# 07/15/26 Hour 2: Carson Gourdie Talks Illinois Basketball Expectations | Is Michigan Still the Biggest Big Ten Threat? | 2026 MLB All-Star Draft Results

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-drive-on-espn-93-5-477079/07-15-26-hour-2-carson-gourdie-talks-illinois-basketball-expectations-is-michigan-still-the-biggest-big-ten-threat-2026-mlb-all-star-draft-results
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-drive-on-espn-93-5-477079/07-15-26-hour-2-carson-gourdie-talks-illinois-basketball-expectations-is-michigan-still-the-biggest-big-ten-threat-2026-mlb-all-star-draft-results.md
Podcast: [The Drive on ESPN 93.5](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-drive-on-espn-93-5-477079)
Published: 2026-07-15T22:12:34+00:00
Episode link: https://tayandpiper.podbean.com/e/071526-hour-2-carson-gourdie-talks-illinois-basketball-expectations-is-michigan-still-the-biggest-big-ten-threat-2026-mlb-all-star-draft-results/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/kq8i3ap3vdhaeb3s/07-15-26_Hour_27h3fb.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-drive-on-espn-93-5-477079/episodes/07-15-26-hour-2-carson-gourdie-talks-illinois-basketball-expectations-is-michigan-still-the-biggest-big-ten-threat-2026-mlb-all-star-draft-results
Duration seconds: 3073

## Resource

Carson Gourdie of FOX Illinois joins The Drive to discuss Illinois basketball's preseason ranking, national championship expectations, Michigan's place atop the Big Ten, and we reveal the winners of our 2026 MLB All-Star Tuesday Draft. Hour 2 of The Drive features FOX Illinois sports anchor Carson Gourdie breaking down the early outlook for Illinois basketball entering the 2026-27 season. With the Illini coming off a Final Four appearance and returning one of the nation's most talented rosters, expectations are soaring. Carson discusses where Illinois belongs in the preseason rankings, the biggest questions facing Brad Underwood's team, and why Michigan remains one of the Illini's biggest challengers in the Big Ten despite offseason changes. National projections continue to place Illinois among the country's elite heading into the season. The hour wraps up with another edition of Tuesday Draft, as we reveal and debate our selections for the best players from the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. Which roster came out on top, who had the biggest steal of the draft, and which All-Stars are poised for huge second halves? Tune in for plenty of baseball talk and friendly competition.

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