The Illinois football schedule is about to get wild in the coming weeks

It has been a pretty fun first three games of the 2024 season for the Illinois football program.

Expectations for the season were still pretty high, as I had the Illini winning eight games, but I also had us starting 2-1 in the first three games.

So far, expectations have been exceeded, so hopefully that means the season expectation of eight wins will be exceeded too.

With one top-25 win already under the belt, Illinois heads into the teeth of the 2024 season. Things are about to get real for the Orange and Blue.

Over the next five games, Illinois is currently scheduled to take on four ranked opponents. We go on the road against No. 23 Nebraska and No. 8 Penn State in the next two weeks. On October 19, No. 17 Michigan comes to Champaign, but then we head out to No. 9 Oregon the week after that. Purdue is sandwiched in the middle of those four contests.

Playing four ranked opponents in a five-game stretch is extremely tough. In fact, in Bret Bielema’s first three seasons with the program, Illinois played a total of four ranked opponents in the regular season. Just think about that for a second. In the next five games, Illinois will play the same number of ranked opponents as we have in the prior three seasons combined.

It has been a long time since Illinois has played four ranked opponents in a five-game stretch too. You have to go back to the 2003 season to find the last time this happened.

During that 2003 campaign, 22 seasons ago, Illinois played at No. 22 Purdue, No. 21 Michigan State, at No. 17 Michigan, Minnesota, and at No. 13 Iowa.

Even with that schedule in 2003, Illinois didn’t play a single top-10 program. We are currently slated to take on two, No. 8 Penn State and No. 9 Oregon, both on the road in the next five games.

Illinois football set to play the most ranked teams in a season in program history

The fact Illinois is about to take on four ranked teams in the next five games seems like a daunting task, but honestly, I am ready for it. Those are some big games, and if we win a couple of them, who knows how high we can climb in the national polls?

Just think about this for a second too. Illinois has already beaten No. 19 Kansas. So, there is a chance Illinois ends up playing five ranked opponents this season.

There has never been a season where the Illinois football team has played more ranked opponents in the regular season. A team that dates back to 1892, and in 2024, this is the most ranked opponent we have ever faced.

Illinois has had multiple seasons where we have played five ranked opponents in the regular season, though. The last time this happened was in 2005. Illinois won the first two games of the season and then dropped the final nine contests, five of which were against ranked opponents.

Things are about to get wild for the Illinois football program. Four ranked opponents in the next five games is a tough task. But, honestly, it is a task I believe this program is up for.