Throwback: When Indiana and Illinois Last Faced Off in a Top 25 Football Battle

Indiana and Illinois take part in what is one of the biggest Big Ten games of the year this Saturday night

Aug 30, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks along the sideline during the first half against the Old Dominion Monarchs at Memorial Stadium. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Unless you're living under a rock, you're aware that Indiana's clash with Illinois this Saturday night is one of the biggest games in the history of the Hoosiers football program. It's also clearly the biggest in the history of the Indiana and Illinois football rivalry, which dates back to 1899.

No. 9 Illinois (3-0) travels to No. 19 Indiana (3-0) in a top 20 clash. This game will have major College Football Playoff implications as potentially manageable schedules for both create possible paths to the dance.

The game will also be just the second between Indiana and Illinois, which features both teams being ranked in the AP Poll. The only other time was back on October 28, 1950, when No. 12 Illinois blanked the 19th-ranked Hoosiers 20-0 in Champaign.

The two have met in plenty of ranked matchups on the hardwood, but not so much in football.

So what was going on in the world the last time Indiana and Illinois met in a ranked matchup on the gridiron?

The World the Last Time Indiana and Illinois Met in a Ranked Matchup

Just how much has the world changed since the Hoosiers and Illini last met in a ranked matchup on the football field? Quite a bit to put it lightly. Here's a handful of world events and costs of various different things back in October of 1950.

Cost of Gas in 1950: 20 cents per gallon

Bob Knight in 1950

Indiana coach Bob Knight celebrates the Hoosiers' 1987 NCAA regional championship with Steve Alford (12) and CBS broadcasters Billy Packer, left, and Brent Musburger | Larry Crewell / Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Legendary Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight had just celebrated his 10th birthday when that game was played on October 28, 1950. Knight turned 10 years old three days previous and was busy ripping up the playground in Orrville, Ohio and still nine years away from enrolling at Ohio State.

Cost of a Postage Stamp in 1950: 3 Cents

Indy 500 Pole Sitter Speed in 1950: 132.04 MPH

Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin (3) heads out of turn one Monday, May 19, 2025 during practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. | HG Biggs/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For comparison, the pole sitter in the 2024 race averaged over 234 MPH in qualifying (Scott McLaughlin at 234.220 MPH)

Earl Lloyd Breaks NBA Color Barrier

Three days after Indiana fell to Illinois in that ranked matchup, Earl Lloyd made NBA history by becoming the first African American player to play in a game. Lloyd scored six points for the Washington Capitols. Lloyd would go on to play 10 seasons in the NBA.

Cost of Bread in 1950: 14 Cents a Loaf

Indiana Basketball National Championships in 1950: 1

Nov 9, 2021; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; a shot of Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) with the championship banners in the background in the second half against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Indiana had won just one of its now five national championships in men's basketball in 1950, with the first coming in 1943. The Hoosiers won a second national championship under Branch McCracken in 1953 before winning it all in 1976, 1981, and 1987 under Knight.

Illinois Basketball National Championships in 1950: 0

19 years ago today, UNC beat Illinois 75-70 to win the 2005 National Championship pic.twitter.com/vU9jsYWain

— Tar Heel Tapes (@TarHeelTapes) April 4, 2024

Alright, as much as some things have changed, others have stayed the same. The NCAA Tournament has been played since 1939, and Illinois, like Purdue, has yet to win one.