"The other won 10 games last season, finished No. 16 in the AP poll and returns an accomplished group of stars on both sides of the ball. Both coaches have won championships and individual awards, including a sweep of the 2024 national coaching honors for one, and neither is boring behind a microphone. Both teams invested greatly in their quarterbacks, veteran transfers with NFL aspirations and are featuring two of the nation's top pass rushers."
"There are enough boxes checked to place Saturday's matchup on the national radar, capturing interest from beyond the two fan bases, their shared region and even their stretched-out conference. But here's the twist: The teams are the Indiana Hoosiers and Illinois Fighting Illini. Indiana won a team-record 11 games last season but still has the most losses (715) in FBS history. Illinois is seeking consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in team history, as well as its first AP top 10 finish since 1989."
Two ranked college football teams, Indiana and Illinois, will meet Saturday night before a sold-out crowd with NBC broadcasting nationally. One team reached the 2024 College Football Playoff; the other won 10 games and finished No. 16 in the AP poll. Both programs feature award-winning coaches, veteran transfer quarterbacks aimed at the NFL, and two of the nation's top pass rushers. The teams rank Nos. 13 and 16 in Bill Connelly's SP+ ratings, ahead of programs like LSU and Michigan. Indiana seeks to build on a record 11-win season; Illinois pursues consecutive 10-win seasons and a high AP finish.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]