Record
4-3 wins–losses
No rank assigned
Results earned. Wins and losses do not account for opponent strength or victory margin.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
SP+ workbook recordIllinois
2026 season
Big Ten
2026 preseason report
Historical preseason snapshot from 2026-07-29, including roster context and illustrative season projections. This is not a live injury feed.
What every system says
Illinois's rank in each system (1 = best). Middle rank 52 across 8 systems; best 46, worst 103, so they disagree by 57 places.
- Lab EPA
- #103
- Through week 82026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- Lab SRS
- #49
- up 122026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- SP+
- #48
- up 42026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
- Elo
- #55
- up 62026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- FPI
- #48
- up 52026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CORE
- #90
- no change · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:002026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CFBD SRS
- #46
- up 122026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- WEPA
- #103
- no change2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
FPI context
ESPN FPI via CFBD · 2026
Résumé and schedule
Results earned and schedule difficulty
- Strength of record
- #53 of 138
- Schedule strength
- #36 of 138
- Remaining schedule strength
- #32 of 138
- Game control
- #52 of 138
Unit efficiency
Performance by unit
- Overall
- #54 of 138
- Offense
- #20 of 138
- Defense
- #99 of 138
- Special teams
- #70 of 138
Ranks calculated among rated FBS teams; ties share rank. #1 means strongest résumé, hardest schedule, best game control or highest efficiency. These are separate measures, not a combined forecast. Captured Oct 30, 2026, 06:02:01 CDT. FPI supplies no results-through week; capture time records when we received it.
Why the ratings disagree
Illinois · 2026. Each system answers a different question. The cards show each source's rank (published or computed here) and coverage, so a rank gap can also reflect which teams have data.
Descriptive EPA
-0.084 net EPA/play
#103
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
Observed per-play efficiency after opponent adjustment. FBS-vs-FBS plays; no preseason strength prior. Sparse schedules can produce sharp early movement.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; opponent adjusted ridge
Lab EPA from CFBD playsLocal predictive SRS
3.72 points
#49 · Up 12 places since the previous CFBD cutoff
2026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
This season's 7 games, with recent games counting a bit more: average margin +3.29 (with blowouts capped at 35 points and overtime games counted as a 1-point result, then 2.5 points of home field removed) against opponents averaging +0.42, schedule #40 of 138 (#1 = toughest); 1 FCS opponent counts at −25; FBS opponents alone average +4.43. That is worth +3.71 on its own; the preseason prior of +3.75 still carries 25% of the weight, giving +3.72.
How each game enters this SRS rating
Illinois · 2026, through CFBD Week 8. Margins are team minus opponent. The fit caps margins and treats overtime as a one-point result before adjusting for venue. Recent games carry more weight; the fit share includes the preseason prior in its denominator.
| Game | Raw margin → transformed | Venue adjustment | Recency weight | Fit share | Opponent rating | Margin term | Opponent term | Total term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 · UAB home · 2026-09-04 · ID 401858424 | +19.00 → +19.00 | -2.50 | 0.7637 | 9.48% | -8.45 | 1.564 | -0.801 | 0.763 |
| Week 2 · Duke home · 2026-09-12 · ID 401858217 | -4.00 → -4.00 | -2.50 | 0.7937 | 9.85% | +4.78 | -0.640 | 0.471 | -0.170 |
| Week 3 · Southern Illinois home · 2026-09-19 · ID 401858448 | +38.00 → +35.00 | -2.50 | 0.8249 | 10.24% | -25.00 (fixed lower division) | 3.328 | -2.560 | 0.768 |
| Week 4 · Ohio State away · 2026-09-26 · ID 401858465 | -23.00 → -23.00 | +2.50 | 0.8572 | 10.64% | +19.19 | -2.181 | 2.042 | -0.140 |
| Week 5 · Purdue home · 2026-10-03 · ID 401858472 | -7.00 → -7.00 | -2.50 | 0.8909 | 11.06% | +0.88 | -1.051 | 0.097 | -0.953 |
| Week 6 · Michigan State away · 2026-10-10 · ID 401858480 | +1.00 → +1.00 (OT) | +2.50 | 0.9259 | 11.49% | +0.05 | 0.402 | 0.006 | 0.408 |
| Week 8 · Oregon home · 2026-10-24 · ID 401858495 | +11.00 → +11.00 | -2.50 | 1.0000 | 12.41% | +8.55 | 1.055 | 1.061 | 2.116 |
Game terms +2.79 points; prior term +0.93 points. Their unrounded sum is the fitted rating +3.72 points. The preseason prior is +3.75 with 24.83% of the fit weight. Displayed values are rounded; the producer checks the unrounded identity within 0.00000001 points.
