A few years later, the Fighting Illini found a home in the Western Conference. In the tradition of big-time college football in the Midwest, the program at University of Illinois in Champaign first made its official debut in 1892.
With the expansion of legal sports betting across the US, the Big Ten commands quite a bit of attention during football season. Over the years, this has become one of the most popular national conferences for the sport. The Illinois Fighting Illini have grown to define Big Ten football.
