There is always plenty of debate among Illinois fans about who the university’s biggest rival is. Isaac, Greg, and I discussed the topic and held an Illinois rivalry draft on The Champaign Room Podcast, and the conversation continued across social media. The nine schools we identified as rivals were Northwestern, Purdue, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State.
The rivalry debate can be subjective depending on where you grew up, where you currently live, and what era you became an Illini fan. Every school has its reasons for being disliked by Illinois fans, but I wanted to provide some history and fun facts to help everyone make an educated decision on who the Illini’s biggest rival really is.
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Northwestern
Northwestern was my first pick and the first overall selection in our draft. Greg, Isaac, and I all agreed we would have taken the Wildcats with the No. 1 pick. Northwestern is the only other Illinois-based school in the Big Ten, and the two campuses are just 150 miles apart.
They are the only conference opponent Illinois plays every year in football and twice every season in basketball. With conference expansion, having this protected rivalry is a major difference-maker in the debate. The Land of Lincoln Trophy is on the line every time these two programs meet in the regular-season football finale during rivalry week.
Illinois and Northwestern first met on the basketball court during the 1907-08 season on March 7, 1908. The Illini won that game on the road, 18-13, beginning a six-game winning streak over the Wildcats. The football rivalry dates back even further, with the first meeting taking place in 1892. The teams tied their first two matchups before Illinois cruised to a 66-0 victory in Champaign in 1894. Illinois has dominated the basketball series over the years, while the football series is much closer, with the Illini holding a narrow 59-55 advantage.
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The history of the matchup combined with the geographical factor gives me confidence that Northwestern is Illinois’ biggest rival. Illini fans may not want to accept it because most don’t lose sleep over the Wildcats, but it’s hard to argue they aren’t the program’s primary rival.
Purdue
Purdue was selected No. 2 in our draft by Greg, and I completely agree that the Boilermakers are Illinois’ second-biggest rival. West Lafayette is only about 120 miles from Champaign, and the two programs have a protected football rivalry that guarantees they play every year.
These basketball powerhouses played twice annually before Big Ten expansion, although that rivalry wasn’t protected in basketball last season like Northwestern’s was. Fortunately, next season the schools will once again meet in both Mackey Arena and the State Farm Center.
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The geographical factor remains just as important here as it is with Northwestern despite crossing state lines. It’s an easy road trip for both fan bases.
Illinois and Purdue first met on the football field in 1890. The Illini didn’t defeat the Boilermakers until their seventh meeting on Oct. 23, 1897, in Champaign. The basketball series began during the 1905-06 season, and the two schools will meet for the 200th time next year.
The Cannon Trophy is on the line every time these football programs meet, and the all-time football series is separated by just one game. Purdue’s primary rival is Indiana, so it’s difficult for me to rank the Boilermakers as Illinois’ biggest rival. However, they are clearly a top two rival in my eyes. The Cannon Trophy and the proximity between the campuses make Purdue a no-doubt top three rival at worst.
Missouri
This is where my opinion may differ from the average Illini fan since Missouri isn’t in the same conference. Mizzou wasn’t selected until the second round of our draft, but I view the Tigers as a top three rival despite the schools no longer meeting annually in football.
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Illinois and Missouri share a border and continue to battle for recruits in both football and basketball every year. The Braggin’ Rights game in St. Louis has been played annually since 1976, although the rivalry itself dates to 1932. You don’t fully appreciate how much these fan bases dislike each other until you attend Braggin’ Rights and experience a crowd that’s split almost evenly between orange and gold.
The football rivalry has been on hiatus since 2010 after Missouri won six straight meetings. However, Illinois has improved significantly under Bret Bielema, and the series is set to resume in 2027. The first football game between the schools was played in 1896, and I believe they should face each other every season just like they do in basketball.
The two schools’ cheerleading teams even have their own tradition known as the Liberty Contest, which dates back to 2010. During basketball games, fans eagerly watch as each cheer squad competes to see which can hold its flyers in the air the longest.
