2026 Football Roster
Jersey Number 7
Matthew Bailey
- Position:
- DB
- Class:
- Senior
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 225
- Major:
- Kinesiology
- Hometown:
- Moline, Ill.
- High School:
- Moline
 Two-Time All-Big Ten |
 Illinois Record - Tackles in a Bowl Game (13) |
2026 Senior
- Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
2025 Junior
- 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (coaches and media)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Started in all 12 regular season games before missing the Music City Bowl with an injury
- Team-leading 76 tackles (59 solo), with 4.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recoveries, one quarterback hurry, and two pass breakups on the season
- Single-season career highs in solo tackles (59) and tackles for loss (4.0)
- 23rd in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.33) during the regular season
2024 Sophomore
- All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (Media)
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Fighting Illini Male Spirit Award Winner
- Played in all 13 games
- Team-leading 94 tackles on the season
- 14th in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.8) during the regular season
- AP All-Bowl Team after tying the Illinois record for tackles in a bowl game with 13 against #14 South Carolina (12/31/24) in Illinois' Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win
- Tied Illinois bowl record with a career-high 13 tackles (five solo, eight assisted) in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against #14 South Carolina (12/31/24)
- Nine tackles (three solo, six assisted) against #9 Penn State (9/28/24)
2023 Sophomore
- Academic All-Big Ten
- Missed 11 of 12 games with injuries and redshirted the season
2022 Freshman
- Played in all 13 games as a true freshman
- 10 tackles, three interceptions, two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry, and one fumble recovery on the season
- Eighth in the Big Ten in interceptions (3)
- Interceptions against Virginia 9/10/22, Iowa 10/8/22, and Mississippi State 1/2/23
- First career start in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Mississippi State 1/2/23
- Career-high five tackles against Mississippi State 1/2/23
- No. 4-graded true freshman defensive back and the No. 3-graded true freshman in coverage during bowl season, according to PFF
- Against Virginia 9/10/22, became the first true freshman in the nation to record a fumble recovery for a TD and an interception in the same game since 2006 (Jerrett Sanderson of Bowling Green vs. FIU)
High School
- Three-star recruit by 247Sports
- Position ranks: #130 (247)
- State ranks: #37 (247)
- Played for head coach Mike Morrissey at Moline
- 2021 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association 7A All-State first team
- 2021 Quad City Times Player of the Year
- All-Western Big 8 offense, defense, and special teams
- Academic All-Western Big 8
- Set Moline records for single-season receiving yards (802) and touchdown receptions (10) as a senior
Personal
- Born August 4, 2004
- Son of Dwight Bailey and Michelle Westerdale
- Two brothers, Immanuel and Avrom
- Chose Illinois because, “The coaches made me feel special and welcomed, and I’m grateful because that is hard to find. Also, the academic side of things at Illinois are something to look forward to.”
- Majoring in kinesiology
- Plans to become a physical therapist or an athletic trainer following his playing career
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 3/5/26
Thursday, March 05
Illinois Football | Bobby Hauck Introductory Press Conference 2/12/26
Thursday, February 12
Illinois Football | Bret Bielema Press Conference 2/4/26
Thursday, February 05
Illinois Football | Xavier Scott Return Announcement Press Conference Press Conference 1/21/26
Wednesday, January 21
