The 200 Level with Mike Carpenter: A Fighting Illini Fan Podcast

The Legend of Luke Altmyer (12/18/25)

Luke Altmyer will wrap up his three-year stint as Illinois QB with one last rodeo in Nashville. Mike Carpenter discusses the importance of Altmyer in Bret Bielema's rebuilding efforts, how he stacks up with other Illini QBs, and his most memorable moments. Also, a look ahead to the upcoming Braggin' Rights basketball game against Missouri.

Winter Blunderland (12/14/25)

#13 Illinois loses to #23 Nebraska on a snowy Saturday afternoon in Champaign. Jamarques Lawrence hit the tie-breaking buzzer beater with 0.2 seconds left, thwarting the Illini comeback bid. The main story? Brad Underwood's team looked lifeless, especially on defense where they gave up more than 1.3 points per possession. Strong offensive games from Kylan Boswell, Keaton Wagler, and Andrej Stojakovic weren't enough, as the Illinois frontcourt flat out stunk. Next up: Braggin' Rights vs. Missouri on December 22.

#13 Illinois vs. Ohio State LIVE 2nd Half Reaction (12/09/25)

#13 Illinois basketball kicks off their Big Ten season with an 88-80 road win at Ohio State. Mike Carpenter reacts during the second half as Brad Underwood's team, led on by a star performance from Keaton Wagler and productive games from David Mirkovic and Zvonimir Ivisic, withstood FORTY-EIGHT FOULS CALLED and a red-hot Bruce Thornton. The Illini improve to 8-2 with the win ahead of Saturday's matchup against #23 Nebraska at State Farm Center.

Music City Mayhem! (12/07/25)

Illinois revenue sports have invaded the city of Nashville! Mike Carpenter discusses #14 Illini basketball's huge 75-62 win over #13 Tennessee, in which Brad Underwood's team turned in their best performance of the year (at least in the second half) Tomislav Ivisic and Keaton Wagler led the way, while Big Z hit two crucial late 3's to help seal the win. Meanwhile, Bret Bielema's squad gets an invite to the Music City Bowl on December 30 to face (who else!) Tennessee.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (12/03/25)

Illinois football inks the #21 recruiting class in the nation on a successful Signing Day. Mike Carpenter reacts to Bielema's best haul yet, coming on the heels of an 8-4 season and quality bowl game. He also discusses the coaching carousel in college football, and where Illini basketball stands entering Saturday's non-conference showdown with Tennessee.

There's Snow Place Like Home (11/30/25)

On a snowy night in Champaign, Illinois hangs on to the Hat with a 20-13 win over Northwestern. Mike Carpenter recaps an all-timer of an evening at Memorial Stadium, where Miles Scott and the Illini defense ended the year on a high note to the tune of four takeaways. While the offense sputtered, they managed just enough to get the win, including two field goals from David Olano on the windy, frozen tundra. Next up: Nashville?

Illinois vs. UConn LIVE 2nd Half Reaction (11/28/25)

Illinois basketball struggled offensively in a 74-61 loss to UConn at Madison Square Garden. Mike Carpenter reacts during the second half as Kylan Boswell balled out, but the rest of the team struggled to score, especially from three-point range (6/29 as a team). With comments from viewers of the stream, a conversation was had about the state of the program under Brad Underwood, and what expectations are going forward. Next up: Tennessee in Nashville on Saturday, December 6. 

Smackdown in Madtown (11/23/25)

Illinois football suffers a humiliating 27-10 loss to Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. Mike Carpenter discusses what went wrong during the sloppy, lifeless performance, and what must happen in the offseason for the Illini program to take another step under Bret Bielema. Next up: that pesky Northwestern team.