While being in separate conferences probably keeps Missouri from claiming the top spot, I think it’s more than fair to call the Tigers a top three rival. Plenty of schools have major non-conference rivals, including Iowa/Iowa State, Creighton/Nebraska, Xavier/Cincinnati, and Missouri/Kansas. Kansas may be Missouri’s biggest rival, but Illinois isn’t far behind.
Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin
Isaac selected Iowa with the No. 3 overall pick, and there’s certainly an argument for the Hawkeyes to be a top three rival. Personally, I rank Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin as my fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-biggest rivals.
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Before Big Ten expansion, these schools built decades of history against Illinois, and the Illini share a border with all three states. They’re all easy road trips for fans, although none are quite as close as Purdue or Northwestern.
The Iowa rivalry gained momentum when Ayo Dosunmu and Luka Garza battled for Big Ten supremacy. Chin Coleman, Trent Frazier, and Da’Monte Williams added even more fuel to the rivalry through several heated moments. Illinois and Iowa first met in basketball in 1908 and in football in 1899.
Wisconsin has a similarly rich history with Illinois in both sports. I selected the Badgers with my first pick in the third round, but I still view them as a second-tier rival. Illinois lost its first five basketball games against Wisconsin beginning in 1906, while the Illini were awarded the first football meeting in 1892 after Wisconsin forfeited.
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Older generations may still view Indiana as Illinois’ biggest rival, but that rivalry has faded in my eyes because of Indiana’s intense hatred toward Purdue. The basketball series began in 1906, and only two games separate the record. Indiana dominated college basketball for stretches under Bob Knight, but the Hoosiers haven’t consistently contended for conference titles in recent years. Illinois historically controlled the football series before Indiana won five of the last six meetings. The rivalry dates to 1899, when Indiana won the inaugural matchup 5-0.
Illinois doesn’t play any of these schools annually in football, making it difficult to place them on the same level as Northwestern and Purdue. The Illini will play Wisconsin twice in basketball next season after only meeting once last year. Iowa and Indiana have also become once-a-year opponents since conference expansion.
There is a large population of Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin graduates living in Illinois and plenty of Illinois alumni living in those states, so there are no shortages of personal connections. However, Iowa has Nebraska and Iowa State, Indiana has Purdue, and Wisconsin has Minnesota as its primary rival. Because of that, I place all three in the tier below Northwestern, Purdue, and Missouri.
Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State
Isaac selected Michigan with the No. 4 overall pick, but I place the Wolverines in the same third tier as Michigan State and Ohio State.
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All three programs have extensive history with Illinois thanks to decades in the Big Ten, but the Illini no longer play any of them annually in football or twice each season in basketball.
Michigan clearly views Ohio State as its biggest rival, while Michigan State’s primary rivals are Michigan and, to a lesser extent, Penn State. Neither school considers Illinois a major rival, so why should Illinois view them differently?
Michigan is easy to dislike because of its success, especially after winning the national championship in basketball. Hating them as a conference opponent makes sense but ranking them as a top four or top five rival feels like a stretch.
Similarly, Illinois and Michigan State have produced several memorable basketball games over the years, but I would still rank the Spartans last among these nine schools.
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Ohio State does have one unique advantage: the Illibuck Trophy. While the rivalry has faded because the teams no longer play annually, the tradition is one of the oldest in college football. The Illibuck began as a live turtle in 1925, and from 1919-33, Ohio State and Illinois frequently closed the regular season against one another. That history gives Ohio State a strong case to lead this tier, even if the rivalry isn’t what it once was.
Final Thoughts
Every Big Ten school has a primary rival, and I think Illinois fans should accept that Northwestern is theirs.
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Michigan State – Michigan
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Illinois – Northwestern
That’s how I view the rivalry landscape.
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Other Big Ten schools were considered, but we didn’t believe any had a stronger case than these nine. My official Illinois rivalry rankings are:
How would you rank Illinois’ biggest rivals?
