College football fans thought Illinois' season was over, especially after their embarrassing 24-17 loss to the Purdue Boilermakers.
The Illini were in shambles heading into week six against Michigan State. The defense was one of the worst in the country. Defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck stepped down, and fans were actually wondering if Illinois would make a bowl game.
Since then, Illinois has made a complete 180, winning four straight games against Big Ten opponents. Bret Bielema has revitalized his team midway through the season, with Illinois recording their first four-game winning streak since the 2022 season.
Last night’s win against Nebraska marks Illinois’ first four-game conference win streak since the 2022 season.
— Kellen “KellDawg” Sherman (@KShermanSports) November 7, 2026
In 2022, the #Illini defeated:
-Wisconsin (34-10)
-Iowa (9-6)
-Minnesota (26-14)
-Nebraska (26-9) pic.twitter.com/O0ISK03L5G
In 2022, Illinois finished the regular season 8-4 overall, earning an invitation to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Mississippi State. They began the season with a 7-1 record, highlighted by a four-game Big Ten win streak in which they defeated Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska.
The Illini will look to extend their win streak as they face UCLA, Iowa, and Northwestern to close out the regular season. These three teams have a combined 22-5 record, with UCLA and Iowa ranked No. 4 and No. 16 overall, respectively.
Illinois football has a chance to create immense chaos to end the 2026 season
The Illini are on a hot streak right now, defeating Oregon and Nebraska within the last three weeks. They look like a completely different team compared to the start of the season and will have a chance to make these final three weeks very chaotic.
If Illinois can win their final three games of the season, they will not only hand UCLA their first loss of 2026, but they will also knock Iowa and Northwestern out of contention for the Big Ten championship.
It will be a hard test for Bielema and Co., as the Bruins and Hawkeyes are both top-10 in the country in scoring defense. The Illini, however, will be trotting out a rejuvenated defense that has only given up 13.3 points per game since the bye week.
Illinois is turning what was once a lost season into something to keep an eye on. They currently hold the fate of so many teams in their hands, and if certain results go their way, Illinois could be playing for the Big Ten title when it's all said and done.
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