Illinois's Bret Bielema is about to become the pettiest coach in America

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema isn't one to hold back — especially in the last month — and his latest target is none other than former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.

With Harbaugh now in the NFL coaching the Los Angeles Chargers, Bielema took the opportunity to call him out on social media, questioning his departure and seemingly taking a jab at Michigan's recent controversy.

It all started when an old video of Harbaugh resurfaced, where he spoke about the importance of winning the right way. In the clip, Harbaugh emphasized how teams should strive to be "above approach" and avoid any perception of cheating. Given Michigan's recent sign-stealing scandal that cast a shadow over their national championship run, the timing of this resurfaced clip couldn’t have been worse for Harbaugh.

Bielema, never one to miss an opportunity to stir the pot, reacted to the video by calling out Harbaugh’s sudden move to the NFL. "Really…. Why did you leave?" Bielema posted on social media, adding that he had been looking forward to facing Harbaugh’s Wolverines in the coming season.

It didn’t stop there—another old Harbaugh quote about always telling the truth surfaced, and Bielema responded with a set of cryptic emojis, making his opinion on the situation loud and clear.

The tension between Bielema and Harbaugh isn't exactly new, though their teams have only faced off once during their Big Ten tenures. In 2022, Michigan narrowly escaped with a last-minute victory over Illinois just before their showdown with Ohio State.

What's interesting here is the way that Bielema has carried himself, particularly in the last couple of months. He's never been one to shy away from controversy or confrontation, but he's been the talk of the nation the last couple of months, with what started in the Cheez-It Bowl.

Bielema took issue with a T-bar signal made by a South Carolina kick returner, and when he had the opportunity, threw the gesture back at Beamer when he was on the Gamecock sideline checking on an injured player. That immediately set off Beamer, who would go on to lose the game.

Illinois enters the 2025 season as a Top-25 caliber team and there are many analysts who believe Bielema's club can compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

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