Two teams coming off historic seasons will look to keep their momentum going as No. 19 Indiana hosts No. 9 Illinois, with coverage starting at 7p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Read below for all of the top storylines as well as how to watch the top-20 Big Ten matchup.
Illinois
The Fighting Illini tied a school record with 10 wins in 2024 and returned a Big Ten-leading 16 starters this season. The team has seen a strong year-by-year progression under head coach Bret Bielema and quarterback Luke Altmyer continues to impress with nine total touchdowns and no turnovers.
Illinois has ran through their opponents turs far, dominating Western Illinois and Western Michigan but also handling a pesky duke team on the road. Now sitting at No. 9 in the AP poll, the Fighting Illini are top 10 for the first time since 2001. It’s also the program’s highest rankings since 1964.
At seven games in a row, Illinois is tied with Ohio State and Memphis for the longest winning streak in FBS. The Illini are playing top-tier football, and they hope to continue that trend against one of the best teams in the conference.
Indiana
Led by head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana saw a historic turnaround in 2024. The Hoosiers went from 3-9 in 2023 to notching a program-record 11 wins last season, culminating in a College Football Playoff berth.
California transfer Fernando Mendoza (11 total touchdowns and no turnovers) has led Indiana off to a hot start. The Hoosiers didn’t have the convincing win most expected against Old Dominion in Week 1, but followed that performance up with two dominant showings against Kennesaw State and Indiana State. Now facing a top-10 opponent, Indiana has the opportunity to prove it can compete with college football’s elite.
The team is 11-0 at home under Cignetti but have not faced a ranked opponent during that span. The second-year Indiana head coach currently leads active coaches with a .846 winning percentage in FBS (33-6 counting his time with James Madison).
The 75th meeting between the two teams, Saturday’s matchup will be only the second ranked matchup in the history of the series, with the first coming in 1950.
How to watch No. 9 Illinois vs. No. 19 Indiana:
When: Saturday, September 20
Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Ind.
Time: 7 PM ET
TV Channel: NBC
Live Stream: Peacock
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