These are additive terms of the current fit, not the effect of removing a game. Opponent ratings already reflect the connected schedule. Lower-division opponents use the fixed anchor, not an individually fitted rating. The rating's model-based 95% band is ±9.2 points; this decomposition does not reduce uncertainty or assign causal effects.
Download fitted terms and source hashesEstimated strength from schedule-adjusted scoring margins, margin caps, home-field adjustment and recency weighting. Half of prior-season strength, including postseason, carries forward with two games of weight. SRS includes FCS opponents under a fixed strength assumption. 7 current games; prior available.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; generated 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00
Lab SRS from CFBD scoresExternal SP+
6.8 SP+ points
#48 · Up 4 places
2026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
Bill Connelly's published predictive strength estimate. Its method and scale differ from local SRS.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
Bill Connelly SP+ workbookExternal CORE
-6.09 net points per 100 offensive + 100 defensive plays
#90 of 138 by overall (ranked here; CORE publishes no rank)
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams in this CORE board · 2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
CFBD's context- and opponent-relative efficiency. Offense is higher-better; defense is points allowed above average, so lower is better; overall is offense minus defense. It counts only pass and rush plays from FBS-vs-FBS games, with no special teams, overtime or garbage time; early-week values are pulled toward average but are still uncertain, and it is not a résumé ranking. Its scale is not comparable to EPA, SRS or SP+. Offense 9.94 on 366 plays; defense 16.03 on 370 plays.
2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00
CFBD CORE ratingCORE board: offense vs defenseEPA ranks Illinois 54 places lower than local SRS at the matched cutoff. This identifies a disagreement; it does not isolate its cause. SP+ movement compares provider weeks 8 and 9. Provider weeks may differ from CFBD weeks, so no cross-provider rank gap is calculated. CORE reports its own inclusive cutoff and is shown beside these systems for comparison only; it is an external research rating and is never blended into the lab's opponent-adjusted EPA, local SRS or any pick.
Team ratings and rank gaps are not matchup spreads or win probabilities. Matchup context and a calibrated forecast mapping are required. Do not average EPA, SRS, SP+ and CORE values across their different scales.
Read local SRS assumptions and forecast evidenceProgram context
2026 · CFBD records, polls, recruiting, coaches- Record
- 4-3 · conf 2-2 · home 3-2 · away 1-1 · expected wins 2.3
- Polls (Week 9)
- unranked
- CFP latest
- not published
- CFP final
- not published
- Against the spread
- 2026: 3-4 ATS (-1.4 avg) · 2025: 8-5 ATS (-1.5 avg)
- Head coach
- Bret Bielema · hired 2020-12-19 · 24-14 over 4 captured seasons
- Recruiting classes
- 2024 #49 (199 pts) · 2025 #45 (203 pts) · 2026 #24 (230 pts)
- Returning
- 21% of production · 44% of usage
Passing, receiving and rushing detail
Category Production Usage Passing 3% 1% Receiving 31% 46% Rushing 34% 83% Shares of prior-season PPA and usage returning in each category. Missing values are unavailable.
Provider values from CFBD captures dated 2026-09-22, 2026-10-30. head coach for the season; tenure counts cover only the captured seasons, hire date is the provider's. Returning usage carries no signal beyond returning production in this repo's research; neither is a model input.
Recruiting by position group
2023–2026 classes · High school · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30 UTC
| Position group | Commits | Avg. stars | Avg. rating | Total rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Back | 16 | 3.06 | 0.8662 | 13.86 |
| Defensive Line | 20 | 2.95 | 0.8628 | 17.26 |
| Linebacker | 9 | 3.22 | 0.8690 | 7.82 |
| Offensive Line | 15 | 3.13 | 0.8637 | 12.96 |
| Quarterback | 4 | 3.00 | 0.8705 | 3.48 |
| Receiver | 13 | 3.08 | 0.8660 | 11.26 |
| Running Back | 5 | 3.20 | 0.8800 | 4.40 |
| Special Teams | 8 | 3.25 | 0.8632 | 6.91 |
Recruiting class aggregates, not current roster strength. Commits count recruits across the window; total rating also reflects class size. JUCO, prep-school and transfer ratings are excluded. These values do not enter the prediction model.
Player efficiency and usage
2026 · observed 2026-10-30 UTCPassing and rushing WEPA adjust efficiency for opponents. Kicker PAAR measures points added above replacement. Higher is better within each metric. Metric rows are ordered by sample size, followed by usage-only players. Usage is the share of team plays involving the player within each category; categories overlap and should not be added. CFBD definitions
| Player / history | Metric | Value | Plays / attempts | Overall usage | Usage detail | Recruiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Katin Houser · QBCFBD athlete 4795295. Michigan State (2022–2023); East Carolina (2024–2025); Illinois (2026–2026) | Passing WEPA | 0.389 | 171 | 56.1% | Pass 96.0% · Rush 13.9%1st 49.4% · 2nd 60.9% · 3rd 62.0% Standard downs 50.6% · Passing downs 69.3% | 2022: 4★ · 0.9170 |
Aidan Laughery · RBCFBD athlete 4827047. Illinois (2022–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.230 | 73 | 19.9% | Pass 5.9% · Rush 35.7%1st 24.2% · 2nd 20.5% · 3rd 11.5% Standard downs 22.7% · Passing downs 13.1% | 2022: 3★ · 0.8752 |
Ca'Lil Valentine · RBCFBD athlete 5106299. Illinois (2024–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.194 | 41 | 17.0% | Pass 2.5% · Rush 35.0%1st 22.5% · 2nd 16.5% · 3rd 8.6% Standard downs 21.4% · Passing downs 5.7% | 2024: 4★ · 0.8950 |
Ethan Moczulski · PKCFBD athlete 4870578. Texas A&M (2022–2023); Washington (2025–2025); Illinois (2024–2024); Illinois (2026–2026) | Kicker PAAR | 7.560 | 12 | — | Pass — · Rush —1st — · 2nd — · 3rd — Standard downs — · Passing downs — | 2022: 3★ · 0.8356 |
Brayden Trimble · WRCFBD athlete 5211769. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 7.2% | Pass 14.5% · Rush 0.0%1st 6.2% · 2nd 5.5% · 3rd 10.3% Standard downs 7.0% · Passing downs 7.7% | Not linked |
Carson Boyd · QBCFBD athlete 5196352. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.7% | Pass 2.3% · Rush 5.2%1st 1.2% · 2nd 6.5% · 3rd 5.0% Standard downs 4.4% · Passing downs 1.9% | Not linked |
Christian Abney · TECFBD athlete 5076651. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.3% | Pass 4.7% · Rush 0.0%1st 0.9% · 2nd 4.6% · 3rd 1.9% Standard downs 1.6% · Passing downs 4.2% | Not linked |
Collin Dixon · WRCFBD athlete 4923226. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 16.0% | Pass 31.8% · Rush 0.5%1st 11.9% · 2nd 20.5% · 3rd 14.9% Standard downs 12.8% · Passing downs 23.8% | Not linked |
Davin Stoffel · TECFBD athlete 5154729. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.9% | Pass 3.4% · Rush 0.0%1st 0.0% · 2nd 2.2% · 3rd 5.8% Standard downs 0.5% · Passing downs 5.1% | Not linked |
Eddie Kasper · WRCFBD athlete 5087240. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.4% | Pass 2.7% · Rush 0.0%1st 0.0% · 2nd 4.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 2.1% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Hudson Clement · WRCFBD athlete 5100582. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 9.9% | Pass 20.0% · Rush 0.0%1st 10.3% · 2nd 13.0% · 3rd 5.7% Standard downs 8.3% · Passing downs 13.8% | Not linked |
Javari Barnett · RBCFBD athlete 5203604. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 6.8% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 14.3%1st 11.4% · 2nd 4.6% · 3rd 1.8% Standard downs 8.8% · Passing downs 2.5% | Not linked |
Jershaun Newton · WRCFBD athlete 5217444. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.5% | Pass 1.6% · Rush 1.5%1st 1.9% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 3.2% Standard downs 2.3% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Jordan Anderson · RBCFBD athlete 4826636. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 8.0% | Pass 0.5% · Rush 16.3%1st 9.1% · 2nd 3.3% · 3rd 12.0% Standard downs 9.6% · Passing downs 4.4% | Not linked |
Kaden Feagin · TECFBD athlete 4870728. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.6% | Pass 7.3% · Rush 0.0%1st 2.1% · 2nd 4.5% · 3rd 6.0% Standard downs 2.6% · Passing downs 6.1% | Not linked |
Michael Clayton II · QBCFBD athlete 5198286. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 23.7% | Pass 44.8% · Rush 7.1%1st 10.7% · 2nd 25.6% · 3rd 44.8% Standard downs 15.7% · Passing downs 40.5% | Not linked |
