The Drive on ESPN 93.5 – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Drive on ESPN 93.5

ESPN 93.5

Sports

Frequency: 1 episode/1d. Total Eps: 100

The Drive is your daily Illini sports podcast from ESPN 93.5. Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone cover Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball, Illinois Fighting Illini football, the Chicago Bears, Cardinals, Cubs and the biggest sports stories in Champaign-Urbana with interviews, analysis, and a lot of laughs. New episodes every weekday. 🎙️

Follow The Drive on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Data updated on 13/09/2026

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Score global : 48%

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09/08/26: J Leman Hour | Illinois vs Duke Preview, Keys to Victory & Big Ten Football

Episode 2956

Friday, September 11, 2026 • Duration 57:38

It’s the J Leman Hour on The Drive! Illinois football legend and All-American linebacker J Leman joins Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone to break down the highly anticipated matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and Duke Blue Devils.

J Leman provides an in-depth preview of the game, discusses the biggest storylines heading into Saturday, and reveals his keys to victory for Illinois. What must the Illini do on offense and defense to come away with a win? Which matchups could decide the game?

Plus, Leman shares his perspective on Illinois football, the challenges of playing a team like Duke, and what fans should be watching for when the Illini take the field.

Topics include: 🏈 Illinois vs. Duke preview 🔶 J Leman's keys to victory 🛡️ Illinois defensive game plan ⚔️ Key matchups to watch 🏟️ What the Illini need to do to get the win 🔥 Big Ten football & Illinois storylines

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09/11/2026 Hour 2: Jacob Infante Previews Bears vs. Panthers, D’Andre Swift Contract | GA Scumbags Preview Illinois-Duke | Etched In Stone | Friday Toasts

Episode 2955

Friday, September 11, 2026 • Duration 54:07

It’s a packed second hour of The Drive! Jacob Infante joins Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone to preview the Chicago Bears’ season opener against the Carolina Panthers, including the biggest matchups, keys to victory, and expectations for Caleb Williams and the Bears in 2026.

Plus, the Bears have locked up running back D’Andre Swift with a new three-year, $33.75 million extension that includes $27.5 million guaranteed.

The GA Scumbags join the show to break down Illinois vs. Duke, followed by Etched in Stone and the always-popular Friday Toasts!

🏈 Bears vs. Panthers preview 💰 D’Andre Swift's new contract ⭐ Caleb Williams & the Bears' 2026 outlook 🟠 Illinois vs. Duke with the GA Scumbags 🎙️ Etched in Stone 🍻 Friday Toasts

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09/11/2026 Hour 1: Illini Great Terrell Washington Previews Duke, Hall of Fame Weekend & More | Illinois Football

Episode 2954

Friday, September 11, 2026 • Duration 54:57

Illinois football legend Terrell Washington joins The Drive to look back at his time with the Illini, discuss Hall of Fame Weekend, and break down Saturday’s highly anticipated matchup between Illinois and Duke.

Plus, Kurtis Allen and Evan Stone deliver a full Illinois vs. Duke preview, including Katin Houser’s impressive debut, the Illini offense, concerns about the defense after allowing 194 rushing yards to UAB, key matchups, players to watch, and what Illinois must do to start the season 2-0.

Illinois enters the game 1-0 after a 42-23 win over UAB, while Duke is also 1-0 following a 17-3 victory over Tulane. The Illini defeated Duke 45-19 last season in Durham.

Topics include: 🏈 Terrell Washington joins The Drive 🏆 Hall of Fame Weekend 🟠 Illinois vs. Duke full preview ⭐ Katin Houser's Illini debut 🔥 Key players and matchups 🛡️ Can Illinois' defense slow down Duke? 📊 Game predictions and keys to victory

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09/10/2026 Hour 2: LIVE from Pia's! | Illinois Basketball Legend James Augustine and Tim Sinclair, Public Address Announcer for the Illini, Bears, Bulls and more join the show

Episode 2953

Thursday, September 10, 2026 • Duration 54:55

The Drive continues LIVE from Pia's with another pair of outstanding guests from the Illinois and Chicago sports scene.

Illinois Basketball legend James Augustine joins the show to look back on his Illini career, share stories from his time in Champaign, and talk about Illinois basketball.

Plus, Tim Sinclair, the longtime public address announcer for the Illinois Fighting Illini, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls and more, joins the conversation. Tim shares stories from behind the microphone and gives listeners a unique perspective on some of the biggest sporting events and venues in Illinois.

It's another packed hour LIVE from Pia's featuring Illini basketball, Chicago sports, and plenty of great stories from two familiar voices in the Illinois sports community.

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09/10/2026 Hour 1: LIVE from Pia's! | Olympic Gold Medalist Bonnie Blair and Illinois Football Legend Brandon Lloyd join the show

Episode 2952

Thursday, September 10, 2026 • Duration 53:09

The Drive is LIVE from Pia's as the show welcomes two Illinois sports legends! Five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair joins the show to talk about her legendary speed skating career, Illinois connections, and life as one of the most decorated American Olympians ever.

