The Illinois Fighting Illini still have one game left to play this season, but the Big Ten has set their 2025 football schedule.
By virtue of the conference’s scheduling matrix, Illinois will have two games against College Football Playoff teams next season, traveling to Bloomington to take on Indiana for their first conference game on Sept. 20. They’ll also take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Champaign on Oct. 11.
The Illini will also make road trips to Seattle to take on Washington and Madison for a showdown with Wisconsin, and will welcome the USC Trojans to Champaign for the first time ever in a rematch of the 2008 Rose Bowl.
Here is Illinois’ full schedule:
Aug. 30: vs. Western Illinois
Sept. 6: at Duke
Sept. 13: vs. Western Michigan
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Sept. 20: at Indiana
Sept. 27: vs. USC
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Oct. 4: at Purdue
Oct. 11: vs. Ohio State.
Oct. 25: at Washington
Nov. 1: vs. Rutgers
Nov. 15: vs. Maryland
Nov. 22: at Wisconsin
Nov. 29: vs. Northwestern
One caveat on the schedule is that the Big Ten can slide games to Friday nights, but those games have not yet been announced by the conference.
Kickoff times and television assignments will be determined at later dates.
In a unique year, Illinois will have all three of its rivalry trophies up for grabs in the 2025 season. That will get started on Oct. 4 when they head to West Lafayette for a contest against Purdue, with the Purdue Cannon on the line. Illinois captured that trophy back this season with a thrilling overtime win over the Boilermakers in Champaign.
The next week, the Illini will take on Ohio State in a battle for the Illibuck Trophy, which the Buckeyes have held since the last time the rivalry was contested in 2017.
Finally, Illinois and Northwestern will have their annual battle for the Land of Lincoln Trophy in late November, with Illinois currently holding the trophy after winning at Wrigley Field last month.