Ty Robinson · WRCFBD athlete 4689721. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 4.2% | Pass 8.0% · Rush 0.0%1st 4.1% · 2nd 3.9% · 3rd 4.2% Standard downs 3.3% · Passing downs 6.1% | Not linked |
Transfers
Incoming · 20 reported
| Player | From | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Perry · WR | Florida International | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Carter Janki · DL | Pennsylvania | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Christian Martin · OT | Colorado State | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Connor Sullivan · DL | Washington State | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Darrell Prater · DL | Jacksonville State | 2026-01-21 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Deuce Fillmore · CB | Georgia State | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Ean Rhea · EDGE | Emory & Henry | 2026-05-24 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Eddie Kasper · WR | Illinois State | 2026-03-05 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Ethan Moczulski · K | Washington | 2026-01-15 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Isaiah Thomison · DL | Bowling Green | 2026-01-17 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Jake Renfro · IOL | Wisconsin | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| James Finley IV · S | Northern Illinois | 2026-03-25 | 4★ / 0.9000 | Immediate |
| Jayshon Platt · WR | Florida Atlantic | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Katin Houser · QB | East Carolina | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Lavon Williams · S | East Texas A&M | 2026-01-04 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Maurice Smith · ATH | Chowan | 2026-01-05 | — / — | Immediate |
| Robert Edmonson · LB | Colorado State | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Ty Robinson · WR | Ball State | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| William Holmes · EDGE | Utah State | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Zach Haber · LS | Arkansas | 2026-01-07 | — / — | Immediate |
Outgoing · 27 reported
| Player | To | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Capka-Jones · WR | Not reported | 2026-01-15 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Amar Reynolds · CB | Florida Atlantic | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Angelo McCullom · DL | Texas A&M | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Ashton Hollins · WR | Georgia Southern | 2026-01-14 | 3★ / 0.8200 | Immediate |
| Cole Rusk · TE | Arizona | 2026-01-06 | 4★ / 0.9100 | Immediate |
| Curt Neal · DL | Purdue | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| David Olano · K | Texas A&M | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Donovan Turner · CB | Sacramento State | 2026-01-15 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Easton Baker · LB | Not reported | 2025-12-02 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Eli Coenen · DL | Michigan State | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Ethan Hampton · QB | Southern Miss | 2026-01-11 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Harrysson Ngassa · EDGE | South Florida | 2026-04-30 | 2★ / — | Immediate |
| Jake Furtney · TE | Ohio | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Jeremiah Warren · DL | Pittsburgh | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Jojo Hayden · LB | Purdue | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Justin Bowick · WR | Oklahoma State | 2026-01-08 | 4★ / 0.9000 | Immediate |
| Kaleb Patterson · CB | Kansas State | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| Kellen Francis · OT | Not reported | 2025-12-31 | — / — | Immediate |
| Malachi Hood · LB | West Virginia | 2026-01-07 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Malik Elzy · WR | LSU | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Mario Sanders II · WR | Southern Miss | 2026-01-13 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Saboor Karriem · S | Temple | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Tomiwa Durojaiye · DL | South Carolina | 2026-01-10 | 4★ / 0.9300 | Immediate |
| Trey Petty · QB | Western Michigan | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8300 | Immediate |
| Tyler McMillan · OT | Eastern Michigan | 2026-01-13 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Tyson Rooks · S | Not reported | 2026-01-02 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Vernon Woodward III · CB | Jacksonville State | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
Transfer observations can include unresolved destinations. CFBD supplies no timezone for transfer dates and no athlete ID linking these records to the efficiency table. These observations do not establish current roster membership or game availability.
