2024 Illinois Fighting Illini football team explained

The 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represents the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Fighting Illini are led by Bret Bielema in his fourth season as the team's head coach. They play home games at Memorial Stadium located in Champaign, Illinois.

Game summaries

vs Eastern Illinois (FCS)

See also: 2024 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team.

Statistics	EIU	ILL
First downs	9	27
Total yards	196	488
Rushing yards	49	246
Passing yards	147	242
Passing: comp–att–int	16–32–2	21–29–0
Time of possession	23:59	36:01

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Eastern Illinois	Passing	Pierce Holley	16/32, 147 yards, 2 INT
Rushing	MJ Flowers	9 carries, 28 yards
Receiving	DeAirious Smith	5 receptions, 63 yards
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	19/24, 213 yards, 4 TD
Rushing	Kaden Feagin	16 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Pat Bryant	5 receptions, 63 yards, 2 TD

vs No. 19 Kansas

See also: 2024 Kansas Jayhawks football team.

Statistics	KU	ILL
First downs	18	14
Total yards	65–327	59–271
Rushing yards	33–186	34–79
Passing yards	141	192
Passing: comp–att–int	18–32–3	16–25–0
Time of possession	29:22	30:38

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Kansas	Passing	Jalon Daniels	18/32, 141 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing	Devin Neal	14 carries, 101 yards
Receiving	Lawrence Arnold	4 receptions, 44 yards, 1 TD
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	16/25, 192 yards
Rushing	Kaden Feagin	16 carries, 40 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Zakhari Franklin	9 receptions, 99 yards

vs Central Michigan

See also: 2024 Central Michigan Chippewas football team.

Statistics	CMU	ILL
First downs	19	20
Total yards	62–309	58–379
Rushing yards	33–142	29–137
Passing yards	167	242
Passing: comp–att–int	15–29–1	19–29–0
Time of possession	20:03	30:57

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Central Michigan	Passing	Joe Labas	12/25, 125 yards, 1 INT
Rushing	Myles Bailey	6 carries, 49 yards
Receiving	Evan Boyd	3 receptions, 38 yards
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	19/29, 242 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Josh McCray	8 carries, 54 yards
Receiving	Pat Bryant	7 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD

at No. 22 Nebraska

See also: 2024 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.

Statistics	ILL	NEB
First downs	25	20
Total yards	66–381	68–345
Rushing yards	39–166	31–77
Passing yards	215	297
Passing: comp–att–int	21–27–0	23–35–1
Time of possession	29:38	30:22

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	21/27, 215 yards, 4 TD
Rushing	Kaden Feagin	12 carries, 69 yards
Receiving	Pat Bryant	5 reception, 74 yards, 2 TD
Nebraska	Passing	Dylan Raiola	23/35, 284 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Dante Dowdell	20 carries, 72 yards
Receiving	Isaiah Neyor	4 receptions, 90 yards, 2 TD

at No. 9 Penn State

See also: 2024 Penn State Nittany Lions football team.

Statistics	ILL	PSU
First downs	17	24
Total yards	57–219	65–374
Rushing yards	32–34	44–239
Passing yards	185	135
Passing: comp–att–int	16–25–1	15–21–0
Time of possession	26:11	33:49

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	16/25, 185 yards, TD, INT
Rushing	Kaden Feagin	13 carries, 64 yards
Receiving	Zakhari Franklin	4 receptions, 49 yards
Penn State	Passing	Drew Allar	15/21, 135 yards
Rushing	Kaytron Allen	18 carries, 102 yards, TD
Receiving	Harrison Wallace III	4 receptions, 50 yards

vs Purdue (rivalry)

See also: 2024 Purdue Boilermakers football team and Illinois–Purdue football rivalry.

Statistics	PUR	ILL
First downs	21	28
Total yards	58–536	73–556
Rushing yards	32–239	39–177
Passing yards	297	379
Passing: comp–att–int	18–26–0	20–34–0
Time of possession	26:49	33:11

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Purdue	Passing	Ryan Browne	18/26, 297 yards, 3 TD
Rushing	Ryan Browne	17 carries, 118 yards
Receiving	Max Klare	6 receptions, 133 yards
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	20/34, 379 yards, 3 TD
Rushing	Josh McCray	16 carries, 78 yards, 2 TD
Receiving	Pat Bryant	4 receptions, 104 yards, 1 TD

vs No. 24 Michigan (rivalry)

See also: 2024 Michigan Wolverines football team and Illinois–Michigan football rivalry.

