The Big Ten released its schedule on Tuesday. The Illini received a favorable draw. Let’s have some fun with a way-too-early preview of the 2026 Illini football schedule.
Non-Conference
University of Alabama-Birmingham – September 5
Nick Saban disciple Alex Mortensen currently helms UAB. The former offensive coordinator has a sterling track record of producing high-powered units that move the football well. The Blazers have put up 415 yards per game under Mortensen’s stewardship.
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The program has brought in 34 players in the transfer portal for the upcoming season. So this will be a new roster in the wake of Trent Dilfer’s dismissal. And to be fair, many of UAB’s portal signings are either former four-star recruits, including Memphis transfer CJ Smith and Georgia State transfer Marlin Dean.
While Illinois should have a top-to-bottom talent edge, this game is not likely to be the five-touchdown blowout that has become customary in the Bret Bielema era.
More importantly, they have players named Courage Ugo and Blanche Gold.
Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) – September 19
SIU is an in-state buy game that the Illini should win comfortably. It projects as an opportunity for some of the true freshmen to get real reps without burning their redshirts.
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(Although there will be far more true freshmen burning redshirts in 2026 than in previous seasons.)
Veteran dual-threat quarterback D.J. Williams returns for the Salukis, who put 37 on future FCS playoff finalist Illinois State. At 7-5, SIU had an unspectacular season. But with an experienced signal caller, they look to contend for the playoffs next season.
Illinois should open as a 30-point favorite.
Duke – September 12
Duke will be an interesting visitor to Gies Memorial Stadium.
Duke was a part of a recruiting controversy that surprisingly didn’t include the name Dame Sarr.
(Yes, I’m still bitter.)
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Mensah leaves Duke for Coral Gables and the chance to lead a loaded Hurricanes roster to a dominant ACC season.
In his stead, underheralded star Walker Eget leaves San Jose State and heads across the country from Silicon Valley to the “Silicon Valley of the East” in Durham.
Unless you’re an alum, a degenerate gambler, or an insomniac, you may not have seen Eget slinging the ball around for the past few seasons. He put up some big games for San Jose State and will now move from coach Ken Niumatalolo to Manny Diaz.
Eget will be an early test for the Illini secondary after putting up 473 yards against Stanford and 458 against Hawaii. After Illinois’ turnover-fueled victory in Durham in 2025, Diaz’s squad could be positioned to push for a roadkill in Champaign.
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(Manny Diaz still looks like a second-generation owner of a used car dealership in Parsippany.)
So, what do we make of the Big Ten schedule for the Illini? Let’s break down the games individually.
Home Games
Purdue – October 3
Key Additions: Illinois LB/Edge JoJo Hayden, Illinois DT Curt Neal, Defensive Coordinator Kevin Kane
Barry Odom is entering year two of bringing Purdue back to relevance. The program, once run (into the ground) by former Illini DC Ryan Walters, is now in a full rebuild. This is obvious because they are stealing players from Illinois.
All joking aside, Purdue has added players from Georgia, Illinois, USC, and Texas, among other programs. They are making a big bet on winning pedigree as a formula for a quick rebuild. Remember when Illinois signed Trevon Sidney, Josh Imatorbhebhe, and Oluwole Betiku?
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Yep, they got one six-win season out of that haul.
Perhaps Purdue can get back to bowl eligibility this season. But the Illini should have a talent and coaching advantage. Although Purdue is returning Ryan Browne, who looked like the love child of Tim Tebow and a Jugs Machine against the Illini in 2024. Grant Beerman, a former Purdue commit, should make himself very well acquainted with the third-year starter.
Iowa – November 21
Key Additions: Ohio State S Cody Haddad, James Madison DB Tyler Brown, True Freshman CB Darion Jones, True Freshman QB Tradon Bessinger
The old rivalry is renewed in Champaign. Iowa comes to town, likely in the midst of a solid-but-unspectacular season with a top-notch offensive line and a hard-nosed defense.
