The Drive on ESPN 93.5

On this hour of The Drive, Sunny Verma joins us to break down Illinois Fighting Illini football, including the team's struggles, the outlook for the rest of the season, and what Michael Clayton brings to the quarterback position moving forward.

Tristan Thomas stops by to discuss the latest on Illinois Fighting Illini basketball, expectations for the upcoming season, and key local high school football matchups to watch.

Plus, we react to Lovie Smith's viral video where he confronted a parent and bring you Friday Toasts on a Thursday, featuring the latest takes, hot topics, and sports opinions from the crew!

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Kurtis and Evan are joined by Zain Bando to break down Illinois football's 3-3 start, evaluate whether expectations are too high for Brad Underwood and the Illini basketball team, and discuss the latest Fighting Illini headlines. Plus, the guys react to the College Football Playoff potentially expanding to 24 teams and wrap things up with another edition of Etched in Stone.

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RotoWire lists Illinois basketball head coach Brad Underwood among the most hated coaches in the country. We discuss the list, the reaction, and what it means for Illini basketball with RotoWire's Bill Speros, who joins The Drive for a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Plus, we crown the winner of our Best Backup Quarterbacks of All Time Draft! Which former NFL backups earned a spot, and whose picks came out on top?

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Mike Cagley from IlliniGuys joins The Drive to break down Katin Houser’s injury and what it means for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team moving forward. With true freshman Michael Clayton II stepping into the starting quarterback role, we discuss his impressive performance against Michigan State and what Illini fans can expect from the offense going forward.

Plus, Evan reveals his NFL Top 5 and Bottom 5 teams! Which teams are rising, which are falling, and who deserves to be ranked among the league’s best and worst?

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Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins The Drive to break down the latest Chicago Bears storylines, including Montez Sweat’s suspension, whether the Bears should be buyers at the NFL trade deadline, Caleb Williams’ return, and the loss to the Packers. Plus, Brian recaps Illinois’ matchup against Michigan State and discusses the latest surrounding the Fighting Illini.

Then it’s time for the Tuesday Draft, as Kurtis, Evan and Coop debate the best backup quarterbacks of all time. Who makes the list, and who gets left on the bench?

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The Drive kicks off with the latest Illinois Fighting Illini headlines, covering the biggest news in football and basketball. With Michael Clayton II stepping up in Illinois’ thrilling overtime win over Michigan State, Kurtis and Evan discuss what the freshman quarterback’s emergence could mean for the future of the Illini offense. Plus, Coop heads to Olivia Rodrigo! Hear the latest Illini talk, football storylines, basketball updates and more on ESPN 93.5’s The Drive.

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The Packers dominate the Bears in Green Bay! The Drive breaks down Chicago’s tough loss to Green Bay, what went wrong for the Bears, and what the result means moving forward. Plus, the show continues reflecting on the legacy of Mike Ditka and his lasting impact on Chicago sports. We also cover the latest Illinois Fighting Illini headlines and everything fans need to know.

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The J Leman Hour is back! Former Illinois All-American J Leman breaks down Illinois' overtime victory over Michigan State, the loss of quarterback Katin Houser for possibly the remainder of the season, and whether Michael Clayton is the real deal. J dives into the biggest takeaways from the Illini's latest win, how Houser's injury impacts the team moving forward, and what Clayton could bring to the table as Illinois looks to keep its momentum going.

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Kyle Tausk of Illini Inquirer joins The Drive to break down Illinois basketball following Big Ten Media Day! Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone discuss Stefan Vaaks' role in the Illini rotation, what to expect from Brad Underwood's squad heading into the 2026-27 season, and the biggest takeaways from the conference's preseason event.

Plus, it's time for Etched in Stone, as the guys share their thoughts on the latest in Illinois sports, make their score predictions for Illinois vs. Michigan State, and wrap up the week with Friday Toasts!

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Stevie Jay reflects on Mike Ditka’s 20-plus-year history with ESPN 93.5 and honors the legendary Chicago Bears icon’s lasting connection to the station. Then, Carson Gourdie joins The Drive to explain why Illinois can beat Michigan State, break down the Illini’s upcoming matchup, and preview this weekend’s high school football slate.

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In Hour 2 Evan not only gets to play the music he likes, but also gets to talk about the topics he likes.... Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports joins the show to talk White Sox, Illini, and the Bears.

