It will be a mix of two Illini worlds on Saturday.
After leading Illinois to their first Final Four since 2005 last season, Underwood has been chosen to represent the orange and blue on the gridiron.
After taking over the program in 2017, Underwood has completely revitalized an historic program. Expectations are high for the Illini in 2026-27 as they are slated to be a preseason top-5 team in the country.
Meanwhile, Bret Bielema and his squad will look to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss to Duke last weekend.
However, Saturday should be a good chance to bounce back against an FCS in-state opponent, the Southern Illinois Salukis.