Illinois opens the 2026 football season against UAB at home. The Fighting Illini went 9-4 last year, including 5-4 in the Big Ten.
Current 2026 Win Total Odds
Illinois’ win total for 2026 is 7.5.
The Fighting Illini have won at least nine games each of the last two years. They most recently failed to win nine games in 2023 (5-7).
2026 Illinois Fighting Illini Football Schedule
Illinois’ non-conference schedule begins in Week 1 with a home game vs. UAB. The Fighting Illini’s road opener is Sept. 26, a conference game against Ohio State.
Illinois’ first conference game is the aforementioned Sept. 26 matchup at Ohio State.
Non-Conference Matchups
- Sept. 3: vs. UAB
- Sept. 12: vs. Duke
- Sept. 19: vs. Southern Illinois
Of Illinois’ non-conference opponents, Duke won the most games in 2025; the Blue Devils went 9-5.
Big Ten Conference Matchups
- Sept. 26: at Ohio State
- Oct. 3: vs. Purdue
- Oct. 10: at Michigan State
- Oct. 24: vs. Oregon
- Oct. 31: at Maryland
- Nov. 6: vs. Nebraska
- Nov. 13: at UCLA
- Nov. 21: vs. Iowa
- Nov. 28: at Northwestern
Of Illinois’ conference opponents, Oregon won the most games; the Ducks went 13-2, including 8-1 in the Big Ten.
2025 Illinois Football Results
Illinois went 8-4 during the 2025 regular season. They beat Tennessee in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl to finish 9-4.
- Aug. 29: vs. Western Illinois – Win (52-3)
- Sept. 6: at Duke – Win (45-19)
- Sept. 13: vs. Western Michigan – Win (38-0)
- Sept. 20: at Indiana – Loss (63-10)
- Sept. 27: vs. USC – Win (34-32)
- Oct. 4: at Purdue – Win (43-27)
- Oct. 11: vs. Ohio State – Loss (34-16)
- Oct. 25: at Washington – Loss (42-25)
- Nov. 1: vs. Rutgers – Win (35-13)
- Nov. 15: vs. Maryland – Win (24-6)
- Nov. 22: at Wisconsin – Loss (27-10)
- Nov. 29: vs. Northwestern – Win (20-13)
- Dec. 30: vs. Tennessee* – Win (30-28)
*neutral site
Visit the online sportsbook to bet on Illinois football odds and more college football odds throughout the year.
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