CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — #21Illinois travels to Madison, Wisconsin, to take on Wisconsin this Saturday inside Camp Randall Stadium, its final road test of the regular season. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
Illinois (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) earned its second consecutive victory over Maryland on Saturday, fueled by a pair of touchdown passes from Luke Altmyer to Hudson Clement. Altmyer owns top 25 marks in the nation in passing efficiency (11th, 162.47), completion percentage (15th, .691) and passing yards (32nd, 2,427). Gabe Jacas and Pat Farrell combined for just Maryland's fourth sack allowed this season, which moves Jacas into a tie with Scott Davis (1983-87) for second-most in program history (23.0).
Wisconsin (3-7, 1-6 Big Ten) is coming off a loss at #2 Indiana, following a win over #23 Washington in its last home outing on Nov. 8. True freshman Carter Smith tallied his first career start against the Hoosiers, completing 9 of 15 passes, while throwing one touchdown and one interception. Defensively, freshmen linebackers Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano have stepped up for the Badgers, owning 47 and 45 tackles, respectively.
The Illini and Badgers will meet for the 92nd time on Saturday. Wisconsin defeated Illinois, 25-21, when the teams last met in 2023. Illinois last visited Camp Randall Stadium in 2022 when Coach Bielema led the Illini to a 34-10 road win, the program's first in Madison in the previous 20 years.
Rhett Lewis (play-by-play), Anthony Herron (analyst), and Dannie Rogers (reporter) have the television call on Big Ten Network. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Michael Martin (sideline).
CFP Rankings
On Tuesday, Illinois debuted in the College Football Playoff rankings at #21. The Illini were the biggest movers week-to-week, going from unranked to #21. The Illini are in the CFP rankings for the seventh time since the ranking's debuted in 2014 and the fifth time in the last two years.
Press Conference
Notes
Stacking Wins
• Illinois is postseason eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11.
• Illinois is postseason eligible three times in a four-year span for the first time since 1991-94.
• Illinois has 7+ wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11.
• Illinois has 7+ wins three times in a four-year span for the first time since 1981-84.
• Illinois head coach Bret Bielema set the program record for wins in a head coach's first five seasons. Bielema has won 35 games at Illinois, passing Mike White's 34 wins from 1980-84.
• Illinois has 22 Big Ten wins in Bret Bielema's first five seasons at Illinois. It is Illinois' most Big Ten wins in a five-year period since winning 23 Big Ten games from 1990-94.
• Illinois has 17 wins over the last two seasons, the program's most wins over a two-year period since 1989-90, when the Illini went 10-2 then 8-4 under John Mackovic.
• Illinois' most wins over a two-year period:
18 — 1989-90; 1902-03; 1901-02
17 — 2024-25; 1983-84; 1982-83; 1903-04
• Illinois is looking to win 8+ games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1989-90. The Illini have never won 9+ games in back-to-back seasons.
• Illinois is 17-6 over the last two seasons, including 13 Power-4 wins, 10 Big Ten wins, and wins over teams from every other Power-4 conference: the SEC (vs. South Carolina, 2024), the ACC (at Duke, 2025), and the Big XII (Kansas, 2024).
• Illinois is 12-2 against unranked teams over the last two seasons (2024-25).
• Illinois is 11-2 at home over the last two seasons (2024-25).
• Illinois has 30 wins over the last four seasons, tied for its most wins over a four-year period since winning 31 games from 1981-84. The Illini also won 30 games from 1989-92, 1988-91, and 1982-85.
• With one more win, Illinois would tie its most wins over a four-year period since 1902-05.
• Illinois has 35 wins over the last five seasons, tied for its most wins over a five-year period since winning 36 games from 1988-92.
The Illinois-Wisconsin Series
• Saturday's game is the 92nd matchup in the series between the Fighting Illini and the Badgers.
• Illinois is 39-45-7 all-time vs. Wisconsin, including a 17-25-4 mark in Madison.
• Wisconsin defeated Illinois, 25-21, in the most recent matchup in the series, Oct. 21, 2023 in Champaign. Luke Altmyer posted 200 yards of total offense (100 passing, 100 rushing), and Kaden Feagin ran for 97 yards and a touchdown in the narrow defeat. Altmyer also threw for two scores - to tight ends Tanner Arkin and Tip Reiman. Illinois staked to 21-7 lead through the first three quarters of the game before the Badgers charged back with 18 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning score with just 27 seconds to play.
• Illinois last visited Camp Randall Stadium in 2022 when head coach Bret Bielema led the Illini to a 34-10 road win, the program's first in Madison in the previous 20 years. Illinois outscored the Badgers 17-0 in the third quarter and held Wisconsin to just two total rushing yards for the game. The 24-point margin of victory marked Illinois' third-largest win in Madison and the largest margin of victory for the Illini in a Big Ten road game since 2015. In the deciding third quarter, the Illini held the Badgers to just 10 total yards and Wisconsin did not complete a pass or gain a first down. Quarterback Tommy DeVito punched in three 1-yard touchdown runs and RB Chase Brown tallied 129 yards on the ground, including a 49-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
• The 1995 game between the Illini and Wisconsin holds historical significance as the last college football game to end in a tie (final score was 3-3). Overtime rules were instituted the following season.
• Illinois' most receiving yards vs. Wisconsin: 167, David Williams, 10/6/1984
• Illinois' most rushing yards vs. Wisconsin: 239, Jim Grabowski, 11/14/1964
• Illinois' most passing yards vs. Wisconsin: 479, Tony Eason, 10/23/1982
• Illinois' longest rush vs. Wisconsin: 80, Reggie Corbin, 10/20/2018
• Illinois' longest pass vs. Wisconsin: 86, Tony Eason to Oliver Williams, 10/24/1981
• Last 100-yard receiving game vs. Wisconsin: Steve Hull, 105, 10/19/2013
• Last 100-yard rushing game vs. Wisconsin: Luke Altmyer, 100, 10/21/2023
• Last 300-yard passing game vs. Wisconsin: Jon Beutjer, 319, 11/9/2002
• Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was formerly the defensive coordinator (2004-05) and head coach (2006-12) at Wisconsin. In seven season as head coach, Bielema led the Badgers to three straight Big Ten championships (2010-12) and six consecutive bowl games with a 68-24 record (.739).
