Arkansas vs. Illinois set for Thanksgiving neutral-site game on CBS following Bears vs. Lions showdown

Thanksgiving week has long been one of the highlights of the college basketball season. 

This year, Thanksgiving Day is getting even better, with a first-of-its-kind matchup.

Arkansas and Illinois have agreed to play a neutral-site game at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, it was jointly announced Friday by the schools and CBS Sports, which will air the game on Nov. 28. The 4 p.m. ET tip time will follow the Chicago Bears-Detroit Lions matchup earlier that afternoon on CBS. (As such, it’s going to be a huge day on CBS for fans of the Bears and Illini.) The Razorbacks-Illini game will air live on both CBS and Paramount+.

The game marks the first time CBS has televised a college basketball game on Thanksgiving.

Adding to the intrigue, of course, is Arkansas hiring former Kentucky coach John Calipari. The Razorbacks were a huge factor in the 2024 transfer portal, and because of that, they’ll enter the season with expectations of competing for an SEC title. Calipari has been ambitious in his scheduling desires since taking the Arkansas job. He wanted a high-profile game on national television the week of Thanksgiving. Illinois coach Brad Underwood was happy to oblige. 

“What a great opportunity CBS is giving Arkansas and Illinois. Thanksgiving is a day that gets all of America — whether you are a sports fan or not — watching sports on TV,” Arkansas coach John Calipari said. “Playing in this time slot will provide tremendous exposure for both programs. Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center is a premier arena that is located close enough that both fan bases can attend. We have a great deal of respect for Coach Underwood and his Illinois program, and we know this game will be one the whole nation will be interested in seeing.”

Arkansas is ranked 13th in Gary Parrish’s Top 25 And 1 heading into the season, while Illinois could have a batch of breakout players, led by lead guard/Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell. 

“We are thrilled for this opportunity. Playing in Kansas City — a tremendous basketball city that is near and dear to me — and taking on a great opponent in Arkansas, led by a Hall of Fame Coach in Coach Calipari, is a big test for our team,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “It is an honor for Illinois Basketball to play on CBS on Thanksgiving Day; we know the sports world will be watching.”

This game comes a year after Arizona played Michigan State on Thanksgiving, which set regular-season viewership records.

Arkansas-Illinois is expected to be among the most watched regular-season games of the 2024-25 season. Both programs register as top-20 brands in college basketball. Matchups like this only help to bolster the sport’s viability in the first month of the season. 

Arkansas had an unexpected down year last season in Eric Musselman’s final tour as Hogs coach (now at USC), but both teams have NCAA Tournament expectations heading into the fall. Illinois is coming off an Elite Eight run before being knocked out by eventual back-to-back champ UConn. 

The Illini and Razorbacks have met six times; Illinois owns a 5-1 advantage, but the most recent meeting went to Arkansas. The Hogs beat Illinois in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament.