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2026 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

2026 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record0–0 (0–0 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBarry Lunney Jr. (5th season)
Defensive coordinatorBobby Hauck (1st season)
Home stadiumGies Memorial Stadium
2026 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Illinois   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Indiana   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Iowa   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Maryland   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Michigan   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Michigan State   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Minnesota   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Nebraska   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Northwestern   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Ohio State   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Oregon   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Penn State   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Purdue   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Rutgers   0 – 0     0 – 0  
UCLA   0 – 0     0 – 0  
USC   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Washington   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Wisconsin   0 – 0     0 – 0  
Championship: December 5, 2026
As of February 18, 2026
Rankings from AP poll

The 2026 Illinois Fighting Illini football team will represent the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They will be led by sixth-year head coach Bret Bielema, the Fighting Illini play their home games at Gies Memorial Stadium at Champaign, Illinois.

Offseason

Transfers

Outgoing

Player Position Destination

Incoming

Player Position Previous school

[1][2]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResult
September 5TBDUAB*
TBD
September 12TBDDuke*
  • Gies Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
TBD
September 19TBDSouthern Illinois (FCS)*
  • Gies Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
TBD
September 26TBDat Ohio State
TBD
October 3TBDPurdue
  • Gies Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
TBD
October 10TBDat Michigan State
TBD
October 24TBDOregon
  • Gies Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
TBD
October 31TBDat Maryland
TBD
November 7TBDNebraska
  • Gies Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
TBD
November 14TBDat UCLATBA[note 1]TBD
November 21TBDIowa
  • Gies Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
TBD
November 28TBDat Northwestern
TBD

Rankings

Ranking movements
Week
PollPre123456789101112131415Final
AP
Coaches
CFPNot releasedNot released

