Big Ten · Champaign, IL
Illinois
Fighting Illini
Unranked2026: 2-3 (0-2 conf) Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)
National titles
5
Last: 1951
Heisman winners
0
CFP berths
0
since 2014
All-time
643-634-49
.503 win pct
Weeks ranked
25
of 104 polls since 2020
Weeks at No. 1
0
since 2020
The program
Overview
Illinois was an early Big Ten power under Bob Zuppke, whose teams featured Red Grange, the 'Galloping Ghost' of the 1920s. Linebacker Dick Butkus is among the program's other legends, and Illinois won the Rose Bowl after the 1946, 1951 and 1963 seasons. Bret Bielema's 2024 team won 10 games.
- Institution
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Nickname
- Fighting Illini
- Founded
- 1867
- First season
- 1890
- Conference
- Big Ten
- Head coach
- Bret Bielema (since 2021)
- Fight song
- Oskee Wow-Wow
- Colors
- X / Twitter
- @IlliniFootball
Since 2020
AP poll history
2-3 overall
2026 season
- Sep 3
UAB23 - Sep 12
- Sep 19SoutSouthern Illinois10
- Sep 26
- Oct 3
- Oct 10
Michigan State (home) - Oct 24Illinois (home)
- Oct 31
Maryland (home) - Nov 6Illinois (home)
- Nov 13
#21UCLA (home) - Nov 21Illinois (home)
- Nov 28
Northwestern (home)
Players
Roster & stats
Rosters and player stats are tracked for teams ranked in 2026 and later.
Home field
Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)
Capacity
60,670
Champaign, IL
- Opened
- 1923
- 103 seasons ago
- Surface
- Artificial turf
- Roof
- Open air
- Elevation
- 732 ft
- Time zone
- Chicago
- Avg. home crowd
- 44,059
- 73% of capacity · 36 games since 2020
- Biggest crowd since 2020
- 60,670
- vs Kansas, 2024
- Zip
- 61820
Titles & awards
Trophy case
National championships5
19141919192319271951
Heisman Trophy winners0
No Heisman winners yet.
College Football Playoff0
No playoff appearances yet.
1892–2026
Program history
Win %★ National title season
Best seasons
- 19238-0Robert Zuppke★
- 19107-0Arthur Hall
- 19147-0Robert Zuppke★
- 19519-0-1Ray Eliot★
- 19277-0-1Robert Zuppke★
- 19287-1Robert Zuppke
On the sideline
Head coaches
| Coach | Tenure | Record | Pct | Best final AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bret Bielema | 2021–2026 | 37-26 | .587 | #16 |
| Rod Smith | 2020 | 0-1 | .000 | — |
| Lovie Smith | 2016–2020 | 17-39 | .304 | — |
| Bill Cubit | 2015 | 5-7 | .417 | — |
| Tim Beckman | 2012–2014 | 12-25 | .324 | — |
| Ron Zook | 2005–2011 | 34-51 | .400 | #20 |
| Ron Turner | 1997–2004 | 35-57 | .380 | #12 |
| Lou Tepper | 1992–1996 | 25-30-2 | .456 | — |
| John Mackovic | 1988–1991 | 30-16-1 | .649 | #10 |
| Mike White | 1980–1987 | 47-41-3 | .533 | #10 |
| Gary Moeller | 1977–1979 | 6-24-3 | .227 | — |
| Bob Blackman | 1971–1976 | 29-36-1 | .447 | — |
| James Valek | 1967–1970 | 8-32 | .200 | — |
| Pete Elliott | 1960–1966 | 31-34-1 | .477 | #3 |
| Ray Eliot | 1942–1959 | 83-73-11 | .530 | #4 |
| Robert Zuppke | 1913–1941 | 131-81-12 | .612 | — |
| Arthur Hall | 1907–1912 | 27-10-3 | .713 | — |
| Justa Lindgren | 1906 | 1-3-1 | .300 | — |
| Fred Lowenthal | 1905 | 5-4 | .556 | — |
| George Woodruff | 1903 | 8-6 | .571 | — |
| Edgar Holt | 1901–1902 | 18-4-1 | .804 | — |
| Fred Smith | 1900 | 7-3-2 | .667 | — |
| George Huff | 1895–1899 | 21-16-3 | .563 | — |
| Louis Vail | 1894 | 5-3 | .625 | — |
| E.K. Hall | 1892–1893 | 12-5-5 | .659 | — |
17 picks · 1 first-rounders
NFL Draft since 2020
20263 picks
- #55Gabe JacasDefensive Edge · New England
- #192J.C. DavisOffensive Tackle · New York
- #246Miles ScottSafety · Denver
20251 picks
- #74Pat BryantWide Receiver · Denver
20244 picks
- #36Jer'Zhan NewtonDefensive Tackle · Washington
- #71Isaiah AdamsOffensive Tackle · Arizona
- #82Tip ReimanTight End · Arizona
- #187Casey WashingtonWide Receiver · Atlanta
20234 picks
- #5Devon WitherspoonCornerback · Seattle
- #47Jartavius MartinSafety · Washington
- #66Sydney BrownSafety · Philadelphia
- #163Chase BrownRunning Back · Cincinnati
20223 picks
- #97Kerby JosephSafety · Detroit
- #184Vederian LoweOffensive Tackle · Minnesota
- #207Doug KramerCenter · Chicago
20212 picks
- #87Kendrick GreenCenter · Pittsburgh
- #167Nate HobbsCornerback · Las Vegas