Illinois Gets Early Advantage

College football’s early kickoff hits hard as Illinois takes the field Thursday, Sept. 3 against UAB — a strategic mini-bye before facing Duke on Sept. 12. Duke, meanwhile, opens against playoff-bound Tulane under new coach Will Hall. Illinois, with a revamped defense and QB, gets prime-time exposure and extra prep time. The Big Ten’s non-conference slate is loaded: Oregon vs. Boise State, Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame, Ohio State vs. Texas, and Michigan vs. Oklahoma. Fans, buckle up — this season demands a viewing game plan. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e76da9dd07e07c1a