2023-24 Big Ten Opponents
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the eight Big Ten opponents Illinois will wrestle in the 2023-24 season on Tuesday, July 11. Each program will face their six divisional opponents with home and away designation flipped from the 2022-23 season and two cross-over opponents. The cross-over opponents are determined with consideration of the results of the 2023-24 coaches' ranking poll.

Illinois will host four opponents in State Farm Center (SFC): Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern and Michigan State as the cross-over opponent. The Illini will travel to: Nebraska, Purdue, Wisconsin and Ohio State as the cross-over.

HOME OPPONENTS EARLY LOOK

Illinois wrestled all four of their 2023-24 home opponents last season on the road and went 1-3 against them. The lone win being against Michigan State in the last Big Ten dual meet of the season on Feb. 5, the Illini defeated the Spartans 17-16. They took the No. 2 ranked team in the country of Iowa all the way down to heavyweight tied 19-19 before being defeated 19-25 on Jan.6.

Next, they brought the No. 15 ranked Northwestern Wildcats all the way down to the last match as well and lost via tiebreakers on the criteria of match points. They were outscored 52-46 in the dual and lost 18-17 on Jan. 20. No. 11 ranked Minnesota got the best of the Illini on Jan. 28 and defeated them 9-24. Illinois looks for redemption in front of their fans at the SFC with these dual dates still to be announced later in September.

AWAY OPPONENTS EARLY LOOK

Illinois wrestled three of their four current away opponents last year, the exception being Ohio State, and went 2-1 against the three squads. This will be the first meeting with the Buckeyes since Jan. 17, 2021 where Illinois edged them out 18-15. The all-time series between these two squads is very close at 37-36-1.

The Illini got their first Big Ten win last year on Jan. 8 in an upset of No. 13 Wisconsin in a thriller 18-17. One week later, Jan. 14, they dominated Purdue 31-9 to capture their second Big Ten win of the season and were putting together some wins at the SFC. In the final home dual of the season No. 10 Nebraska defeated Illinois 19-27 on Feb. 5 in a dual that was closer than the score shows.