<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4Sqmk6_0v0RaaLC00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Sqmk6_0v0RaaLC00" width="1210" height="806" ></figure><p>With the AP Top 25 College Football Poll being released on Monday, the unranked Illinois Fighting Illini had the chance to see where voters ranked their 2024 season opponents. </p><p>Set to play four top-25 teams, with three being ranked in the top ten, the Illini have a tough schedule ahead of them.</p><p>The play on the field will not be the only challenge this year for the Illini, as travel will be a hurdle to clear as well. </p><p>With nine conference games and four non-conference games, the schedule is packed with good matchups across the country.</p><p>“It is very special to have those type of games on our schedule, not only for our players but for our fans.” head coach Bret Bielema said of a particular game in October.</p><p>Here are the top five games Illini fans should mark on their calendars. </p><h2>5. Purdue at Illinois - October 12 </h2><h2>Last meeting: Purdue Won 44-19 (2023) </h2><p><b>Head to head series: Purdue leads 48-45 </b></p><p>This has bad blood and stereotypical Big Ten football written all over it. </p><p>October’s clash will mark Purdue head coach Ryan Walters’ first trip back to Champaign since leaving the Illinois defensive coordinator job for the Boilermakers position. </p><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4WWXLj_0v0RaaLC00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4WWXLj_0v0RaaLC00" width="1920" height="1411" ><p>Walters knows the Illini’s defensive scheme inside and out, and that showed in last year’s game. The Boilermakers scored 44 points, their second-most in a game in 2023. </p><p>Purdue has won four straight in the series, with Illinois’ last win being in 2019. </p><p>Coming off the bye week, this could be a must-win for the Orange and Blue, with top ten teams Michigan and Oregon in the weeks following. </p><p><b>Fun Fact: Purdue is one of Illinois’ two protected Big Ten matchups in the new scheduling process, meaning the two teams will play every season.</b></p><h2>4. #22 Kansas at Illinois - September 7, 6 p.m.</h2><h2>Last meeting: Kansas won 34-23 (2023)</h2><p><b>Head to Head: Series tied 3-3 </b></p><p>This is the second game of a home-and-home series between the Jayhawks and the Illini, and it’ll be Illinois’ first true test of the 2024 season. </p><p>Kansas returns star quarterback Jalon Daniels, who is arguably one of college football’s best dual-threat QBs. </p><p>The Kansas offense returns seven starters but has new offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes running the system. </p><p>Simply put, the Jayhawks offense is built for high-scoring games. </p><p>The two defenses will be the factor for the Saturday night game, so expect a shootout that will allow Illinois to see how they measure up against a ranked team. </p><p><b>Fun Fact: Before 2023, the last time these two teams played was 1968. Before then, 1917!</b></p><h2>3. Illinois at #3 Oregon - October 26 </h2><h2>Last meeting: Oregon won 34-31 (1995)</h2><p><b>Head to Head: Oregon leads 2-1</b></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">let me in!!! <a href="https://t.co/CY6UQn4yUS">pic.twitter.com/CY6UQn4yUS</a></p>— The Duck (@TheOregonDuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOregonDuck/status/1819930630181794077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>The Oregon Ducks are the first team that Illinois play of the newly added Big Ten teams.</p><p>Head coach Dan Lanning replaced star quarterback Bo Nix with another star quarterback, Dillion Gabriel. Gabriel had 42 total touchdowns last season with the Oklahoma Sooners and will have arguably even better weapons with the Ducks. </p><p>Illinois will have its hands full on both sides of the ball, as the Ducks had a top-ten defense nationally last year as well.</p><p>The Illini can’t afford to go down early in a game like this, or else fans might be in for a long day of staring at whatever color jersey the Ducks brought out. </p><p><b>Fun Fact: The last time Bret Bielema faced the Oregon Ducks was in the 2012 Rose Bowl, where the Wisconsin Badgers lost to the Ducks 45-38. </b></p><h2>2. #9 Michigan at Illinois - October 19th </h2><h2>Last meeting: Michigan won 19-17 (2022)</h2><p><b>Head to Head: Michigan leads 72-23</b></p><p>For the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Stadium dedication game, which put Illinois legend Red Grange on the map, Illinois welcomes Michigan into town. </p><p>The reigning national champs have a lot of turnover. New head coach Sherrone Moore and quarterback Alex Orji will look to continue the success of the 2023 season. </p><p>The last time these two teams played was in 2022, and Illinois had many chances to win the game. However, these are two different teams compared to two years ago. </p><p>The Illinois defense might need to revert to its 2022 form if they want to stop running back Donovan Edwards, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate.</p><p>A lot has changed since 1924, but the Illini will hope that the spirit of Red Grange leads them to a huge upset victory.</p><p><b>Fun Fact: Illinois will be wearing new throwback uniforms with hand-painted helmets for this game, shown below. </b></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Representing 100 years of history, tradition and passion. <br><br><br><br>For Memorial Stadium's Rededication Game on Oct. 19, we will wear special uniforms to commemorate the iconic performance of the Galloping Ghost, Red Grange, in the stadium's Dedication Game against Michigan in 1924.… <a href="https://t.co/JFsBqgThd2">pic.twitter.com/JFsBqgThd2</a></p>— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball/status/1821329006790111289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><h2>1. Illinois at Northwestern (at Wrigley Field) - November 30th</h2><h2>Last meeting: Northwestern won 45-43 (2023)</h2><p><b>Head to Head: Illinois leads 57-55</b></p><p>The regular season finale takes the number one spot on the list for one big reason: This could be for bowl eligibility. </p><p>In 2023, the Illini needed to defeat the Wildcats to secure a bowl appearance and John Paddock and his heroics could not get it done. </p><p>Northwestern’s strength last year was their defense, which returns nine starters. There is a question of who will be the starting quarterback, but come November the Wildcats should have their leading man.</p><p>Under the bright lights of Wrigley Field, it does not matter the record of either team, this rivalry game will always have that old-school Big Ten feeling. </p><p><b>Fun Fact: The last time that Illinois and Northwestern played at Wrigley Field was 2010, where teams could only use one endzone due to lack of space on the field. </b></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1⃣1⃣/2⃣0⃣ is just the day for <a href="https://twitter.com/B1Gfootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@B1Gfootball</a> at Wrigley Field. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OTD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OTD</a> in 2010, Mikel Leshoure's historic 330-yard effort helped <a href="https://twitter.com/IlliniFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IlliniFootball</a> down Northwestern, 48-27. <a href="https://t.co/v4w1keuN4Z">pic.twitter.com/v4w1keuN4Z</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1462059683791921160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2021</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>Let us know below what matchups you are most excited for this upcoming season! </p></div></body>

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Top five Illinois Football games to watch in 2024

With the AP Top 25 College Football Poll being released on Monday, the unranked Illinois Fighting Illini had the chance to see where voters ranked their 2024 season opponents. Set to play four top-25 teams, with three being ranked in the top ten, the Illini have a tough schedule ahead of them.