Illinois has locked in the Swoosh for the long haul.
Athletics announced a new seven-year Nike agreement that will keep the Fighting Illini wearing the brand through June 2033, pending approval later this month from the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. The terms were not released, but the previous 10-year deal with Nike was worth $44.5 million and expired this year.
The package covers footwear, uniforms, gear and other equipment and accessories for all 21 varsity teams, continuing a relationship that stretches back more than 30 years. Illinois was among the first athletic departments to sign an exclusive Nike deal, and the school is choosing to stay tied to a brand that still carries major weight in college sports.
Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman said in a statement: "We are pleased to extend our affiliation with Nike and keep our student-athletes outfitted in the Swoosh. We are proud of this longstanding relationship, which dates back more than 30 years and covers our 21 varsity teams and 450 student-athletes.
Nike's values mirror our own, with an athletes-first focus and a commitment to innovation, competition, and success. This deal continues to strengthen the Illinois Athletics brand, which has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years.
We are grateful to the team at Nike for their collaborative spirit, and we look forward to deepening and growing that relationship in the years ahead. Our student-athletes and coaches are excited to continue wearing Nike, and our fans can look forward to plenty of clothing and products available featuring the Block I and the Swoosh for years to come."
The move keeps Illinois aligned with an iconic name even as Nike has lost some market share recently. In college athletics, though, the Swoosh still brings a premium feel, and Illinois is banking on that familiarity and credibility carrying forward.
Elsewhere in college hoops, Michigan took a major hit before the 2026-27 season even got going. Brandon McCoy Jr. will miss the year after tearing his ACL last month during the Wolverines’ overseas tour in Lithuania.
McCoy was a big-time recruit, ranked by 247Sports as the No. 11 overall prospect in the Class of 2026. He put up 14.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals over Michigan’s first two foreign-tour games, and he was expected to be one of the team’s primary scorers.
That loss stings because Michigan was already undergoing a major reset after its national championship season, the departures of three NBA Draft lottery picks - Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara - and the exit of head coach Dusty May for the Dallas Mavericks.
New coach Mike Boynton, who was an assistant under May last season, kept much of the roster together. Elliot Cadeau and Trey McKenney headline the backcourt, while a top-15 transfer class brings in J.P.
Estrella, Moustapha Thiam and Jalen Reed. Even so, McCoy was viewed as a potential go-to player and a first-round draft prospect.
The injury had an immediate ripple effect, too. CBS Sports dropped Michigan seven spots in its updated Top 25 And 1, sliding the Wolverines to No. 16.
On the volleyball side, Illinois had a rough night in Knoxville. The Illini were swept by No. 22 Tennessee in Tuesday’s Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge, falling 19-25, 17-25, 11-25.
Tennessee hit .432 as a team, while Illinois finished at just .104. The Volunteers also controlled the net, posting five blocks to Illinois’ two. Paityn Chapman, who transferred from Tennessee to Illinois, led the Illini with nine kills.
The result added to a concerning stretch for Illinois. The team has now lost six of its last nine sets against Power Four opponents, with a sweep of Syracuse sandwiched between a reverse sweep by Cincinnati and Tennessee’s dominant win. Dating back to Oct. 24 last season, Illinois has lost 13 of its last 15 matches.
Illinois women’s basketball is heading to the Bahamas for Thanksgiving weekend. The Illini will take part in the Baha Mar Hoops Tournament in Nassau from Nov. 27-29.
Illinois opens against Marquette, which went 18-12 last season, at 10 a.m. CT on Friday, Nov.
- The Illini will then face Saint Joseph’s, which finished 20-11 last season, at 10 a.m.
CT on Sunday, Nov. 29.
Fan VIP packages, including a four-night stay at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, are available through the tournament website.
In Other News...
Illinois Fans Are Already Split Over This New Stadium Upgrade
Illinois opened the season with a noticeable new addition at Gies Memorial Stadium, unveiling a south end-zone videoboard that instantly became one of the biggest talking points around the program. The board is now the largest in college football, stretching about 69 feet high and 250 feet wide, and it anchors a broader technology overhaul that also brought in additional LED displays, better lighting, upgraded audio, stronger Wi-Fi and improved production equipment.
The project cost $20.94 million, and the reaction around the stadium reflected the split you might expect when a splashy amenity arrives before the on-field results do. Plenty of fans loved the scale of it and the way it delivers information, but others were quick to wonder whether that kind of money should have gone toward the football team instead. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Found Hope At Quarterback But One Concern Still Lingers
Illinois had enough on offense to put away UAB in a 42-23 win, and the most encouraging sign came from Katin Houser settling in at quarterback. He looked comfortable steering the attack and avoided the kind of shaky throws that can stall a new starter before he ever gets rolling. Collin Dixon also gave the passing game a clear focal point, turning into Housers most reliable target as the Illini found a rhythm through the air.
The bigger picture, though, is that the defense still left a door open even in a comfortable victory. Illinois 3-3-5 front showed it can generate pressure, but UAB found room in the middle of the field and kept the game from feeling fully controlled. For a team trying to build momentum around a promising quarterback performance, that kind of vulnerability is the detail that lingers after the final score fades. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Depth Chart Still Leaves One Big Week 1 Question
Illinois weekly depth chart updates are already starting to matter, and the early-season picture is fairly stable as Bret Bielema begins sorting through the 2026 roster. Illinois on SI is tracking the lineup throughout the season, adjusting for injuries and the announced position moves that tend to shape how the Illini look from one game to the next.
At the Sept. 3 press conference, Bielema said wide receiver Jayshon Platt and linebacker Daniel Brown are the only regulars expected to miss the UAB game, with both still projected back later in the season. Even with most of the two-deep intact, that leaves one obvious Week 1 question hanging over Illinois as it tries to settle into its first real game-week rhythm. [Read more 🡒]