After the expansion of the Big Ten, the road to success for the Illinois baseball team became much bumpier.
Despite these challenges, there is still a way in which the Illini can compete with this tougher competition.
The additions of Oregon, USC, and UCLA, and the consistent competitive play of programs like Iowa and Nebraska, mean the Illini have their work cut out for them when it comes to recruiting and negotiating in the transfer portal.
Luckily for Illinois, there are key attributes to their program that they can lean on to gain in this arms race with their opposition.