Illinois
5–3 · 3–2 Big Ten · Bret Bielema, 6th season
Beat Maryland 20–17, Oct 31 · Next: vs Nebraska, Fri, Nov 6 · analysis
Best by position: quarterbacks · running backs · wide receivers · tight ends · defenders · kickers · punters
Against the closing line
Illinois has beaten the line in 1 of its last 4, by 0.9 points a game. Over the season it’s 0.9 a game under, 83rd of 136.
Of the 12 teams at 5–3 against a schedule this hard, Illinois’ −0.9 is 8th.
last 4
+0.9
before
−2.8
-1001020
Oct 3, 2026 vs Purdue −16.5
Oct 10, 2026 @ Michigan State −1.5
Oct 24, 2026 vs Oregon +21.5
Oct 31, 2026 @ Maryland 0.0
Lately
- Won 7 of its last 10count
Nov 29, 2025 vs Northwestern +7
Dec 30, 2025 vs Tennessee +2
Sep 3 vs UAB +19
Sep 12 vs Duke −4
Sep 19 vs Southern Illinois +38
Sep 26 @ Ohio State −23- Oct 3 vs Purdue −7
- Oct 10 @ Michigan State +1
- Oct 24 vs Oregon +11
- Oct 31 @ Maryland +3
- Won 7 of its last 10 at homecount
Sep 27, 2025 vs USC +2- Oct 11, 2025 vs Ohio State −18
Nov 1, 2025 vs Rutgers +22- Nov 15, 2025 vs Maryland +18
- Nov 29, 2025 vs Northwestern +7
- Sep 3 vs UAB +19
- Sep 12 vs Duke −4
- Sep 19 vs Southern Illinois +38
- Oct 3 vs Purdue −7
- Oct 24 vs Oregon +11
- Beat 7 of its last 10 unranked opponentscount
Nov 22, 2025 @ Wisconsin −17- Nov 29, 2025 vs Northwestern +7
- Dec 30, 2025 vs Tennessee +2
- Sep 3 vs UAB +19
- Sep 12 vs Duke −4
- Sep 19 vs Southern Illinois +38
- Oct 3 vs Purdue −7
- Oct 10 @ Michigan State +1
- Oct 24 vs Oregon +11
- Oct 31 @ Maryland +3
Against expected,
| a game | offense | defense |
|---|---|---|
| Points | +0.3 · 61st | +0.4 · 67th |
| Total yards | +16 · 51st | +22 · 86th |
| Touchdowns | 0.0 · 64th | +0.2 · 80th |
| Passing efficiency | +13.9 · 35th | +20.2 · 119th |
| 3rd downs | +6.4% · 25th | +7.5% · 117th |
| Turnovers | −0.5 · 17th | −0.5 · 116th |
| Sacks | −1.0 · 16th | −1.1 · 125th |
| Penalty yards | −21.5 · 6th |
Over (+) or under (−) what its opponents usually allow, a game, and where that stands among 136 teams, the best first. Lit is the top ten or the bottom ten. Penalty yards read against the league’s mean, since nobody allows them.
Seasons
- 2026 5–3
- 2025 9–4
- 2024 10–3
- 2023 5–7
- 2022 8–5
- 2021 5–7
- 2020 2–6
- 2019 6–7
- 2018 4–8
- 2017 2–10
- 2016 3–9
- 2015 5–7
- 2014 6–7
- 2013 4–8
- 2012 2–10
- 2011 7–6
- 2010 7–6
- 2009 3–9
- 2008 5–7
- 2007 9–4
- 2006 2–10
- 2005 2–9
- 2004 3–8
- 2003 1–11
- 2002 5–7
- 2001 10–2
- 2000 5–6
- 1999 8–4
- 1998 3–8
- 1997 0–11
- 1996 2–9
- 1995 5–5–1
- 1994 7–5
- 1993 5–6
- 1992 6–5–1
- 1991 6–6
- 1990 8–4
- 1989 10–2
- 1988 6–5–1
- 1987 3–7–1
- 1986 4–7
- 1985 6–5–1
- 1984 7–4
- 1983 10–2
- 1982 7–5
- 1981 7–4
- 1980 3–7–1
- 1979 2–8–1
- 1978 1–8–2
- 1977 3–8
- 1976 5–6
- 1975 5–6
- 1974 6–4–1
- 1973 5–6
- 1972 3–8
- 1971 5–6
- 1970 3–7
- 1969 0–10
- 1968 1–9
- 1967 4–6
- 1966 4–6
- 1965 6–4
- 1964 6–3
- 1963 8–1–1
- 1962 2–7
- 1961 0–9
- 1960 5–4
- 1959 5–3–1
- 1958 4–5
- 1957 4–5
- 1956 2–5–2
- 1955 5–3–1
- 1954 1–8
- 1953 7–1–1
- 1952 4–5
- 1951 9–0–1
- 1950 7–2
- 1949 3–4–2
- 1948 3–6
- 1947 5–3–1
- 1946 8–2
- 1945 2–6–1
- 1944 5–4–1
- 1943 3–7
- 1942 6–4
- 1941 2–6
- 1940 1–7
- 1939 3–4–1
- 1938 3–5
- 1937 3–3–2
- 1936 4–3–1
- 1935 3–5
- 1934 7–1
- 1933 5–3
- 1932 5–4
- 1931 2–6
- 1930 3–5
- 1929 6–1–1
- 1928 7–1
- 1927 7–0–1
- 1926 6–2
- 1925 5–3
- 1924 6–1–1
- 1923 8–0
- 1922 2–5
- 1921 3–4
- 1920 5–2
- 1919 6–1
- 1918 5–2
- 1917 5–2–1
- 1916 3–3–1
- 1915 5–0–2
- 1914 7–0
- 1913 4–2–1
- 1912 3–3–1
- 1911 4–2–1
- 1910 7–0
- 1909 5–2
- 1908 5–1–1
- 1907 3–2
- 1906 1–3–1
- 1905 5–4
- 1904 9–2–1
- 1903 8–6
- 1902 10–2–1
- 1901 8–2
- 1900 7–3–2
- 1899 3–5–1
- 1898 4–5
- 1897 6–2
- 1896 4–2–1
- 1895 4–2–1
- 1894 4–3
- 1893 3–2–3
- 1892 7–4–1
Method
- Against the line is each game’s points of margin less what the closing line expected, from College Football Streak King’s lines. A game nobody lined sits out, and a push hasn’t beaten it. Lately is the last 4 games with one.
- A schedule this hard means the mean rating of the opponents it’s played is within 5.2 points of the team’s, two thirds of a standard deviation of the league’s schedules, and a rating is what the season’s games say about a team’s margin against an average team. The teams beside it have its record.
- Against expected is each game against what the opponent usually gave up in its other games, with half the home edge, averaged. A game against a team with no other game here sits out.
- Passing efficiency is the NCAA’s passer rating. Turnovers on offense are the ones it lost, and on defense the ones it forced. Sacks on offense are the ones its quarterbacks took, and they start in 2024.