Illinois has been a steady force in the Big Ten ever since Bret Bielema took over the program in 2021, taking the team to its highest heights in nearly 40 years. The Fighting Illini weren’t exactly world-beaters in 2025, ranking No. 53 in FBS in points per game and No. 57 in points allowed per game, but they are still coming off 19 wins and victories in the Citrus Bowl and Music City Bowl over the past two seasons.
There are some notable changes on both sides of the ball heading into 2026, most importantly a change at quarterback. The defense that led the nation in point prevention in 2022 has also completely turned over, prompting Bielema to roll the dice on longtime Montana head coach Bobby Hauck as Illinois’ next DC. Taking all of that into account, Illinois was in the receiving votes section of the preseason AP Poll, effectively coming in at No. 33. DraftKings Sportsbook has the over/under for its win total pegged at 7.5.
So what kind of season do the Fighting Illini have in store for 2026?
Illinois Fighting Illini 2026 Season Preview
Three-year starter Luke Altmyer went undrafted last April, but he is now competing with Joshua Dobbs to serve as Jared Goff’s backup with the Detroit Lions. Altmyer capped off his Illinois career with 3,007 yards, 22 touchdowns, five interceptions, a 67.4% completion percentage and a 153.8 passer rating through the air and 242 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Instead of replacing him from within, Bielema hit the transfer portal and reeled in Katin Houser. After getting his college career rolling at Michigan State, Houser really broke out as the full-time starter at East Carolina the past two seasons. The 6-foot-3 veteran completed 65.9% of his passes for 3,300 yards, 19 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 146.3 passer rating in 2025, on top of rushing for 193 yards and nine touchdowns.
Kaden Feagin led the Illinois backfield in yards and touchdowns from scrimmage in 2025, rushing for 507 yards and seven touchdowns while notching an additional 188 yards and two scores on 12 catches. However, he changed positions and joined the tight end room this offseason. The Illini do have their leading rusher back in Ca’Lil Valentine, who racked up 614 yards and four touchdowns as a ball-carrier alone, as well as Aidan Laughery returning for a fifth season. After rushing for 589 yards in 12 games in 2024, Laughery recorded just 382 in nine games in 2025. Still, his 5.6 career yards per carry are good for fifth-most in program history right alongside Pierre Thomas, with a minimum 150 attempts.
Bielema made it clear he was leaving the door open to wide receiver Hank Beatty and right tackle Melvin Priestly, both of whom went undrafted this past spring. However, since they are both on NFL preseason rosters, the new Big Ten rule renders them ineligible to return for a fifth year. That leaves Nathan Knapik as one of the projected starting tackles after he took over on the blind side for the Music City Bowl, while Colorado State transfer Christian Martin is also expected to start full-time. On the interior, Brandon Henderson is back at right guard, JuCo transfer Maika Matelau is slated to slot in at left guard and 24-year-old Wisconsin transfer Jake Renfro made the Rimington Trophy Watch List as the presumptive starting center.
Beatty secured 70 catches for 864 yards last season and garnered back-to-back All-Big Ten Third Team honors, so losing him is a pretty decent blow. Collin Dixon is the top returning receiver having put up 35 receptions, 548 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, more than double the production from his freshman year. Former West Virginia standout Hudson Clement is once again in the mix, too, but Justin Bowick transferred to Oklahoma State. FAU transfer Jayshon Platt was supposed to be the headlining addition to the receiving corps before suffering an injury during preseason camp. As a result, FIU transfer Alex Perry and Ball State transfer Ty Robinson, both of whom are 6-foot-4 or taller – might have to take on a heavier load on the outside.
Despite the change in leadership on the defensive side of the ball, many of the faces are familiar. Nine of the 11 projected starters were part of the program last season, even if most of them were only rotational pieces. Replacing defensive end Gabe Jacas will be the tallest task, as he posted 13.5 TFL and 11.0 sacks before the Patriots selected him in the second round. While junior Joe Barna only has 3.5 career sacks to his name, he will have to make up for that lost production in the pass rush. Former JuCo linebacker Daniel Brown and rising sophomore Grant Beerman could also make some noise on the edge. Penn transfer Carter Janki, Bowling Green transfer Isaiah Thomison and especially Jacksonville State transfer Darrell Prater bring experience to the interior line, as does senior Pat Farrell.
Safety Matthew Bailey enters 2026 on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, on top of ascending to Team Captain. He led the Illini with 76 total tackles last season. The other defensive captain, nickel back Xavier Scott, is returning after undergoing ankle surgery last September. He made the All-Big Ten First Team in 2024 and was an All-American candidate to start 2025. Cornerback Juice Clarke had a team-high eight pass deflections before missing the final four games due to injury, but he is back as well. With Mac Resetich stepping into a larger role, Georgia State transfer cornerback Deuce Fillmore entering the fray and Northwest Mississippi cornerback Jakwon Morris and East Texas A&M safety Lavon Williams making the leap to D-I, Illinois boasts a dependable – albeit thin – group of defensive backs.
Illinois Fighting Illini Win Total Prediction
The Illini should be heavy favorites in each of their three nonconference games to open the season, all of which are at home. Illinois beat Duke 45-19 in Durham last season, so it’s hard to see the Blue Devils flipping the script in Champaign this fall. UAB and Southern Illinois constitute even easier matchups on paper.
A trip to Columbus to face No. 1 Ohio State surely won’t be pretty for Illinois, nor will their home game against No. 2 Oregon a few weeks later, but the Illini get to host Purdue and visit Michigan State in between those likely losses. If Illinois can take care of business against those two Big Ten bottom-feeders, that’s a 5-2 start right there. Bielema’s squads don’t tend to disappoint against inferior teams, with the road loss to Wisconsin last November standing as one of the few exceptions.
Up next is a road game against a Maryland team that finished 1-8 in conference play last year and opted to retain coach Mike Locksley, followed by a home game versus Nebraska. I’m looking at that game as a coin flip, as well as the ensuing contest at UCLA and the return home against No. 22 Iowa. The regular-season finale against Northwestern should be fun, given the Wildcats’ new stadium and the in-state rivalry on the line, but don’t expect a Chip Kelly offense to be anything other than predictable in the year 2026. The Illini are 4-1 against the Wildcats under Bielema, with that mark likely to improve to 5-1 by November.
Illinois running into the top two teams in the country isn’t ideal, but they do dodge No. 6 Indiana, No. 14 USC, No. 16 Michigan and No. 18 Penn State. Its matchup against Iowa is at home, too, which is a break of its own. There is a pretty achievable 10-2 ceiling at play for the Illini as a result, all while bowl eligibility seems virtually guaranteed. Say Illinois loses to Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA and Iowa – that’s an 8-4 record right there. If Houser is able to step into Altmyer’s shoes and keep coordinator Barry Lunney Jr.’s offense humming, that’s the bare minimum of what the team could accomplish in 2026.
Win Total Pick: Illinois Over 7.5 (+134)
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