Descriptive context only; no player or transfer value enters the prediction model. Adjusted metrics require unambiguous season/team history. Usage-only rows use the captured athlete ID and team; conflicting usage identities are omitted. Missing values are unavailable, not zero. Provider coverage is incomplete.
Coaching eras
Continuous appointments at Illinois. Records are CFBD-attributed results; active tenures and the current season may be incomplete.
Bret Bielema · career 134–84 across 18 seasons and 3 schools
Tenure timeline · 25 appointments
2021–present · Bret Bielema · active at capture
37–26 · 63 attributed games · 6 seasons
Hired 2020-12-19. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2020–2020 · Rod Smith
0–1 · 1 attributed games · 1 seasons · incomplete attribution
Hired 2020-12-13. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2016–2020 · Lovie Smith
17–39 · 56 attributed games · 5 seasons · incomplete attribution
Hired 2016-03-07. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2015–2015 · Bill Cubit
5–7 · 12 attributed games · 1 seasons
Hired 2015-08-28. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2012–2014 · Tim Beckman
12–25 · 37 attributed games · 3 seasons
Hired 2011-12-09. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2005–2011 · Ron Zook
34–51 · 85 attributed games · 7 seasons
Hired 2004-12-07. Exact effective dates unavailable.
1997–2004 · Ron Turner
35–57 · 92 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1992–1996 · Lou Tepper
25–30–2 · 57 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1988–1991 · John Mackovic
30–16–1 · 47 attributed games · 4 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1980–1987 · Mike White
47–41–3 · 91 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1977–1979 · Gary Moeller
6–24–3 · 33 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1971–1976 · Bob Blackman
29–36–1 · 66 attributed games · 6 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1967–1970 · James Valek
8–32 · 40 attributed games · 4 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1960–1966 · Pete Elliott
31–34–1 · 66 attributed games · 7 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1942–1959 · Ray Eliot
83–73–11 · 167 attributed games · 18 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1913–1941 · Robert Zuppke
131–81–12 · 224 attributed games · 29 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1907–1912 · Arthur Hall
27–10–3 · 40 attributed games · 6 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1906–1906 · Justa Lindgren
1–3–1 · 5 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1905–1905 · Fred Lowenthal
5–4 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1903–1903 · George Woodruff
8–6 · 14 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1901–1902 · Edgar Holt
18–4–1 · 23 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1900–1900 · Fred Smith
7–3–2 · 12 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1895–1899 · George Huff
21–16–3 · 40 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1894–1894 · Louis Vail
5–3 · 8 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1892–1893 · E.K. Hall
12–5–5 · 22 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
Season résumé · 2015–2026
Coach-attributed records appear beside team-season ratings, recruiting and poll context. Shared seasons appear once per coach; rows are not assigned to individual stints. Ratings describe team performance, not a causal coaching effect.
