The Illinois football program has been so close to being a College Football Playoff team the last two seasons.
It has been incredible to watch the Illini form into an actual solid program, which is a stark contrast from prior to the Bret Bielema era.
Bielema took to the podium at the Big Ten Media Days in Chicago on Tuesday to lay out what Illinois looks like this season and what the future might hold. He even talked a little bit about what will make Illinois a contender moving forward.
“A big point of mine is to win on the road. I went back and looked during my window over the last five years, and it has gotten better and better each year.”
While the words Bielema said sound exciting, what he said wasn’t exactly true. Illinois hasn’t been improving on the road since Bielema took over.
In 2021, Illinois was 2-3 on the road. This was followed by road records of 3-2, 2-3, 2-2, and 2-3 the next four seasons. Bielema does know he needs to start winning at a high clip on the road, though.
“For us to win, and win at a high level, you are going to have to win Big Ten games on the road.”
These average road records have doomed the Illini, especially in the last two seasons when we have won 19 games combined.
The biggest threat of Illinois making the College Football Playoff was the 2024 campaign. We finished that year 9-3 overall and 6-3 in the Big Ten. There were two games on the road that could have changed everything. If Illinois could have knocked off No. 9 Penn State or No. 1 Oregon on the road, we are in the CFP.
Bielema knows Illinois is close, though.
“Contend is a great word, but championships are what people remember. To get in those conversations, to do it more consistently, you have to have a lot of great things going for you. We have pieces of the puzzle, but we have a game or two each year that has knocked us out of the playoff. Most of those have been on the road.”
While winning on the road has been Illinois’ bugaboo, the home crowd has been more welcoming.
“We have been 6-1 the last two years at home, so we have been doing our business there. But each year, we have one of those games that snaps up and gets us, and we have to avoid those games.”
Illinois football has a schedule in 2026 that is set up for road success
While the road has been tough to the Illini, the 2026 season could easily provide some relief.
Coming into the 2026 campaign, Illinois doesn’t play a single non-conference road game. That means we get UAB, Duke, and Southern Illinois in Champaign.
The first road game of the season is tough, though. Ohio State comes to town, and this is a measure stick contest for the Orange and Blue.
After the game against the Buckeyes, the road gets easier. Illinois has road games against Michigan State, Maryland, UCLA, and Northwestern to finish out the year.
Bielema has struggled on the road since taking over at Illinois. He could break out from that trend and have a good road record in 2026. He knows that is the secret recipe to get Illinois into the College Football Playoff.
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