Game summaries

vs UAB

vs Duke

vs Southern Illinois

vs Iowa

vs Nebraska

vs Oregon

vs Purdue

at Maryland

at Michigan

at Northwestern

at Ohio State

at UCLA

Roster

2026 Illinois Fighting Illini football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 0 Justin Bowick Jr
WR 1 Mario Sanders II Jr
WR 2 Ashton Hollins  Jr
RB 3 Kaden Feagin Jr
QB 4 Carson Boyd Fr
RB 5 Ca'lil Valentine So
WR 7 Alexander Capka-Jones Sr
WR 8 Malik Elzy Jr
QB 9 Luke Altmyer Sr
QB 10 Ethan Hampton  Sr
WR 11 Brayden Trimble Fr
QB 12 Trey Petty  Fr
WR 13 Hudson Clement  Jr
TE 14 Cole Rusk Sr
QB 15 Jershaun Newton Fr
TE 16 Logan Farrell Fr
WR 17 Collin Dixon  So
WR 18 Michael Bartolotta Sr
RB 20 John Forster Injured Fr
RB 21 Aidan Laughery  Jr
RB 22 Cedric Wyche II Fr
TE 23 Jordan Anderson  Jr
RB 25 Aaron Ball  Fr
RB 27 Corey Rashad  So
RB 31 Murphy Clement  Fr
TE 39 Trey Peters Fr
OL 54 Griffin Rousseau Fr
OL 55 T. J. McMillen  So
OL 56 J. J. Hirdes Fr
OL 57 Zach Barrett  Fr
OL 58 Melvin Priestly Sr
OL 63 Dezmond Schuster Sr
OL 64 Josh Kruetz Sr
OL 65 Kellen Francis  So
OL 66 Brandon Hansen So
OL 68 Michael McDonough Fr
OL 70 Tyler McMillan  Jr
OL 71 Nathan Knapik  Fr
OL 72 Ayden Knapik Sr
OL 73 Josh Gesky Sr
OL 74 J. C. Davis  Sr
OL 75 Brandon Henderson Jr
OL 76 Dylan Frechette Fr
OL 78 Eddie Tuerk  Fr
OL 79 Zafir Stewart  Fr
WR 80 Hank Beatty Sr
TE 82 Jake Furtney  Fr
WR 83 Tysean Griffin  Fr
TE 84 Grant Smith Fr
TE 85 Tanner Arkin Sr
TE 86 Christian Abney Jr
WR 87 Tyler McClure Sr
TE 88 Davin Stoffel  So
TE 89 Tanner Hollinger  Fr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 0 Mac Resetich Jr
DB 1 Kaleb Patterson  Jr
DB 2 Saboor Karriem Jr
OLB 3 Alec Bryant Sr
OLB 4 Daniel Brown  Jr
DB 5 Torrie Cox Jr. Sr
DB 6 Jaheim Clarke Jr
DB 7 Matthew Bailey  Jr
DL 8 Jeremiah Warren  So
OLB 9 Leon Lowery Jr. Sr
DB 10 Miles Scott Sr
DB 11 Donovan Turner Jr
DB 12 Amar Reynolds  Fr
DB 13 Xanai Scott Fr
DB 14 Xavier Scott Sr
DB 15 Andre Lovett Jr. Fr
DB 16 Tanner Heckel So
OLB 17 Gabe Jacas Sr
OLB 18 Mason Muragin  So
DB 19 Tyson Rooks  Jr
DB 20 Tyler Strain Sr
DB 21 Ben Clawson  Jr
DB 22 R. J. Jones III Fr
DB 24 Vernon Woodward III  Fr
DB 25 Des Straughton Fr
OLB 26 Ismael Kante Jr
LB 28 Dylan Rosiek  Sr
LB 29 T. J. Griffin  Jr
LB 30 JoJo Hayden  So
DB 32 Tywan Cox Fr
LB 33 Grant Beerman Fr
OLB 34 Erik Gayle Fr
DB 35 Grayson Griffin  Sr
DL 36 Tomiwa Durojaiye  Jr
LB 38 Jack Paris Fr
LB 39 Kenenna Odeluga Sr
LB 41 James Kruetz  Jr
LB 42 Luke Zardzin  Sr
OLB 43 Joe Barna So
DL 44 Angelo McCullom So
LB 45 Malachi Hood  Jr
LB 47 Easton Baker  Fr
OLB 48 Carter Smith  Fr
OLB 51 Clayton Leonard  Jr
DL 52 Pat Farrell  So
DL 54 Demetrius John  Fr
DL 56 Guillermo Gallardo  Jr
DL 90 James Thompson Jr.  Sr
DL 91 Cameron Brooks Fr
DL 92 Gentle Hunt  Sr
DL 94 Carter Hewitt  Sr
DL 95 Isaiah White Fr
DL 96 Eli Coenen  So
DL 99 Curt Neal  Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 24 David Olano Jr
K/P 27 Lucas Osada So
LS 36 Lane Hansen Sr
P 40 Keelan Crimmins Sr
LS 44 Patrick Mahoney III  So
P 81 Lars Rau So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Thad Ward – Assistant head coach/running backs
  • Barry Lunney Jr. – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
  • Aaron Henry – Defensive coordinator/secondary
  • Vacant – Defensive line
  • Archie McDaniel – Linebackers
  • Bart Miller – Offensive line
  • Corey Parker – Defensive backs
  • Justin Stepp – Wide receivers
  • Trent Harris – Outside linebackers
  • Ben Miller – Senior head coach analyst
  • Myers Hendrickson – Senior analyst
  • Mike Neu – Senior offensive assistant
  • Joe Kim – Skill development coordinator
  • Chris Hurd – Senior special teams assistant
  • Alex Panos – Assistant outside linebackers
  • Artur Sitkowski – Assistant quarterbacks
  • Byron Bell – Assistant offensive line
  • Danny Cameron – Assistant tight ends
  • Matt Ellerbrock – Assistant linebackers
  • Dan Ellington – Assistant wide receivers
  • Houston Griffith – Assistant defensive backs
  • Antonio James – Assistant defensive line
  • Ryan Simerson – Assistant secondary
  • James White – Assistant running backs
  • Harper Cole – Offensive skill and special teams assistant
  • Blake Smithback – Offensive front assistant
  • Tank Wright – Director, Strength and Conditioning
  • G. C. Yerry – Associate Director, Strength and Conditioning
  • Matt Manninger – Assistant, Strength and Conditioning
  • Nick Elicone – Assistant, Strength and Conditioning
  • Tyler Mayo – Assistant, Strength and Conditioning
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 9/25/2025

Notes

  1. ^ UCLA currently has a lease until 2043 at the Rose Bowl, however, there are credible reports that they are expected to move their home games to SoFi Stadium from 2026 onwards.[3] It is unclear at this stage where the game will be played.

References

  1. ^ "Illinois Football Transfer Portal". ON3.
  2. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini 2026 College Football Transfer Portal". 247Sports.
  3. ^ Bolch, Ben (November 10, 2025). "Rose Bowl seeks temporary restraining order in attempt to block UCLA move to SoFi Stadium". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^ "2026 Illinois Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
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