The Drive is your daily Illini sports podcast from ESPN 93.5 . Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone cover Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball , Illinois Fighting Illini football , the Chicago Bears , Cardinals, Cubs and the biggest sports stories in Champaign-Urbana with interviews, analysis, and a lot of laughs. New episodes every weekday. 🎙️ Follow The Drive on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram .
Hour 2 of The Drive kicks off the college football season with plenty to discuss. Etched In Stone returns for Week 0, as we get back into the weekly tradition of making our bold college football picks and predictions. The 2026 FBS Week 0 slate features eight games on Saturday, August 29. We break down the new rules coming to college football, including changes to the targeting penalty and the…
Hour 1 of The Drive gets you ready for another big football weekend in Central Illinois. Carson Gourdie joins the show to break down Bret Bielema's latest press conference ahead of Illinois' season opener against UAB and discuss what we're learning about the 2026 Fighting Illini. Carson also previews Week 2 of the high school football season, including the biggest storylines and matchups to watch…
Hour 2 of The Drive dives into a packed day of Chicago and St. Louis sports. The Cardinals and Cubs are both struggling at the worst possible time, leading to a discussion about whether either team can turn things around and make a late-season push. The show then shifts to the Chicago Bears, including the latest injury updates heading into the regular season. Plus, the Bears have unveiled their…
The Drive kicks off Hour 1 with WCIA Sports Director Glenn Kinley joining the show to discuss the latest developments surrounding Illinois football, including the Illini’s major partnership with Caterpillar and what the relationship could mean for the program, the university, and the Champaign-Urbana community. With Illinois football entering a highly anticipated 2026 season, the conversation also…
The Drive's second hour features an emotional conversation with Illini wrestling great Danny Pucino, who is raising money for pancreatic cancer research while honoring his late father. Pucino's father, Scott, was himself a Division I All-American wrestler, and Danny has used his own wrestling platform to help raise awareness and funds for cancer research through Pin Cancer. The guys also break…
The Drive dives into a major new Big Ten eligibility rule as the conference unanimously approved a ban preventing football players who have signed professional contracts, appeared on an NFL roster, or declared for the NFL Draft without withdrawing from returning to compete at a Big Ten school. The decision comes amid the ongoing eligibility chaos surrounding players attempting to return to college…
The St. Louis Cardinals suffered one of the most painful losses of the season Sunday, blowing a 4-0 lead in the ninth inning before Kyle Schwarber's two-run walk-off homer gave Philadelphia a 6-4 victory. The loss capped a disappointing 5-6 road trip and dropped the Cardinals to 66-66. So, is the NL Wild Card still realistically in play? Absolutely—but the margin for error is getting smaller. The…
Illinois football is only 10 days away from opening the 2026 season against UAB, and there are some major changes coming to the gameday experience at Gies Memorial Stadium. Illinois Athletics is implementing a new lot-specific traffic-routing system beginning approximately 3½ hours before kickoff. Fans will have designated routes based on their parking lots, with the goal of reducing congestion…
Carson Gourdie from ABC20 joins The Drive to preview opening night of high school football across Central Illinois, including the teams, storylines, players and matchups worth watching as the 2026 season gets underway. Carson also breaks down the latest bombshell in the NCAA's eligibility battle. The U.S. Tenth Circuit granted the NCAA's request to stay the nationwide injunction in Wisne v. NCAA,…
Kyle Tausk of Illini Inquirer joins The Drive to break down Illinois basketball's non-conference schedule, including the biggest challenges on the slate, which games should matter most for the Illini's NCAA Tournament résumé, and what the schedule tells us about Brad Underwood's program. The conversation also turns to Illinois' recruiting pipeline in Chicago — how important the city remains to the…
Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins The Drive for a packed second hour covering Illinois football and the Chicago Bears. Teague breaks down why Jake Renfro and Xavier Scott could be critical pieces for the Illini in 2026, and what their health and production could mean for Illinois' hopes this season. The conversation then shifts to the Bears, including Ben Johnson's intense…
Illinois basketball legend Deon Thomas joins The Drive for a wide-ranging conversation about his legendary Illini career, his transition from player to Illinois Athletics Director of Major Gifts, and his continued role as a voice of Illini basketball. Thomas reflects on his career at Illinois, where he remains the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,129 points, before discussing his work…
The Drive's second hour dives into a busy night of Chicago and St. Louis baseball before turning to some of the strangest quirks in the 2026 Illinois and Big Ten football schedules. The Cardinals enter Wednesday's matchup with Cincinnati having taken two of the first three games of the series. Matthew Liberatore gets the start for St. Louis against Reds rookie Chase Burns, who has emerged as one…
Sunny Verma of Locked On Illini joins The Drive to break down the latest surrounding Illinois athletics. Verma discusses why Illinois wide receiver Jayshon Platt could be a special player for the Illini, the importance of special teams, and what role Platt could play as both a receiver and return specialist. Platt is coming off a 2025 season at Florida Atlantic in which he recorded 46 receptions…
Pete Crow-Armstrong put together one of the most memorable nights in Cubs history, becoming just the sixth player in MLB history to hit both a leadoff homer and a walk-off homer in the same game. PCA went 4-for-5 with two home runs in the Cubs' 7-5, 10-inning win over the White Sox, while his second homer gave him 30 home runs and secured his second straight 30-30 season. The Cardinals and Reds…
Doug Bucshon of On3’s Orange & Blue News joins The Drive to break down the latest Illinois football storylines as the Illini inch closer to the 2026 season. The conversation covers the team's injury situation, key position battles still being decided in training camp, and whether the revamped offensive line is starting to develop the chemistry it needs. Illinois is replacing four starters up…
Hour 2 of The Drive gets you ready for a big weekend of baseball as the St. Louis Cardinals head to Wrigley Field to take on the Chicago Cubs in a three-game series beginning Friday, August 14. The rivals meet with both teams looking to make a push in the NL Central, setting the stage for another heated weekend at Wrigley. The guys also check in on former Illinois football players making their…
In Hour 1 of The Drive, Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone dive into a big night for former Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, who gets the start for the Detroit Lions in their preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. Altmyer is getting a major opportunity to showcase what he can do as he competes for a spot on Detroit's roster. The guys also discuss the latest developments in the Chicago Bears'…
Due to severe weather and tornado warnings across the area, Hour 1 of The Drive was preempted for storm coverage. We still packed plenty into Hour 2! 🏀 Random Illini Players of the Day – We dig into the Illinois history books and highlight some memorable—and perhaps forgotten—Fighting Illini players. 🏆 Tuesday Draft: Best Traditions in Sports – Kurtis, Evan, and Quinntern The Intern draft their…
Hour 2 of The Drive is packed with Chicago Bears and Illinois football talk! Kurtis and Evan are joined by Chris Kwiecinski of FOX 32 to discuss the latest on Luther Burden III's injury, what it means for the Bears' wide receiver depth, and why there's reason for optimism surrounding Chicago's defense. Then it's back to Champaign for an Illinois football defensive back breakdown, looking at the…
The Dog Days of Summer are here, but Illinois football season is getting closer! On Hour 1 of The Drive, Kurtis and Evan dive into the latest Illini football storylines, including what fans should be watching as fall camp continues. Plus, we have some fun with the strangest and most unexpected football opponents Big Ten schools have played, bring back Random Illini Players of the Day, and check in…
The Chicago Cubs are rolling, and Alex Patt of Chi City Sports joins The Drive to break down the team's recent surge, why the Cubs' moves at the MLB Trade Deadline could pay off, and whether Alex Bregman is finally starting to look like the player Chicago hoped it signed. Then it's time to turn the attention to Illinois football, with a breakdown of the Illini linebackers heading into the 2026…
