The Big Ten released its 2025–26 Preseason All–Big Ten Team, and Illinois’ Tomislav Ivišić — one of the best bigs in the league — was left off the list.
Sunny Verma breaks down why that’s shocking, what the media got wrong, and why Ivišić is poised to make them regret it by season’s end. Then, we lighten things up with one of college football’s most fun traditions: the Illibuck Trophy — a 100-year-old wooden turtle that Illinois and Ohio State play for this weekend. 🧩 Topics in this episode: Big Ten’s preseason list and why Ivišić deserved a spot Analytics proving Ivišić is among the league’s best centers Illinois’ offensive spacing with the Ivišić twins Full story of the Illibuck Trophy and how a live turtle became a wooden icon Fun facts, rituals, and the legend behind one of college football’s quirkiest rivalries 🎥 Hosted by Sunny Verma — your daily home for Illinois sports stories that mix passion, humor, and depth. Drop your thoughts ⬇️ — should Ivišić have made the team, and will the Illibuck finally come home to Champaign? VOTE FOR PRINCEVILLE! https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/friday-night-5g-lights/q
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