| Season / coach | Record | Conference | Postseason | SP+ | SRS | Recruiting rank | Final poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · Bret Bielema · incomplete attribution | 0–0 | — | — | 6 | 5.7 | 24 | — |
| 2025 · Bret Bielema | 9–4 | 5–4 | 1–0 | 12.9 | 12.3 | 45 | — |
| 2024 · Bret Bielema | 10–3 | 6–3 | 1–0 | 9.6 | 8.8 | 49 | 16 |
| 2023 · Bret Bielema | 5–7 | 3–6 | 0–0 | -2.5 | -2.3 | 38 | — |
| 2022 · Bret Bielema | 8–5 | 5–4 | 0–1 | 15.9 | 11.7 | 46 | — |
| 2021 · Bret Bielema | 5–7 | 4–5 | 0–0 | 4.3 | -0.9 | 73 | — |
| 2020 · Lovie Smith · incomplete attribution | 2–5 | — | — | -5.4 | -7.4 | 87 | — |
| 2020 · Rod Smith · incomplete attribution | 0–1 | — | — | -5.4 | -7.4 | 87 | — |
| 2019 · Lovie Smith | 6–7 | 4–5 | 0–1 | 0.6 | -0.4 | 53 | — |
| 2018 · Lovie Smith | 4–8 | 2–7 | 0–0 | -7.9 | -10.5 | 54 | — |
| 2017 · Lovie Smith | 2–10 | 0–9 | 0–0 | -7.4 | -11.4 | 46 | — |
| 2016 · Lovie Smith | 3–9 | 2–7 | 0–0 | -6.7 | -10.1 | 73 | — |
| 2015 · Bill Cubit | 5–7 | 2–6 | 0–0 | 2.7 | -1.5 | 48 | — |
Source: CFBD · captured 2026-10-26T02:02:59.394463+00:00 UTC. Season résumé covers 2015–2026; timeline spans all returned tenures. — means unavailable. Career summaries cover active coaches at capture. This snapshot is descriptive and is not a pregame cutoff.
CFBD season overview
2026 stored season snapshot, including postseason and garbage time. Raw CFBD PPA is not opponent-adjusted EPA or player WEPA. No week cutoff; these values do not enter our forecasts.
Captured 2026-10-26 04:10:14.047809 UTC · Source data
Stat rankings
CFBD FBS ranks · source updated 2026-10-25 13:15:28 UTC · calculated 2026-10-26 04:10:14 UTC · provider cache expiry 2026-10-26 04:20:14 UTC. Rank 1 is best; percentiles use CFBD’s 0–100 scale.
| Statistic | Offense rank / population | Percentile | Defense rank / population | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPA / play | 35 / 138 | 75.2 | 124 / 138 | 10.2 |
| Success rate | 23 / 138 | 83.9 | 120 / 138 | 13.1 |
| Explosiveness | 51 / 138 | 63.5 | 93 / 138 | 32.8 |
| Standard-down success | 21 / 138 | 85.4 | 109 / 138 | 21.2 |
| Passing-down success | 26 / 138 | 81.8 | 127 / 138 | 8.0 |
| Pass PPA | 45 / 138 | 67.9 | 115 / 138 | 16.8 |
| Rush PPA | 38 / 138 | 73.0 | 109 / 138 | 21.2 |
| Pass explosiveness | 104 / 138 | 24.8 | 26 / 138 | 81.8 |
| Rush explosiveness | 34 / 138 | 75.9 | 103 / 138 | 25.5 |
| Line yards | 21 / 138 | 85.4 | 58 / 138 | 58.4 |
| Second-level yards | 61 / 138 | 56.2 | 64 / 138 | 54.0 |
| Open-field yards | 28 / 138 | 80.3 | 30 / 138 | 78.8 |
| Stuff rate | 6 / 138 | 96.4 | 68 / 138 | 51.1 |
| Power success | 68 / 138 | 51.1 | T72 / 138 | 47.8 |
| Havoc | T13 / 138 | 90.9 | 120 / 138 | 13.1 |
| Front-seven havoc | T9 / 138 | 93.4 | T116 / 138 | 15.0 |
| DB havoc | T82 / 138 | 38.3 | T92 / 138 | 32.1 |
| Points / opportunity | 70 / 138 | 49.6 | 88 / 138 | 36.5 |
| Average field position | T93 / 138 | 32.1 | T78 / 138 | 42.7 |
| Field-position expected points | 100 / 138 | 27.7 | T78 / 138 | 43.4 |
Player PPA and usage
Ordered by overall usage. Open a player for pass, rush, down and situation splits. Usage is the provider’s share of team plays in each situation; PPA is the provider’s average or total for that player. Missing values stay blank (—); play counts are not supplied here. Standard downs are 1st down, 2nd-and-7 or shorter, and 3rd/4th-and-4 or shorter; other situations are passing downs.
