Northwestern @ Illinois Game Overview
NW vs ILLRecords
NW RecordLast 10
| Date | vs | Result | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 22, '25 |
MINN
|
W 38 - 35 | L -4 | o40.5 |
| Nov 15, '25 |
MICH
|
L 22 - 24 | W 10 | o42.0 |
| Nov 07, '25 |
@
USC
|
L 17 - 38 | L 14.5 | o54.0 |
| Oct 25, '25 |
@
NEB
|
L 21 - 28 | P 7 | o44.5 |
| Oct 18, '25 |
PUR
|
W 19 - 0 | W -3 | u47.0 |
| Oct 11, '25 |
@
PSU
|
W 22 - 21 | W 21 | u46.5 |
| Oct 04, '25 |
ULM
|
W 42 - 7 | W -11.5 | o42.0 |
| Sep 27, '25 |
UCLA
|
W 17 - 14 | L -6.5 | u46.0 |
| Sep 13, '25 |
ORE
|
L 14 - 34 | W 26.5 | u50.5 |
| Sep 05, '25 |
WIU
|
W 42 - 7 | W -31.5 | u49.5 |
NW Next 3 Games
NW vs ILL Preview
Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2024 ) Illinois 38, Northwestern 28
It wasn't too long ago that a chance at an eight-win season would have been celebrated at Illinois.
Now, as the Fighting Illini try to do just that Saturday night when they host Northwestern in Champaign, Ill., the overall body of work will be regarded as disappointing. And with some cause.
Illinois (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten) has shown surprisingly little pushback in the four losses, which have come by a total of 105 points. That includes last week's 27-10 defeat at Wisconsin, which outrushed the Illini 209-50 and logged five sacks of quarterback Luke Altmyer.
Illini coach Bret Bielema understands the angst over potential that was never realized with three losses in the last five games, but emphasizes where the program is now compared to where it was before he took over.
"There's things I've got to get straightened out and corrected but enjoy the boat that you're on. It's a pretty good boat right now," he said. "It's not taking on water; it's cutting through water. We'll be in good shape."
Altmyer has completed 68.1% of his 317 passes for 2,675 yards with 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions despite the offensive line's difficulties with protecting him.
Meanwhile, Northwestern (6-5, 4-4) sealed bowl eligibility last week by edging Minnesota 38-35 as Jack Olsen converted a 33-yard field goal with 53 seconds remaining. Preston Stone threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns on 25-of-30 passing.
Stone was perfect in the second half, completing all 15 of his passes for 174 yards in a performance that earned him a co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor. It was the first time a Wildcat has won the award in more than two years.
"Really proud of our team and also acknowledging there is a ton of work to be done," said Northwestern coach David Braun. "... Tremendous amount of respect for (Bielema) in the way that he runs the program. ... They're going to challenge us in all three phases."
This will be the 119th meeting between the in-state rivals with Illinois holding a 58-55-5 edge.
--Field Level Media
NW vs ILLInjury report
Northwestern's Injuries
| Player | POS | Status | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Himon II | RB | Questionable - Lower Body( Dec 11, '25) | Dec 11, '25 | |
| Himon II is battling a lower body injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| A. Hubbard | DL | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Hubbard is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| C. Russell | WR | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Russell is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| A. Lines | TE | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Lines is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| J. Borcherding | OG | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Borcherding is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| J. Reynolds II | LB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Reynolds II is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| T. Crane | WR | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Crane is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| M. Smith | LB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Smith is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| M. Dorsey Jr. | CB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Dorsey Jr. is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| D. Wagner | WR | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Wagner is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| D. Reeder | RB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Reeder is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| D. Walters | CB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Walters is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| C. Komolafe | RB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Komolafe is dealing with an undisclosed injury and is uncertain to take the field for the Wildcats. | ||||
| B. Blueitt | WR | Out - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Blueitt is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| C. Petrucci | TE | Out - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Petrucci is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| R. Hagarty | DL | Out - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Hagarty is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| E. Smith | CB | Out - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Smith is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| J. Lewis | CB | Out - Undisclosed( Oct 11, '25) | Oct 11, '25 | |
