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Unpack the suitcases, the B1G is not heading to Ireland in 2021 after all.
On Wednesday, both Nebraska and Illinois announced that the Week 0 game scheduled to be played in Dublin, Ireland will not be happening because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the Huskers and Fighting Illini will move the game to Champaign, as it was previously set to be a home game for Illinois.
Per the release, the game is still scheduled to be played on Saturday, Aug. 28. Assuming that doesn’t change, the showdown between B1G West foes will be one of the first games of the college football season in 2021.
“This is very disappointing for our athletic program, our team and for the fans who were planning to attend the game in Dublin,” said Illinois AD Josh Whitman. “For our players, staff and fans, this would have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We will work diligently with Irish American Events and the Big Ten Conference to find a future opportunity for us to take Fighting Illini Football to the Emerald Isle.”
Illinois and Nebraska have met 18 times with the Huskers owning a 13-4-1 advantage all-time. Last year, the Fighting Illini won 41-23 in Lincoln.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB