Coach Bret Bielema is about to begin his fourth season as coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini football team and the program’s first in a new-look Big Ten Conference that added Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA.
The Illini are just more than a week away from the 2024 season opener against the Eastern Illinois Panthers on Thursday, Aug. 29 in Champaign.
Illinois is coming off a 5-7 season, one year removed from its last bowl game. The Illini have seven home games, including three on the back half that most experts say will be the only conference wins for the Illini in 2024: Purdue, Minnesota and Michigan State. Add those to expected wins over Eastern Illinois and Central Michigan, and it leaves Illinois looking for one more to make a bowl.
Illinois football predictions 2024: Game-by-game picks based on ESPN matchup predictor
Here are the three games the Illini can flip to get that bowl bid, as picked by the Journal Star.
Kansas Jayhawks (Sept. 7)
The first big test for the Illini comes at home and in prime time. The Jayhawks are picked to finish in the top quarter of a new-look Big 12, so a win here over running back Devin Neal and Kansas would not only move the needle for Illinois, but would position the Illini for a much better season than expected.
Nebraska Cornhuskers (Sept. 20)
Another primetime game, this one the Big Ten Conference opener on the road in Lincoln, Nebraska. This is a huge opportunity for Illinois to steal one of its five road games. Buzz is building for the Cornhuskers, coach Matt Ruhle and preseason all-America quarterback Dylan Raiola.
Northwestern Wildcats (Nov. 30)
Another big moment in a big spot and one of the nation’s coolest locations: Wrigley Field in Chicago. Predictions and prognostications say the Illini will enter this game at 5-6 — meaning a victory would make them bowl-eligible for the second time in three seasons.
‘Really, really excited’: Everything coach Illinois football coach Bret Bielema said at Big Ten media day
Illinois football 2024 schedule
This is the Illinois football 2024 schedule, with TV info; all times are CT.
|
Date |
Opponent |
Time, TV |
|
Thursday, Aug. 29 |
vs. Eastern Illinois |
8 p.m., BTN |
|
Saturday, Sept. 7 |
vs. Kansas |
6 p.m., FS1 |
|
Saturday, Sept. 14 |
vs. Central Michigan |
11 a.m., Peacock |
|
Friday, Sept. 20 |
at Nebraska* |
7 p.m., FOX |
|
Saturday, Sept. 28 |
at Penn State* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Oct. 12 |
vs. Purdue* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Oct. 19 |
vs. Michigan* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Oct. 26 |
at Oregon* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Nov. 2 |
vs. Minnesota* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Nov. 9 |
BYE |
|
|
Saturday, Nov. 16 |
vs. Michigan State* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Nov. 23 |
at Rutgers* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Nov. 30 |
at Northwestern* |
TBA |
|
Saturday, Dec. 7 |
Big Ten championship game (Indianapolis)** |
7 p.m., CBS |
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois football: Most important games in 2024 Big Ten season