Statistics	MICH	ILL
First downs	20	18
Total yards	70–322	57–267
Rushing yards	38–114	38–187
Passing yards	208	80
Passing: comp–att–int	20–32–1	9–19–0
Time of possession	33:34	26:26

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Michigan	Passing	Jack Tuttle	20/32, 208 yards, 1 INT
Rushing	Kalel Mullings	19 carries, 87 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Colston Loveland	7 receptions, 83 yards
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	9/18, 80 yards, 1 TD
Rushing	Aidan Laughery	9 carries, 54 yards
Receiving	Pat Bryant	4 receptions, 32 yards

at No. 1 Oregon

See also: 2024 Oregon Ducks football team.

Statistics	ILL	ORE
First downs	18	27
Total yards	67–293	67–527
Rushing yards	32–132	39–229
Passing yards	161	298
Passing: comp–att–int	17–35–2	20–28–1
Time of possession	28:45	31:15

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	17/35, 162 yards, 2 INT
Rushing	Aidan Laughery	12 carries, 69 yards
Receiving	Zakhari Franklin	6 receptions, 72 yards
Oregon	Passing	Dillon Gabriel	18/26, 291 yards, 3 TD, INT
Rushing	Jordan James	15 carries, 83 yards
Receiving	Tez Johnson	6 receptions, 102 yards, TD

vs Minnesota

See also: 2024 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.

Statistics	MINN	ILL
First downs	21	20
Total yards	361	352
Rushing yards	148	126
Passing yards	213	226
Passing: comp–att–int	22-37-0	20-33-0
Time of possession	34:59	25:01

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Minnesota	Passing	Max Brosmer	22/37, 213 yards, TD
Rushing	Darius Taylor	22 carries, 131 yards, TD
Receiving	Daniel Jackson	5 receptions, 74 yards, TD
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	20/33, 226 yards, TD
Rushing	Josh McCray	7 carries, 72 yards, TD
Receiving	Pat Bryant	5 receptions, 72 yards

vs Michigan State

See also: 2024 Michigan State Spartans football team.

Statistics	MSU	ILL
First downs	18	18
Total yards	343	369
Rushing yards	87	138
Passing yards	256	231
Passing: comp–att–int	23-40-0	19-32-0
Time of possession	28:32	31:28

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Michigan State	Passing	Aidan Chiles	23/40, 256 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Aidan Chiles	12 carries, 40 yards
Receiving	Montorie Foster Jr.	7 receptions, 76 yards
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	19/32, 231 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Josh McCray	9 carries, 61 yards, 3 TD
Receiving	Pat Bryant	4 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD

at Rutgers

See also: 2024 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team.

Statistics	ILL	RUTG
First downs	24	30
Total yards	431	388
Rushing yards	182	213
Passing yards	249	197
Passing: comp–att–int	12-26-0	19-37-0
Time of possession	25:38	34:18

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	12/26, 249 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Luke Altmyer	11 carries, 74 yards, 1 TD
Receiving	Pat Bryant	7 receptions, 197 yards, 1 TD
Rutgers	Passing	Athan Kaliakmanis	19/37, 175 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Kyle Monangai	28 carries, 122 yards
Receiving	Ian Strong	6 receptions, 66 yards, TD

at Northwestern (rivalry)

See also: 2024 Northwestern Wildcats football team and Illinois–Northwestern football rivalry.

Statistics	ILL	NW
First downs	14	28
Total yards	382	442
Rushing yards	212	113
Passing yards	170	329
Passing: comp–att–int	10-17-2	29-61-3
Time of possession	25:32	34:28

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Illinois	Passing	Luke Altmyer	10/17, 170 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing	Aidan Laughery	12 carries, 172 yards, 3 TD
Receiving	Pat Bryant	4 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD
Northwestern	Passing	Jack Lausch	25/48, 287 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing	Cam Porter	12 carries, 53 yards
Receiving	AJ Henning	10 receptions, 119 yards, 1 TD