Teams / Big Ten / Illinois
Index · this season
68
at its 5-year level▼ Down 4 this season
Career68since 1936
Peak901946
Last 571seasons
#56 nationally · 3-3 (1-2 conf)
Résumé #69 · better than its record
Schedule so far #38
Margin ±5 pts (tightens with games)
Illinois Fighting Illini
Big Ten · Champaign, IL · Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL) · Head coach Bret Bielema
Rival
Northwestern · also Purdue
Heated rivalry
59-55-5 all time (119 meetings since 1892)
Illinois leads
Last: won 20-13 (2025) · Illinois has won 2 straight
Holds it
program traits are earned from history
0national titles
0Heisman
7AP top-10
15All-Americans
101NFL picks
44.1%win pct
History since 1936 · football since 1892. Every season →
Chemistry
59
66Foundation
50Gel
gel counts 45% so far
at its usual level
early · #63 of 138
HC year6
Ret. starters27%
QB yrs w/ OC1
Schedule · 2026
Played: result · Upcoming: model chance to win if played today
Wk 1 · 9/3vs
UAB
#122
W42-23
Wk 2 · 9/12vs
Duke
#53
L27-31
Wk 3 · 9/19vs
Southern Illinois
FCS
W48-10
Wk 4 · 9/26@
Ohio State
#3
L19-42
Wk 5 · 10/3vs
Purdue
#76
L17-24
Wk 6 · 10/10@
Michigan State
#51
W38-37
Wk 8 · 10/24vs
Oregon
#10
Win chance today
26%
Wk 9 · 10/31@
Maryland
#74
Win chance today
57%
Wk 10 · 11/6vs
Nebraska
#13
Win chance today
28%
Wk 11 · 11/13@
UCLA
#17
Win chance today
17%
Wk 12 · 11/21vs
Iowa
#26
Win chance today
36%
Wk 13 · 11/28@
Northwestern
#23
Win chance today
29%
Next · Week 8 · Sat, Oct 24, 12:00 AM
vs Oregon
Model
26%Market
—Coaching staff
Position coaches are in each room below
Head coach
Offensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
| Room | Rating | Rank | Depth shape | Read | Move | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Quarterbacks — | 68 | #39 | Untested depth | ▼ 7 | |
| RB | Running backs — | 66 | #81 | Even | ▲ 5 | |
| WR | Receivers — | 80 | #5 | Top-heavy | ▲ 8 | |
| TE | Tight ends — | 58 | #96 | Untested depth | ▼ 6 | |
| OL | Offensive line — | 72 | #25 | Deep | ▲ 5 | |
| DL | Defensive line — | 68 | #121 | Even | ▼ 1 | |
| LB | Linebackers — | 70 | #102 | Deep | ▼ 7 | |
| DB | Defensive backs — | 68 | #118 | Even | ▼ 7 | |
| ST | Special teams — | 68 | #35 | Even | ▲ 4 |
Bars show the top five players in the room. Move is the change in room rating since last season. Every row opens that room.
Key players
Who runs the team and who changes a game — not only the highest chips.
Recent seasons
20263-3Bret Bielema68
20259-4Bret Bielema78
202410-3AP #16Bret Bielema75
20235-7Bret Bielema62
20228-5Bret Bielema79