the Friday win.
“If we were in the SEC, we’d probably be a top-15 team,” Bielema said to reporters. “We’ve just got to continue to stay on track where we’re at and do a really good job of holding the moment and putting ourselves in a position to be successful.”
Once again Bielema drew mixed reactions including fans bringing up his past struggles with the Razorbacks. However, count former New England Patriots tight end and Super Bowl XXXIX winner Benjamin Watson as a backer of Bielema.
“At least he understands the order of things. Keep aspiring for more coach. Maybe one day,” Watson posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.
Benjamin Watson’s Connection to Bret Bielema
Both men know the “Patriot Way” well.
Watson and Bielema share ties to the defending AFC champs and iconic franchise. Which includes the tight end linking up with Bielema during the tail end of his career.
Watson first began his NFL career with the Pats as their first round pick (32nd overall) in 2004. He played his first five NFL seasons with the Pats before eventually bouncing around the league.
But Watson went full circle and joined the Patriots for his final season of 2019. Bielema happened to be there as New England’s defensive line coach under then-head coach Bill Belichick.
So clearly, Watson still thinks highly of a past assistant coach of the Pats he worked with. He even agrees with the whole SEC quip that Bielema fired off, even with Watson having ties to the conference too via his Georgia career from 2001 to 2003.
Illinois Now Tied With Aspiring Big Ten, CFP Contender
So Illinois is officially bowl eligible with its 6-3 record under Bielema, who also previously led Wisconsin in the Big Ten Conference from 2006 to 2012.
Turns out the victory over the Cornhuskers leaves Illinois tied with one aspiring Big Ten title contender, which also has College Football Playoff aspirations.
USC and Illinois now sit at fourth overall in the conference standings. The same Trojans team that stunned No. 2 Ohio State on Halloween to catapult back into the national conversation. All USC must do now is win out and potentially earn a spot in Indianapolis on Dec. 5, with the conference title on the line.
But do the Illini control their own destiny too? Illinois certainly can shake up the rankings, conference title game and CFP picture the next two weeks. Illinois heads to Pasadena to face No. 8 Illinois next on Nov. 13. Then the Illini hosts No. 19 Iowa before closing out the season against previously ranked Northwestern on the road. The Illini winning all three games, especially defeating the two remaining ranked foes, can definitely ignite a much different and intriguing conversation about Bielema and Illinois.
Super Bowl Winner Defends Illinois’ Bret Bielema Following SEC Diss