End of the B1G/ACC Challenge

[IlliniFaninHoosierLand]

Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood says 2022 is 'last year' of ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball head coach Brad Underwood said that 2022 is the "last year" of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge

www.stltoday.com

Underwood apparently mentioned during his postgame radio interview last night that this was going to be the last year of the Challenge. It would make sense with the new B1G media rights deal and ESPN not having the rights anymore.

 

[SampsonRelpenk]

If that’s the case that sucks and hopefully we schedule intriguing home-and-homes to make up for it.

 

[Rusty]

Kansas?

 

[RabidDawgClassic]

It sucks that Duke never visited Champaign during the entire course of the Challenge’s existence.

 

[jason88cubs]

I image we will have the Big east/Big Ten challenge like they do now

ACC could pair up with SEC

 

[Chad Fleck]

Bummer, if it turns out to be. I love this challenge, aside from the fact that it's on ESPN. Pretty closely pairs up with when I started following the Illini.

 

[wpr]

It sucks that Duke never visited Champaign during the entire course of the Challenge’s existence.

It was just the luck of the draw.

 

[SuperintendentChalmers]

It was just the luck of the draw.

Coach K would only play us in Chicago.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1597213520550326272

 

[jason88cubs]

Coach K would only play us in Chicago.

Also played Iowa in Chicago

 

[GrayGhost77]

If we're not gonna do B1G vs ACC maybe we could start one with the PAC 10 or something. Then at least USC and UCLA can have at least one traditional rivalry game each year. That is if the PAC 10 commissioner isn't too butthurt of course.

 

[OnlyOrange]

I've grown to really like the challenge, just because it gives us some good OOC competition. Hopefully we can replace with another conference or game against someone other than a cupcake.

 

[BDMAN]

Coach K would only play us in Chicago.

Yeah, the recruiting territory was not fertile enough for him in the champagne area for him to play us here.

 

[jason88cubs]

If we're not gonna do B1G vs ACC maybe we could start one with the PAC 10 or something. Then at least USC and UCLA can have at least one traditional rivalry game each year. That is if the PAC 10 commissioner isn't too butthurt of course.

Imagine we will have Big Ten vs Big East (which means 5 Big Ten teams would have to sit out once UCLA/USC join) and we could see BIG TEN vs BIG 12

 

[mattcoldagelli]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but the challenge was kind of played out. Case in point - did you do anything other than shrug when you saw we got Syracuse in it this year?

And with the proliferation of MTEs and other non-con events (Gavitt Games, etc.), it doesn't seem as pivotal a piece of the schedule strength equation as it once did.

 

[jason88cubs]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but the challenge was kind of played out. Case in point - did you do anything other than shrug when you saw we got Syracuse in it this year?

And with the proliferation of MTEs and other non-con events (Gavitt Games, etc.), it doesn't seem as pivotal a piece of the schedule strength equation as it once did.

I mean it was fun when we were expected to have great years and played top teams like Duke, UNC, Wake in 05 but I get your point.

 

[jason88cubs]

So off the top of my head the teams we did NOT play in the challenge were...Florida St (which is a surprise, we have both been pretty similar yearly), Boston College, Va Tech, Virginia, Pitt and Louisville?

 

[RML]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but the challenge was kind of played out. Case in point - did you do anything other than shrug when you saw we got Syracuse in it this year?

And with the proliferation of MTEs and other non-con events (Gavitt Games, etc.), it doesn't seem as pivotal a piece of the schedule strength equation as it once did.

I shrugged because it was Syracuse, which I don't consider to be a real ACC school.

(When I was in school at Wake, the ACC was the four North Carolina schools, and one each from four other Atlantic coast states: Virginia, Maryland, Clemson, and Georgia Tech. As it should be.)

 

[mattcoldagelli]

I shrugged because it was Syracuse, which I don't consider to be a real ACC school.

(When I was in school at Wake, the ACC was the four North Carolina schools, and one each from four other Atlantic coast states: Virginia, Maryland, Clemson, and Georgia Tech. As it should be.)

Well, you're adding to the ledger of why it's kind of played out. Maryland has switched sides in the course of this challenge, for crying out loud.

 

[21ChampaignSt]

I'm both sad to see it go and in agreement that it's ran its course.

Sad because it's been a staple of Illinois non-con basketball for my entire fandom. It has brought us some great games and usually serves as an early season measuring stick.

Agree that it's run its course because it's not a battle between the two marquee basketball conferences anymore

They did own the B1G for a long time though, (assuming B1G wins the Challenge this year) the final record will be 12-9-3 in favor of the ACC. So credit where credit is due.

Would love to see us start something with the B12.

 

[Calvin]

Maybe an unpopular opinion, but the challenge was kind of played out. Case in point - did you do anything other than shrug when you saw we got Syracuse in it this year?

With the number of quality teams on the schedule, I tend to agree. I still look forward to it though.

 

[jason88cubs]

I shrugged because it was Syracuse, which I don't consider to be a real ACC school.

(When I was in school at Wake, the ACC was the four North Carolina schools, and one each from four other Atlantic coast states: Virginia, Maryland, Clemson, and Georgia Tech. As it should be.)

I think if we had played @ Syracuse I maybe would have been more intrigued since it'd be cool to see Illinois play at Carrier Dome

 

[Saturdaze]

ACC won the first 10 matchups, and since has won 2 of the last 13. When the challenge first started ACC was at their peak, and the BIG had a few programs still recovering from sanctions (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Purdue all had compliance issues in the 90s).

Since, the B1G has surpassed ACC top to bottom with the exception of Duke and North Carolina, and those schools just had legendary coaches retire. The ACC is a conference in its death throes waiting out its Grant of Rights expiration, and the next realignment to blow it up.

I don’t think the B1G/ACC challenge really serves either conference now the way it did, and even though the networks forced this hand I think a B1G/B12 Challenge would be a perfect upgrade.

 

[Manual3for4peat]

ACC won the first 10 matchups, and since has won 2 of the last 13. When the challenge first started ACC was at their peak, and the BIG had a few programs still recovering from sanctions (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Purdue all had compliance issues in the 90s).

Since, the B1G has surpassed ACC top to bottom with the exception of Duke and North Carolina, and those schools just had legendary coaches retire. The ACC is a conference in its death throes waiting out its Grant of Rights expiration, and the next realignment to blow it up.

I don’t think the B1G/ACC challenge really serves either conference now the way it did, and even though the networks forced this hand I think a B1G/B12 Challenge would be a perfect upgrade.

I’m not arguing with you on the ACC, what makes the B12 any different? They just got raided again. They’re about to be down two more power programs.

 

[CleverHandle1]

Kansas?

Yep. If possible, KU and the Illini would be a great annual matchup: home/away or neutral courts.