| Lewis is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| Y. Karlaftis | LB | Out - Undisclosed( Oct 11, '25) | Oct 11, '25 | |
| Karlaftis is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| D. Roberts | DL | Out - Undisclosed( Oct 04, '25) | Oct 04, '25 | |
| Roberts is dealing with an undisclosed issue and will not take the field for the Wildcats. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| C. Porter | RB | Out - Lower Body( Sep 08, '25) | Sep 08, '25 | |
| Porter is dealing with a lower-body injury and will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
Illinois's Injuries
| Player | POS | Status | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Bailey | CB | Out - Shoulder( Dec 14, '25) | Dec 14, '25 | |
| Bailey underwent shoulder surgery and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. | ||||
| L. Zardzin | LB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Zardzin is dealing with an undisclosed issue and is uncertain to take the field for the Fighting Illini. | ||||
| X. Scott | CB | Questionable - Undisclosed( Nov 29, '25) | Nov 29, '25 | |
| Scott is dealing with an undisclosed issue and is uncertain to take the field for the Fighting Illini. | ||||
| D. Schuster | OG | Out - Undisclosed( Nov 15, '25) | Nov 15, '25 | |
| Schuster is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season | ||||
| L. Farrell | TE | Out - Undisclosed( Sep 27, '25) | Sep 27, '25 | |
| Farrell is dealing with an undisclosed issue and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| T. Cox | CB | Out - Undisclosed( Aug 29, '25) | Aug 29, '25 | |
| Cox is battling an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| J. Forster | RB | Out - Undisclosed( Aug 29, '25) | Aug 29, '25 | |
| Forster is battling an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. He will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. | ||||
| J. Hirdes | OG | Out - Knee( Aug 23, '25) | Aug 23, '25 | |
| Hirdes is dealing with a knee injury and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. He is expected to miss the entire 2025 season. | ||||
| G. Smith | TE | Out - Undisclosed( Aug 06, '25) | Aug 06, '25 | |
| Smith is dealing with an undisclosed injury and will not take the field for the Fighting Illini. He is expected to miss the entire 2025 season. | ||||
QB Passing StatsRecent Games
| Date | Score | YDS | Att | Comp | Comp % | Y/A | TD/Int | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.Stone | Nov 22, 2025 | NW 38 - MINN 35 | 305 | 30 | 25 | 83.3 | 10.2 | 2/0 | 190.7 |
| R.Boe | Nov 22, 2025 | NW 38 - MINN 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0/0 | 0.0 |
| P.Stone | Nov 15, 2025 | NW 22 - MICH 24 | 184 | 27 | 13 | 48.1 | 6.8 | 0/0 | 105.4 |
| P.Stone | Nov 7, 2025 | USC 38 - NW 17 | 150 | 30 | 20 | 66.7 | 5.0 | 1/0 | 119.7 |
| P.Stone | Oct 25, 2025 | NEB 28 - NW 21 | 159 | 29 | 15 | 51.7 | 5.5 | 0/2 | 84.0 |
| P.Stone | Oct 18, 2025 | NW 19 - PUR 0 | 132 | 26 | 11 | 42.3 | 5.1 | 2/1 | 102.7 |
| Date | Score | YDS | Att | Comp | Comp % | Y/A | TD/Int | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.Altmyer | Nov 22, 2025 | WIS 27 - ILL 10 | 248 | 35 | 21 | 60.0 | 7.1 | 0/0 | 119.5 |
| L.Altmyer | Nov 15, 2025 | ILL 24 - MD 6 | 172 | 25 | 15 | 60.0 | 6.9 | 2/1 | 136.2 |
| L.Altmyer | Nov 1, 2025 | ILL 35 - RUTG 13 | 235 | 31 | 19 | 61.3 | 7.6 | 4/1 | 161.1 |
| L.Altmyer | Oct 25, 2025 | WASH 42 - ILL 25 | 199 | 34 | 22 | 64.7 | 5.9 | 2/2 | 121.5 |
| L.Altmyer | Oct 11, 2025 | ILL 16 - OSU 34 | 248 | 44 | 30 | 68.2 | 5.6 | 1/1 | 118.5 |
NW vs ILL Offense vs Defense
Key Stats League ranks in parenthesis
| OFFENSE |
Off. Rank | Stat | Def. Rank | DEFENSE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 357.5 | (99) | Yards | (69) | 359.3 |
| 5.6 | (87) | Yards/Play | (48) | 5.4 |
| 174.0 | (61) | Rush Yds | (44) | 127.0 |
| 36.1 | (78) | Rush Att | (47) | 31.9 |
| 4.8 | (42) | Yards/Rush | (52) | 4.0 |
| 183.5 | (113) | Pass Yds | (108) | 232.3 |
| 27.9 | (97) | Pass Att | (132) | 34.1 |
| 16.8 | (107) | Comp | (131) | 21.8 |
| 60.3 | (94) | Comp% | (80) | 64.0 |
| 10.9 | (107) | Yards/Comp | (23) | 10.6 |
| 6.6 | (114) | Yards/Att | (40) | 6.8 |
| 123.6 | (115) | QB rating | (61) | 135.5 |
| League Avg. |
|---|
| 374.0 |
| 5.6 |
| 155.1 |
| 36.0 |
| 4.3 |
| 219.8 |
| 30.5 |
| 18.9 |
| 62.0 |
| 11.6 |
| 7.2 |
| - |
More Stats
| OFFENSE |
Off. Rank | Stat | Def. Rank | DEFENSE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | (23) | Sacks | (51) | 2.1 |
| 9.7 | (40) | Sack Yds | (--) | 10.2 |
| 0.8 | (113) | Intercepts | (104) | 0.3 |
| 0.6 | (114) | Fumbles | (29) | 0.7 |
| 4.5 | (13) | Penalties | (85) | 6.1 |
| 35.0 | (8) | Penalty Yds | (89) | 53.7 |
| League Avg. |
|---|
| 2.0 |
| 13.2 |
| 0.8 |
| 0.5 |
| 6.0 |
| 52.6 |
Points
| OFFENSE |
Off. Rank | Stat | Def. Rank | DEFENSE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.4 | (107) | Score | (73) | 24.2 |
| 4.9 | (99) | 1st Q | (92) | 5.9 |
| 6.5 | (104) | 2nd Q | (57) | 6.4 |
| 5.5 | (92) | 3rd Q | (56) | 5.0 |
| 6.5 | (85) | 4th Q | (84) | 6.9 |
| League Avg. |
|---|
| 26.6 |
| 5.8 |
| 8.0 |
| 5.8 |
| 6.7 |
Special Teams
| OFFENSE |
Off. Rank | Stat | Def. Rank | DEFENSE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 | (135) | Yards/Punt Ret | (18) | 4.2 |
| 20.6 | (67) | Yards/KO Ret | (29) | 22.5 |
| 22.0 | (26) | FG Att | (23) | 13.0 |
| 20.0 | (10) | FG Made | (60) | 12.0 |
| 90.9 | (9) | FG% | (131) | 92.3 |
| League Avg. |
|---|
| 9.6 |
| 20.5 |
| 83.2 |
| 63.9 |
| 76.8 |