The last time Sydney Brown had to go against Chase Brown in college, the competitiveness easily showed. Born just two minutes apart, Sydney had the opportunity to best his identical twin brother in the game they love most.

The twins will play an organized football game against each other Sunday in Cincinnati for the first time in their lives.

From the outset of his tenure as Illinois’ head coach in 2021, Bret Bielema preached to his players that practice habits became game day reality. It was by this rule that he forbade Sydney and Chase Brown from practicing against each other in live tackling sessions for the final two years of their college careers.