Big Ten · FBS
Illinois 5-3
2026 season · Fighting Illini
No. 73 toughest schedule of 138 — see full rankings
Illinois is 5-3 under head coach Bret Bielema. Its eight opponents were a combined 14-15 before playing the Fighting Illini and are 15-13 since. The best win was over Oregon, which was 4-2 going in.
Next game: vs. Nebraska,
Data last updated
Open a row to see that opponent's season, split into games before Illinois, the game itself, and games after. Total includes the game vs. Illinois.
Wk 3·
Southern Illinois
Home · MVFC · FCS
W 48-10
- Before
- 2-1
- After
- 2-3
- Total
- 4-5
Show Southern Illinois' seasonHide Southern Illinois' season
Wk 3
Southern Illinois
Home · MVFC · FCS
Show Southern Illinois' seasonHide Southern Illinois' season
W 48-10
2-1
2-3
4-5
Wk 3·
Southern Illinois
Home · MVFC · FCS
W 48-10
- Before
- 2-1
- After
- 2-3
- Total
- 4-5
Show Southern Illinois' seasonHide Southern Illinois' season
Wk 3
Southern Illinois
Home · MVFC · FCS
Show Southern Illinois' seasonHide Southern Illinois' season
W 48-10
2-1
2-3
4-5
Wk 4·
L 19-42
- Before
- 2-1
- After
- 3-1
- Total
- 6-2
Show Ohio State's seasonHide Ohio State's season
Wk 4
L 19-42
2-1
3-1
6-2
Wk 4·
L 19-42
- Before
- 2-1
- After
- 3-1
- Total
- 6-2
Show Ohio State's seasonHide Ohio State's season
Wk 4
L 19-42
2-1
3-1
6-2
Wk 6·
Away · Big Ten
W 38-37
- Before
- 2-3
- After
- 0-2
- Total
- 2-6
Show Michigan State's seasonHide Michigan State's season
Wk 6
W 38-37
2-3
0-2
2-6
Wk 6·
Away · Big Ten
W 38-37
- Before
- 2-3
- After
- 0-2
- Total
- 2-6
Show Michigan State's seasonHide Michigan State's season
Wk 6
W 38-37
2-3
0-2
2-6
Wk 13·
Away · Big Ten
Upcoming
- Before
- 6-2
- After
- —
- Total
- 6-2
Show Northwestern's seasonHide Northwestern's season
Wk 13
Upcoming
6-2
—
6-2
Wk 13·
Away · Big Ten
Upcoming
- Before
- 6-2
- After
- —
- Total
- 6-2
Show Northwestern's seasonHide Northwestern's season
Wk 13
Upcoming
6-2
—
6-2
- Conference
- Big Ten
- Head coach
- Bret Bielema
- Stadium
- Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL), seats 60,670, Champaign, Illinois
- NFL draft
- 3 picked in the 2026 NFL draft, earliest in round 2
Receipt insights
- Illinois is 0-1 vs. currently ranked teams, with 2 more on the schedule.
- Next up, Nebraska. Against the 3 common opponents both have played, Illinois' average margin is +5.0 points; Nebraska's is +13.3.
Combined opponents
Across 8 completed games · 4 upcoming left out
0-1 vs. teams ranked that week
Before playing Illinois
14-15
48.3%
vs. Illinois
3-5
37.5%
After playing Illinois
15-13
53.6%
Total (including vs. Illinois)
32-33
49.2%
Teams we beat17-24total (41.5%)
Before playing Illinois 10-11 · after 7-8
Teams that beat us15-9total (62.5%)
Before playing Illinois 4-4 · after 8-5
How we count
Records are summed once per game on this schedule, so an opponent who shows up twice is counted twice. Before playing Illinois uses only that opponent's games completed before the kickoff. vs. Illinois is the opponents' combined record in those head-to-head games. After playing Illinois uses only games completed later. Total adds the three together. Canceled, postponed, and vacated games are excluded. Winning percentage counts a tie as half a win.
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