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Stop me if you’ve seen that film before.
Adding James Madison DB Tyler Brown is a big addition to a team that prides itself on a tough back five.
They were able to pluck Texas Rio Grande Valley receiver Tony Diaz from the Illini in the portal. Diaz projects to be an excellent playmaker in the mold of Kaleb Brown.
Former Wake Forest signal caller Jeremy Hecklinski is the current favorite to take the reins at quarterback for Kirk Ferentz’s squad next season.
This game projects as a late-season game with relatively high stakes. Both teams should have cleared the bowl eligibility standard by this time, so both could be competing for either better bowl game positioning, or a spot in the Big Ten championship game provided 697569693649649694 other things happen to Oregon, Ohio State, and/or Indiana.
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Nebraska – November 7
Key Loss: Program savior, superstar, GOAT QB, and Lincoln Levitator Dylan Raiola
Key Additions: True Freshman DB Danny Odem, Chicago Mount Carmel OL Claude Mpouma, UNLV QB Anthony Colandrea, UCLA WR Kwazi Gilmer
Nebraska is reeling after losing presumed Husker legend Dylan Raiola to the transfer portal. While he takes up residence in Phil Knight’s bank vault, Nebraska is gambling on the former UNLV QB Anthony Colandrea.
(Of course, this only happened after Notre Dame transfer Kenny Minchey committed to Nebraska, only to decommit within 72 hours and enroll at Kentucky.)
While UNLV football may not get the national press, Colandrea is a legitimate dual-threat player who put up big numbers in UNLV’s innovative offense. Dana Holgorsen will have a fun fall scheming up ways to enable the South Floridian to use his explosive playmaking ability with Nebraska’s corps of talented skill players.
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Is Matt Rhule’s seat warming up? If not, I’m sure Katin Houser and the Illini can dial up some heat.
Oregon – October 24
Key Loss: Dante Moore. Wait, what?
Key Retention: Dante Moore
Key Additions: Minnesota DB Koi Perich, Ohio State DB Aaron Scott Jr., Penn State TE Andrew Olesh, Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola
Well, Oregon has so much money that they signed the most expensive (legally paid) backup QB in NCAA history. Dylan Raiola signed with the Oregon Ducks before Dante Moore announced his draft status.
It was at this point that he knew he effed up.
Oregon is returning one of the most talent-rich rosters in the country. The perennial national title contenders with the top-5 head coach return the presumptive Heisman Trophy favorite (non-nepo baby edition).
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Adding Perich and Scott to the back end of their defense will help soften the blow of losing defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi.
Jeremiah Johnson looks to fill the Kenyon Sadiq-sized hole at tight end. Meanwhile, Dierre Hill returns to undoubtedly become one of the best players in college football and make Illinois regret letting him out of their backyard. Can Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan keep the high-flying passing game going next season?
This is one of the most difficult games on the schedule, and an Illinois victory would count as a massive upset. Illinois will be coming off a bye week, and could reasonably be 5-1 heading into this matchup.
Away Games
Michigan State – October 10
Key Additions: Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald, Illinois DL Eli Coenen, Buffalo LB Dion Crawford
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Since Brian Kelly was not an Irish Catholic enough name for Sparty fans, Michigan State decided to hire Patrick Fitzgerald to replace Jonathan Smith.
(Rumor has it Bears Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle was not interested in the position.)
All kidding aside, long gone are the days Michigan State chose Aidan Chiles over Katin Houser and Sam Leavitt. Pat Fitzgerald is a massive floor elevator for a program still unspooling from a double whammy of scandal and incompetence.
Fitzgerald seems to have no lingering consequences stemming from his dismissal from Northwestern in the aftermath of their hazing scandal. Because remember, hazing is fine as long as players don’t get too much money!
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Michigan State has rebuilt its roster in the trenches on both sides of the ball. And while former Illini AJ Dennis doesn’t project as a starter, Fitz brought in a new offensive line to complete his mission to take the air out of the ball and grind opponents to a standstill for another Big Ten program.