Katin Houser · QBUsage 56.1% · Avg PPA 0.317 · Total 68.497
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.317 | 68.497 | 56.1% |
| Pass | 0.285 | 54.373 | 96.0% |
| Rush | 0.736 | 17.663 | 13.9% |
| 1st down | 0.272 | 22.837 | 49.4% |
| 2nd down | 0.491 | 38.269 | 60.9% |
| 3rd down | 0.431 | 18.945 | 62.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.303 | 41.484 | 50.6% |
| Passing downs | 0.342 | 27.013 | 69.3% |
Michael Clayton II · QBUsage 23.7% · Avg PPA -0.061 · Total -1.889
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.061 | -1.889 | 23.7% |
| Pass | 0.283 | 7.346 | 44.8% |
| Rush | -1.847 | -9.235 | 7.1% |
| 1st down | -0.934 | -5.607 | 10.7% |
| 2nd down | 0.446 | 4.907 | 25.6% |
| 3rd down | 0.236 | 3.072 | 44.8% |
| Standard downs | -0.472 | -6.612 | 15.7% |
| Passing downs | 0.278 | 4.724 | 40.5% |
Aidan Laughery · RBUsage 19.9% · Avg PPA 0.238 · Total 20.954
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.238 | 20.954 | 19.9% |
| Pass | 0.187 | 2.430 | 5.9% |
| Rush | 0.247 | 18.524 | 35.7% |
| 1st down | 0.019 | 0.884 | 24.2% |
| 2nd down | 0.443 | 13.289 | 20.5% |
| 3rd down | 0.498 | 4.981 | 11.5% |
| Standard downs | 0.118 | 8.407 | 22.7% |
| Passing downs | 0.738 | 12.547 | 13.1% |
Ca'Lil Valentine · RBUsage 17.0% · Avg PPA 0.102 · Total 5.399
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.102 | 5.399 | 17.0% |
| Pass | 0.813 | 3.251 | 2.5% |
| Rush | 0.044 | 2.148 | 35.0% |
| 1st down | -0.041 | -1.267 | 22.5% |
| 2nd down | 0.403 | 6.846 | 16.5% |
| 3rd down | -0.036 | -0.180 | 8.6% |
| Standard downs | 0.134 | 6.420 | 21.4% |
| Passing downs | -0.204 | -1.021 | 5.7% |
Collin Dixon · WRUsage 16.0% · Avg PPA 0.834 · Total 59.248
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.834 | 59.248 | 16.0% |
| Pass | 0.843 | 58.991 | 31.8% |
| Rush | 0.257 | 0.257 | 0.5% |
| 1st down | 0.723 | 16.619 | 11.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.686 | 20.574 | 20.5% |
| 3rd down | 1.526 | 19.844 | 14.9% |
| Standard downs | 0.619 | 24.765 | 12.8% |
| Passing downs | 1.112 | 34.483 | 23.8% |
Hudson Clement · WRUsage 9.9% · Avg PPA 0.459 · Total 20.194
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.459 | 20.194 | 9.9% |
| Pass | 0.459 | 20.194 | 20.0% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.394 | 7.871 | 10.3% |
| 2nd down | 0.467 | 8.880 | 13.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.689 | 3.443 | 5.7% |
| Standard downs | 0.408 | 10.596 | 8.3% |
| Passing downs | 0.533 | 9.598 | 13.8% |
Jordan Anderson · RBUsage 8.0% · Avg PPA 0.077 · Total 2.320
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.077 | 2.320 | 8.0% |
| Pass | -0.504 | -0.504 | 0.5% |
| Rush | 0.097 | 2.824 | 16.3% |
| 1st down | -0.107 | -1.600 | 9.1% |
| 2nd down | 0.466 | 1.864 | 3.3% |
| 3rd down | 0.471 | 4.238 | 12.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.012 | -0.307 | 9.6% |
| Passing downs | 0.525 | 2.627 | 4.4% |
Brayden Trimble · WRUsage 7.2% · Avg PPA -0.160 · Total -5.118
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.160 | -5.118 | 7.2% |
| Pass | -0.160 | -5.118 | 14.5% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.149 | 1.787 | 6.2% |
| 2nd down | 0.278 | 2.223 | 5.5% |
| 3rd down | 0.312 | 2.808 | 10.3% |
| Standard downs | -0.085 | -1.866 | 7.0% |
| Passing downs | -0.325 | -3.253 | 7.7% |
Javari Barnett · RBUsage 6.8% · Avg PPA 0.096 · Total 1.733
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.096 | 1.733 | 6.8% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | 0.096 | 1.733 | 14.3% |
