Indiana and Illinois have a long-held rivalry on the basketball court docket, however the hate has struggled to interrupt via on the soccer aspect currently. That is partially as a result of neither faculty having sustained runs of success on the soccer subject in recent times and the Massive Ten’s divisional construction.
Solely a three-hour drive separates the faculties, however this would be the first soccer recreation between them since a 24-14 win by the Hoosiers in Champaign in the course of the 2017 season. This shall be Illinois’ first journey to Indiana since 2013, a recreation Indiana received 52-35. Three conferences within the final decade is a large shift for a rivalry that noticed each packages play each season from 1995 to 2013.
Indiana has had the higher run of outcomes as of late, successful the final three conferences, however Illinois controls the all-time collection with a document of 45-24-2.
Illinois vs. Indiana: Have to know
That is already a vital recreation for each groups: Each Indiana and Illinois hope to go bowling this season, however neither is assured to get there. When followers of each groups appeared forward at their respective schedule within the offseason, this recreation was circled as one of many potential six wins wanted. So whereas there is not any such factor as a “should win” this early within the season, this can be a “most likely ought to win” in the event that they need to have a sensible shot of enjoying this postseason.
Indiana has misplaced 9 straight Massive Ten video games: The Hoosiers have been one among 2020’s greatest surprises, going 6-2 total and 6-1 within the Massive Ten throughout a shortened season with the lone convention loss coming to Ohio State. Indiana could not carry that success into 2021 regardless of beginning the 12 months ranked within the main polls, going 2-10 and winless in Massive Ten play. That included eight straight losses to complete the season. A win Friday wouldn’t solely finish its convention shedding streak, however it might be the workforce’s first win since a 33-31 victory over Western Kentucky on Sept. 25.
Illinois has but to win consecutive video games beneath Bret Bielema: Final 12 months in Week 0, the Illini shocked folks with an upset win over Nebraska. They adopted it up with a 37-30 residence loss to UTSA, the primary of 4 consecutive losses. Final week, Illinois once more received its Week 0 residence opener, crushing Wyoming 38-6. It is hoping historical past would not repeat itself and trying to kick a pattern of inconsistency. Whereas final 12 months’s Nebraska win was the one one to be adopted by a four-game shedding streak, the Illini weren’t in a position to put up consecutive wins final season. After a win over Charlotte, they misplaced to Wisconsin. After beating Penn State on the highway, they misplaced at residence to Rutgers. After beating Minnesota on the highway, they misplaced to Iowa. Whereas they enter this recreation on a two-game win streak (they completed final season with a win over Northwestern), successful back-to-back video games in the identical season might be the arrogance increase this program wants.
Find out how to watch Illinois vs. Indiana reside
Date: Friday, September 2 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Memorial Stadium — Bloomington, IN
TV: FS1 | Stay stream: fuboTV (Strive at no cost)
Illinois vs. Indiana prediction, picks
Featured Recreation | Indiana Hoosiers vs. Illinois Preventing Illini
Every workforce has a bonus it is trying to exploit on this recreation. Indiana has not introduced its beginning QB and has new coordinators. This implies Illinois has not been in a position to put together for this recreation with any certainty of what it would see. Additional, Illinois performed on Saturday final week and needed to put together a recreation plan for Wyoming earlier than turning round on a brief week to play a highway recreation towards the Hoosiers. In the meantime, Indiana has been in a position to put together for Illinois the entire offseason and now has recreation movie it could actually dissect. In fact, what Illinois has going for it’s that it has a recreation beneath its belt. It’s going to be fascinating to see how that impacts the sport. I haven’t got a wonderful learn for the way this one will go, however my intestine tells me that neither workforce blows the opposite out of the water, so taking the factors with the Illini is essentially the most enticing choice. Prediction: Illinois +3
Which college football picks are you able to make with confidence in Week 1, and which large favourite will go down onerous? Visit SportsLine to see which groups will win and canopy the unfold — all from a confirmed pc mannequin that has returned virtually $3,600 in revenue over the previous six-plus seasons — and discover out.
