2024 NCAAF Cheat Sheet: Illinois Fighting Illini Stats
Illini Could Be Fighting For Bowl Berth
The Illinois Fighting Illini are coming off a bit of a lackluster season and another could be in store this year. The Illini have a fair number of questions coming into the year. How the team responds to those questions is going to determine the fate of the Illini this season. If all goes well, Illinois could make a bowl game. If they don’t, three or four wins might be about it. The 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini stats need to be better than they were last year, especially on offense. The team is likely to go as far as the offense takes them.
At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| Championship | +75000 | +80000 |
| Conference | +15000 | +12000 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 5.5 (o+106, u-130) | 5.5 (o-110, u-120) |
| To Make Playoffs | Yes +2800, No N/A | Yes +2800, No N/A |
Illinois Comes Down to Earth Last Season
After breaking through with an 8-5 record in 2022, the Fighting Illini returned to earth last season going 5-7. Illinois wasn’t expected to be great, but with a win total of 6.5, the team was expected to fight for a bowl game. That didn’t happen, however, as the Illini dropped three games by four points or less down the stretch. All five wins were by six points or less, so the Illini played plenty of close games.
The 2022 team had Tommy DeVito at quarterback and a 1,600-yard rusher in Chase Brown, but last year’s squad struggled on the line and will have plenty of new faces up front this year. Both starting tackles are likely going to be transfers and will need to give Luke Altmeyer time to throw. He was injured last season and threw for 13 TDs and 10 interceptions. If the 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini stats don’t show more rushing yards than last season’s 1,517 and 12 rushing TDs, it will be a rough year in Champaign, Illinois.
The defense also hit the transfer portal and needs to find a few starters there. Several have decent potential, such as Terrence Brooks, who started for the Texas Longhorns last year. The Illini also lost several players expected to be starters this year. It’s a question of hoping to gain more than the team lost.
The schedule doesn’t do Illinois any favors. The Illini have Nebraska, Penn State, Oregon, Rutgers, and Northwestern on the road this season. Illinois has two very winnable games early in Eastern Illinois and Central Michigan at home. The Illini should be able to handle Purdue at home, but Michigan and Kansas won’t be easy home games.
CFP Championship Odds: Illini Have No Chance
Even the most faithful Fighting Illini fans aren’t thinking about a National Championship or making the college football playoff field. A much more realistic goal for Illinois is just getting back to a bowl game in 2024 and even that could be tough.
Conference Odds: Asking Too Much From Illini
Illinois is one of the longest shots to win the Big Ten for good reason, the team is nowhere near the likes of Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State. The Illini will be outclassed by several conference foes if you add the Oregon Ducks and USC this season. Illinois has too many conference opponents that will be listed in the college football rankings to be considered a conference contender.
Regular Season Wins: Under Looks to Be the Safest Wager
The win total on Illinois of 5.5 is a pretty solid number. If things go well and the transfer plays as well as hoped, it’s possible the Illini can go 6-6. The biggest problem is that the transfers don’t live up to expectations. In that case, four or five wins looks a little more likely. The 2024 Illinois Fighting Illini stats have to show more production out of the offense for the team to be successful.
The Illini avoid Ohio State, USC, and Washington on the schedule, but Michigan, Penn State, and Oregon are potential losses. That will leave Illinois less wiggle room on the remaining schedule to get six wins. The NCAAF lines will have Illinois as underdogs in some of those remaining games, so it will be tough to get six wins. It’s possible, just not very probable for the Fighting Illini.
To Make Playoffs: Still Not Enough Teams For Illinois
Even though the college football playoff field has been increased, it won’t be enough for the Illini. The Fighting Illini would need an NCAA Basketball Tournament-sized field to have a shot at making the playoffs. Even that would be a tall order for the team.
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