| 1st down | 0.012 | 0.162 | 11.4% |
| 2nd down | 0.068 | 0.272 | 4.6% |
| 3rd down | 1.299 | 1.299 | 1.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.082 | 1.318 | 8.8% |
| Passing downs | 0.208 | 0.416 | 2.5% |
Ty Robinson · WRUsage 4.2% · Avg PPA 0.673 · Total 10.761
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.673 | 10.761 | 4.2% |
| Pass | 0.673 | 10.761 | 8.0% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 1.004 | 7.026 | 4.1% |
| 2nd down | 1.454 | 7.269 | 3.9% |
| 3rd down | 0.031 | 0.094 | 4.2% |
| Standard downs | 1.016 | 9.144 | 3.3% |
| Passing downs | 0.231 | 1.617 | 6.1% |
Carson Boyd · QBUsage 3.7% · Avg PPA 0.339 · Total 2.370
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.339 | 2.370 | 3.7% |
| Pass | -0.410 | -0.819 | 2.3% |
| Rush | 0.638 | 3.190 | 5.2% |
| 1st down | 0.086 | 0.086 | 1.2% |
| 2nd down | -0.160 | -0.641 | 6.5% |
| 3rd down | 1.463 | 2.926 | 5.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.327 | 1.959 | 4.4% |
| Passing downs | 0.411 | 0.411 | 1.9% |
Kaden Feagin · TEUsage 3.6% · Avg PPA -0.412 · Total -4.939
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.412 | -4.939 | 3.6% |
| Pass | -0.412 | -4.939 | 7.3% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | -0.284 | -0.852 | 2.1% |
| 2nd down | -0.428 | -2.139 | 4.5% |
| 3rd down | -0.487 | -1.948 | 6.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.219 | -1.312 | 2.6% |
| Passing downs | -0.604 | -3.627 | 6.1% |
Christian Abney · TEUsage 2.3% · Avg PPA 0.145 · Total 0.872
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.145 | 0.872 | 2.3% |
| Pass | 0.145 | 0.872 | 4.7% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.289 | 0.289 | 0.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.393 | 1.573 | 4.6% |
| 3rd down | -0.990 | -0.990 | 1.9% |
| Standard downs | 0.584 | 1.753 | 1.6% |
| Passing downs | -0.294 | -0.881 | 4.2% |
Davin Stoffel · TEUsage 1.9% · Avg PPA 0.274 · Total 1.368
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.274 | 1.368 | 1.9% |
| Pass | 0.274 | 1.368 | 3.4% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.150 | -0.300 | 2.2% |
| 3rd down | 0.556 | 1.668 | 5.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.543 | 0.543 | 0.5% |
| Passing downs | 0.206 | 0.825 | 5.1% |
Jershaun Newton · WRUsage 1.5% · Avg PPA -0.288 · Total -0.575
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.288 | -0.575 | 1.5% |
| Pass | 0.086 | 0.086 | 1.6% |
| Rush | -0.661 | -0.661 | 1.5% |
| 1st down | 0.086 | 0.086 | 1.9% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | -0.661 | -0.661 | 3.2% |
| Standard downs | -0.288 | -0.575 | 2.3% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Eddie Kasper · WRUsage 1.4% · Avg PPA -0.382 · Total -0.382
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.382 | -0.382 | 1.4% |
| Pass | -0.382 | -0.382 | 2.7% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | -0.382 | -0.382 | 4.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.382 | -0.382 | 2.1% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
2026 · Through provider Week 8. Each metric uses only published FBS teams with a numeric value. Higher percentile is better; tied values receive the midpoint of their positions, rounded to a whole percentile. Missing values are unranked.
Values and percentiles
| Metric | Value | Percentile | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offense PPA/play | 0.211 | 75th138 teams | higher |
| