Illinois football is still alive in the Big Ten Championship race, and Saturday gave the Illini a lot more breathing room.
That sounded far-fetched not long ago. A couple of weeks back, Illinois was simply trying to stay in the bowl picture. Now, after a wild weekend, the road to the conference title game is at least visible.
The first part of the formula is already in motion. Illinois needed to win out, and it opened that stretch with a Friday night win over Nebraska. Then several other results fell into place exactly the way the Illini needed them to.
UCLA and Wisconsin both won, Minnesota lost to the Bruins, and Oregon knocked off Ohio State. Those outcomes matter because of how the Big Ten standings are shaping up and because Illinois already owns the tiebreaker over Oregon. If the Illini keep winning, the Ducks are out of the equation.
After Week 10, the standings looked like this:
- UCLA (6-0) - (won at Minnesota)
- Indiana (5-1) - (Bye)
- Ohio State (4-2) - (lost vs.
Oregon)
4.
USC (4-2) - (Bye)
5.
Illinois (4-2) - (won vs. Nebraska)
- Wisconsin (4-2) - (won vs.
Rutgers)
The next step is simple on paper and brutal in practice: Illinois has to beat UCLA. That game is the front end of a stretch where the Illini need a lot to break their way.
For Week 11, the projection has Ohio State beating Northwestern and Wisconsin winning at Maryland. The key swing game is USC at Indiana.
Illinois needs the Trojans to win in Bloomington, because the Illini lose tiebreakers to Indiana based on Big Ten record against the same opponents. As the source put it, “the Purdue loss by the Illini hurts us badly.”
If that all happens, the standings after Week 11 would look like this:
- UCLA (6-1) - (loss vs.
Illinois)
2.
Ohio State (5-2) - (win vs. Northwestern)
- USC (5-2) - (win at Indiana)
- Indiana (5-2) - (loss vs.
USC)
5.
Illinois (5-2) - (win at UCLA)
6.
Wisconsin (5-2) - (win at Maryland)
The following week brings another round of help needed from around the league. Illinois would have to beat Iowa, while UCLA, USC and Wisconsin all take care of business in their own games. The biggest asks are on the road: Indiana has to lose at Washington, and Ohio State has to lose at Nebraska.
If that happens, Illinois would be sitting in a much better spot:
- UCLA (7-1) - (win at Michigan)
- USC (6-2) - (win vs.
Maryland)
3.
Illinois (6-2) - (win vs. Iowa)
- Wisconsin (6-2) - (win at Purdue)
- Ohio State (5-3) - (loss at Nebraska)
- Indiana (5-3) - (loss at Washington)
Then comes the final week, where Illinois’ own result is only the first piece. The Illini need to win at Northwestern. After that, Indiana and Ohio State are no longer part of the picture.
The remaining path hinges on two more results: UCLA has to beat USC, and Minnesota has to beat Wisconsin. That would clear the Trojans out and push Wisconsin back.
Under that setup, the projected standings after Week 13 would be:
- UCLA (8-1) - (win vs.
USC)
2.
Illinois (7-2) - (win at Northwestern)
3.
USC (6-3) - (loss vs. UCLA)
- Wisconsin (6-3) - (loss vs.
Minnesota)
5.
Ohio State (6-3) - (win vs. Michigan)
- Indiana (6-3) - (win vs.
Purdue)
That’s the route. It’s a narrow one, and it needs plenty of outside help, but Illinois is still in the hunt. The Illini have to handle their own business first, then wait and see how the rest of the Big Ten shakes out.
In Other News...
Illinois Just Helped Trigger A Nebraska Shakeup Fans Will Notice
Nebraskas offensive reset came after a rough stretch that included a four-game losing streak and plenty of frustration on that side of the ball. Following the latest setback, head coach Matt Rhule moved quickly, parting ways with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and turning the play-calling duties over to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas for the rest of the season.
Rhule also made clear this may not be the last change, saying the staff will be evaluated again once the season is over. For Illinois fans, it is the kind of development worth keeping an eye on, since a Big Ten opponent trying to stabilize its offense in November can change the feel of the matchup in a hurry, even if the bigger overhaul is still to come. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Lands In The Middle Of Another SEC Rankings Fight
Bret Bielema spent part of the week adding his voice to a familiar gripe around college football, taking aim at the College Football Playoff committee after the latest rankings again leaned heavily toward the SEC. The Illinois coach suggested his team would be viewed differently if it played in that league, a comment that came after the release of a top 12 that included five SEC teams, some carrying multiple losses.
Bielemas remarks fit into a broader Big Ten frustration that has been building around the CFP selection process, with several coaches around the league questioning whether the committee gives the SEC the benefit of the doubt. For Illinois, it is another reminder that the rankings debate is no longer just about who is winning games, but about which conference those wins come from and how much that matters when the field gets narrowed. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois May Have Found Its Early Answer To A Looming Frontcourt Reset
Illinois has opened the season 2-0 and has managed to look settled even while dealing with injuries, but the bigger roster picture is already coming into focus. The Illini know a frontcourt reset is on the horizon after the 2026-27 season, and that makes every move on the recruiting trail feel a little more important than usual.
Jack Thelens official visit this week gives Illinois a chance to get in early with one of the more coveted 2027 center prospects. UConn and Wisconsin are also in the mix, so this is hardly a clean path, but the fact that Illinois is hosting him now suggests the staff is thinking well beyond the current roster and trying to line up its next anchor in the paint. [Read more 🡒]