Maryland – October 31
Key Additions: Five-Star True Freshman Zion Elee, Ohio State Decommit Cameron Brickle
This just in: Mike Locksley is still a great recruiter.
Maryland returns electric quarterback Malik Washington, coming off a 4-8 season. College Park is not quite a house of horrors for the Illini, but it’s traditionally been a difficult place to score an in-conference roadkill.
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As the Illini rebuild their defensive front, a quarterback like Washington could be a massive challenge.
Maryland didn’t add much via the transfer portal, but they did bring back former Terp Lavon Johnson, who previously left College Park for Austin, Texas.
This is a Halloween matchup, so I am sure the “College Park is a house of horrors for the Illini” puns will run rampant that week. Brenda Frese still looms as a vicious apparition in spite of that curse being broken.
Northwestern – November 21
Key Additions: Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles, Oklahoma LB Kobie McKinzie, Ohio State Edge Dominic Kirks
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Northwestern gets to play in its brand-new donor-funded stadium. And they will be welcoming the Illini right before Thanksgiving.
It should be a great crowd of 75% Illinois fans.
In case you’ve forgotten, Northwestern fans and alumni spend their Thanksgiving holidays in Malibu and The Hamptons. They’re not slumming it back to a first-ring suburb for a sportsball event.
Northwestern will have a new, yet familiar, face under center: Michigan State castoff Aidan Chiles. Illinois made Chiles look like Jeff George Jr. in Champaign in 2024. With a competent Northwestern staff and an excellent offensive line in front of him, Northwestern projects to be a formidable opponent.
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Ohio State – September 26
Key Additions: Alabama Edge Qua Russaw, Alabama DL James Smith, Georgia Corner Dominick Kelly, True Freshman WR Chris Henry Jr.
Illinois is making the trip to Columbus for a game against presumptive conference favorite Ohio State.
Ohio State is losing a lot of talent to the NFL. On both sides of the ball, their 2025 roster was loaded with impact pro prospects.
2026? Same song. But the remix trades Chicago St. Rita alumn Carnell Tate for Mater Dei alum Chris Henry Jr. Yes, they have another superstar five-star freshman to complement Jeremiah Smith. Julian Sayin has already thrown for 25 touchdown passes before the first snap of the season.
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Brian Hartline is now the man at South Florida. So perhaps Ohio State will take a step back. Yes, this year they may lose up to two regular-season games.
Wait, they hired this guy to run their offense?
Maybe he’ll forget about all the top receivers, obsess with his cleverness in the run game, and give Ohio State opponents a real shot.
UCLA. – November 14
Key Loss: Offensive Lineman Champ Smith, who flipped to the Illini on signing day. So up your nose with a rubber hose, UCLA.
Key Additions: South Carolina WR Brian Rowe Jr., a bunch of players from James Madison.
Bob Chesney is taking over the Hindenburg/Titanic hybrid that is Bruins football. UCLA is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle by hiring the head coach from James Madison University to turn around a struggling Big Ten college football program.
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No offense to Bloomington, Indiana, but besides Northeast Seattle, Westwood is the best neighborhood in the Big Ten to go to school.
UCLA is a terrible job that could be a great job with the right coach. Nobody can be sure, but at this time, UCLA projects near the bottom of the conference.
Nico Iamaleava, the biggest villain in college football (besides Jaden Rashada, Darian Mensah, and all of the other kids who want to get fair market value for their services), is returning to the Bruins for another season. Bringing in Brian Rowe from Shane Beamer’s tear duct repository in Columbia is a good addition for an anemic passing attack.
Chesney brought ten of his former James Madison players across the country to join him in trudging up one of the most daunting hills in the Power Four. This matchup sets up as either the ultimate trap game or the best roadkill candidate on the docket.
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The fact that UCLA sits between Nebraska and Iowa on the schedule adds more fuel to the trap game fire. But that fear is easily quelled by the fact that it’s still UCLA.