In Hour 1 Evan gets the play the music he likes as he breaks down the Illini travelling to East Lansing to take on Michigan State. How will the Illini D fare against an abysmal MSU offense?

Evan and Coop look ahead to a huge Big Ten football slate, making their picks and predictions for Week 6—including Illinois’ critical road matchup with Michigan State. Both the Illini and Spartans enter the game at 2-3 and 0-2 in Big Ten play. Big Ten Conference

Then, it’s an early look at Illinois basketball with media day approaching. What are Coop and Evan expecting from the Illini as the season gets closer?

Finally, the guys wrap up the show with some parenting advice, because apparently sports talk can only solve so many problems.

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Evan and Coop dive into the state of Illinois football following the Illini’s disappointing 24-17 Homecoming loss to Purdue. Illinois is now 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play, with Michigan State up next. University of Illinois Athletics

Then, Fisher High School Head Coach Jeff Palmer joins the show to talk football and what’s happening with the Bunnies.

Plus, Evan unveils his Top 5 and Bottom 5 from NFL Week 4, including the biggest winners, biggest disappointments and performances that caught his attention around the league. Week 4 featured standout performances from players like Drake Maye, C.J. Stroud and Tetairoa McMillan. amp.nfl.com

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The Drive reacts to 5-star 2027 basketball recruit Darius Wabbington committing to Indiana over Illinois and Arizona, plus the stunning news that Eagles All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson is retiring after 14 NFL seasons.

Then things get heated as Evan gets mad at Kurtis & Cooper over the Tuesday Draft, this week’s topic: pizza toppings. Plus, Evan goes head-to-head with the Text Line, the guys continue to vent over Illinois’ loss to Purdue, and they look ahead at the Illini’s remaining schedule.

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Doug Bucshon from Orange & Blue News joins The Drive to break down Illinois’ frustrating 24-17 Homecoming loss to Purdue, what went wrong for the Illini, and where the program goes from here. Doug also previews Illinois’ upcoming matchup with Michigan State and looks back at what stood out from Big Ten Media Days. The Daily Illini

Plus, the guys react to the Bears vs. Packers getting flexed out of prime time and what it says about the matchup.

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The Bears are rolling into Packers Week after a dominant 23-12 win over the Jets, improving to 3-1. Tyson Bagent threw for 268 yards while Kyle Monangai ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns as Chicago's defense held New York to just 157 total yards.

Now, the Bears head to Lambeau Field for a huge NFC North matchup with Green Bay. Meanwhile, Illini fans vent their frustrations after Illinois' embarrassing 24-17 Homecoming loss to Purdue dropped the Illini to 2-3 and 0-2 in Big Ten play.

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The J Leman Hour is here after a brutal Homecoming loss. Illinois falls to Purdue 24-17, dropping the Illini to 2-3 and 0-2 in Big Ten play.

J Leman joins The Drive to break down what went wrong against the Boilermakers, where Illinois goes from here, and whether this season can still be salvaged. Plus, can the Illini defense be fixed after the midseason departure of Bobby Hauck and another frustrating performance?

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The final Illinois vs. Purdue preview is here! Jimmy Sobeski returns to The Drive to break down Saturday’s Homecoming matchup, including the biggest keys, matchups to watch and what could decide the Cannon Trophy game. Illinois enters the matchup 2-2, while Purdue is 1-3, with kickoff set for 3:15 p.m. CT at Gies Memorial Stadium.

Then it's time for Etched in Stone, the guys make their Illinois vs. Purdue score predictions, and we wrap up the week with Friday Toasts!

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Purdue perspective ahead of Illinois Homecoming! Sam King of the Journal & Courier joins The Drive to preview Saturday’s Cannon Trophy matchup, including the Boilermakers’ offense, injuries, Illinois’ defensive changes and what Purdue sees coming into Champaign.

Plus, the guys ask: Are the Cleveland Browns for real? What should we make of their start, and can they keep it going?

Subscribe to The Drive and leave us a 5-star rating/review wherever you listen! Follow The Drive on X, Instagram and TikTok, plus the ESPN 93.5 Facebook page for more Illini, Bears, Cubs, Cardinals and Central Illinois sports coverage.