Plus, Illinois Football legend Brandon Lloyd stops by to discuss his Illini career, his time in the NFL, and the current state of Illinois football.

It's a packed Hour 1 LIVE from Pia's featuring championship stories, Illini football, and plenty of great conversation with two Central Illinois sports icons.

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09/08/26 Hour 2: Famous British Influencers Josh & Jase join the show to talk Champaign and Big Ten Country | Evan and Coop talk Illini football and Chicago Bears season opener

Episode 2951

Tuesday, September 8, 2026 • Duration 29:31

The Drive welcomes on two very special guests, Josh & Jase, who are famous influencers from England and are currently touring the United States and visiting every college town in the Big Ten. They talk about what they've seen so far in Champaign, discuss soccer with Evan, and promote the Big Ten's current blood drive initiative.

Then, Evan and Cooper close out the show by talking about Illinois Football's upcoming showdown with Duke and get into an early preview of the Chicago Bears and NFL season.

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09/04/26 Hour 2: Illinois vs. UAB X's & O's with Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports | Week 1 College Football Picks & Friday Toasts

Episode 2950

Friday, September 4, 2026 • Duration 52:55

The Drive continues its Illinois football postgame coverage with Brian Teague from Chicago State of Mind Sports, who dives into the X's and O's of Illinois' 42-23 victory over UAB. What worked for the Illini, what needs to improve, and what can we learn from the season opener?

Then it's time for Etched In Stone Picks, as the guys make their selections for some of the biggest games of College Football Week 1, including several marquee matchups across the country. The Week 1 slate features games such as Boise State at Oregon, Clemson at LSU, Northern Illinois at Iowa, and Marshall at Penn State.

And, as always, we wrap up the week with Friday Toasts — raising a glass to the people, teams, moments and happenings that deserve some recognition.

Topics include:

Brian Teague's X's and O's breakdown of Illinois vs. UAB
What Illinois did well offensively
Defensive concerns and areas for improvement
Katin Houser and the Illini passing game
Illinois' explosive-play ability
What the UAB game tells us about the Illini moving forward
Etched In Stone Picks for College Football Week 1
Biggest games and potential upsets to watch
Friday Toasts

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09/04/26 Hour 1: Illinois Beats UAB 42-23, But Leaves Plenty to Discuss; Tristan Thomas Previews Local High School Football

Episode 2949

Friday, September 4, 2026 • Duration 54:55

Illinois is 1-0 after defeating UAB 42-23 in the season opener, but was the performance as impressive as the final score suggests? The Drive breaks down the Illini's mixed-reaction victory, including Katin Houser's debut, Ca’Lil Valentine's big-play ability, Collin Dixon's two-touchdown performance, and a defense that struggled to slow down UAB's rushing attack.

Plus, WCIA 3 sports reporter Tristan Thomas joins the show to discuss his biggest takeaways from Illinois' season opener and preview this week's Central Illinois high school football action.

Topics include:

Illinois' 42-23 win over UAB
Katin Houser's first start as an Illini
Ca’Lil Valentine and the explosive Illinois offense
Concerns about the run defense
The impact of the Hail Mary touchdown before halftime
Ismael Kante's pick-six
Tristan Thomas' reaction to the Illini's performance
This week's biggest local high school football games and storylines

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The Drive LIVE From Pia’s Sports Bar with Illini Legends J Leman, Kevin Mitchell & Kent Brown

Episode 2948

Friday, September 4, 2026 • Duration 01:53:58

The Drive goes LIVE from Pia’s Sports Bar for a special show with three Illinois football legends — J Leman, Kevin Mitchell, and former Sports Information Director Kent Brown! The Illini greats share their memories of playing in Champaign, discuss what makes Illinois football special, and offer their thoughts on the current Illini program.

Hear stories from the past, insight into Illinois football, plenty of Illini pride, and a great conversation with three individuals who helped leave their mark on the program.

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09/03/26 Hour 2: Illinois vs. UAB Preview & Score Predictions | Alex Kyi of Armchair Illini Joins The Drive

Episode 2947

Thursday, September 3, 2026 • Duration 49:12

The Drive continues the countdown to Illinois football's season opener against UAB with Alex Kyi from Armchair Illini joining the show!

Kyi breaks down the matchup from an Illini perspective, including the biggest questions surrounding Illinois entering the 2026 season, Katin Houser's debut at quarterback, the new-look defense under Bobby Hauck, key players to watch, and what could determine the outcome against the Blazers. Armchair Illini's gameday coverage also highlights the excitement surrounding the season opener and Illinois looking to build on 19 wins over the previous two seasons.

Plus, Kurtis and Evan make their Illinois vs. UAB score predictions, discuss expectations for the Illini in 2026, and look at whether Illinois can live up to its status as a heavy favorite in the opener.

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The Drive on ESPN 93.5 – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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The Drive on ESPN 93.5 – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Instagram1

Facebook1

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

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Facebook1

Apple Podcasts

Spotify