It’s safe to say that Illinois’ season started less than spectacularly. At the halfway mark, the Illini sit at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten. Their most recent win, against the Michigan State Spartans (2-5, 0-4), ended with a windfall, and the Illini were lucky to walk away victorious.

​“You couldn’t ask for anything better than to have six games, bye week, six games,” said head coach Bret Bielema. “So, even for me personally, I think you push, push, push, and now I know how to kind of regather and compress.”

During its bye week, Illinois has six games left to fight for a bowl game. Here are predictions for the Illini’s last six regular-season games.

​Oregon: loss

Freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II may have shown up for the Illini against the Spartans, but the Oregon Ducks (4-2, 2-1) present a much tougher challenge. In the history between the programs, Oregon has been dominant. In the only matchup of the century, Illinois was completely shut down by the then-No. 1 team.

Both teams are without their starting quarterback, but the Illini’s replacement is a true freshman, while the Ducks have experienced junior quarterback Dylan Raiola. Despite Raiola’s veteran status, Oregon chose to start a new quarterback for this weekend’s game with senior Brock Thomas, who was a walk-on to the program in 2023.

Oregon has a lot to prove this season. It went from a national championship contender to falling out of the AP Top 25 in a matter of weeks. While the Ducks’ journey has had its ups and downs — especially with an injury to senior quarterback Dante Moore — they are the kind of team that knows how to lock in when it matters.

After a shocking loss against Oklahoma State earlier this season, Oregon bounced back the following week with a dominant 84-0 win against Portland State. The following week, the Ducks defeated then-No. 12 USC Trojans.

After a loss to then-No. 21 UCLA (6-0, 4-0) Oregon will have another opportunity for a strong performance before traveling to Champaign. The Illini have struggled in the past two seasons coming off of their bye week, so this is likely to be a loss for them.

​Maryland: win

After a handful of tough losses, Maryland (2-5, 0-4) poses the perfect opportunity for Illinois to blow out a team on the road. As of right now, the Terrapins are also the only team with a losing record that the Illini have yet to face.

Illinois’ biggest challenges will be its offensive line and its quarterback. Maryland ranks near the top of the Big Ten when it comes to sacks, which could pose problems for Clayton. As he adjusts to college-level defenses, he could be vulnerable to sacks by the Terrapins’ defense if he is not quick to think on his feet. 

Maryland also faced a similar loss to then-No. 5 Ohio State. Both games featured the losers scoring under 20 points with the Buckeyes scoring more than 40, and both games were played in Columbus, Ohio. The Terrapins also have two losses to teams the Illini have yet to face — the Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-2, 2-2) and the Bruins.

​How the Illini play at SECU Stadium could be an indicator of how they will stack up against the Cornhuskers and Bruins in their next two games.

​Nebraska: loss

The last time both programs met was two years ago when the Illini defeated the Cornhuskers in overtime. However, this matchup will be played on a Friday night. The last time Nebraska came to Champaign for a Friday night game, it handed Illinois a loss. This year’s showdown could be no different.

It’s safe to say Nebraska started off the 2026 season strong. The Cornhuskers went 5-0 before a close loss to reigning national champions the Indiana Hoosiers. Meanwhile, Illinois has  started off the complete opposite.

The Cornhuskers rank near the top of the Big Ten for both their scoring offense and defense, showing just how consistent and powerful the team can be.

​Junior wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer and freshman running back Jamal Rule lead Nebraska in scrimmage touchdowns with seven and five, respectively. As for the Illini, they do not have as strong of a run game when it comes to scoring touchdowns. Most of its touchdowns are receiving ones by senior wide receiver Collin Dixon, whereas Nebraska has a rushing and receiving threat that will be harder for the defense to stop.

​UCLA: win

Even though the Bruins have been on a high recently, with senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s season-ending injury, they too find themselves in a predicament. The Illini’s trek to Los Angeles provides them with a golden opportunity for an upset win.

​The past two seasons, the Illini have gotten at least one win against an AP Top 25 opponent. This year, however, Illinois has yet to take down a ranked team. If UCLA remains in the top 25 by Nov. 13, there is a chance for Illinois to prove it can take on some of the nation’s best teams and come out on top.

​The biggest task for the Illini is to shut down the Bruins’ run game, especially fifth-year running back Wayne Knight. Knight leads the Big Ten with 10 rushing touchdowns and is fourth in rushing yards with nearly 600 so far. Fellow Bruin fifth-year running back Anthony Woods is the program’s second-most efficient running back with four touchdowns. The Illini will need to put a stop to both players to limit the Bruins’ offensive production.

Iowa: loss

Despite Nov. 21 being the Illini’s Senior Day game, it might pose a loss for the seniors’ last time at Gies Memorial Stadium. The No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1, 2-0) have been the dark horse of the Big Ten this season. From being ranked to earning ranked wins, the Hawkeyes have done it all. In fact, Iowa is having the season Illinois hoped for.

It’s no doubt the Illini have let down expectations across the board. They went from a top-10 team last season to a nobody in college football this year. On top of that, Iowa’s remaining schedule should be pretty smooth sailing, giving it even more momentum before its matchup with Illinois. The Illini, on the other hand, have five more opponents that have a better record than them.

​With a streak of tougher opponents, the Illini could potentially burn out before their last home game of the season.

Northwestern: win

If there’s one thing Illinois needs to do, it’s to clutch up and beat No. 24 Northwestern (5-1, 2-1). If all predictions above hold, this will be the game that determines if the Illini become eligible for a bowl game.

Just three seasons ago, the Illini were in a similar situation, and their game against the Wildcats would determine if they would go on and compete in a bowl game. However, those dreams were crushed, and Illinois finished out its 2023 season without a postseason game.

This year can be an opportunity to change for the Illini, and they earn a bowl game for the third straight year.

​With fifth-year quarterback Katin Houser’s injury keeping him out for four to six weeks, it is unclear if he will be back to play against Northwestern. If he does remain out, Clayton will now have five full games under his belt in a variety of conditions and opponents to prepare him for one last regular season game.

“I feel like I try to maximize on every day, the stuff behind the scenes that nobody gets to see,” said Clayton after the win at Michigan State. “I feel like I’m just maximizing in that so when my time comes, I can be ready for it.”

​Clayton being ready for whatever gets thrown his way will be important. He got Illinois its first road and Big Ten victory of the season, and he can do it again to get Illinois eligible for a bowl game.

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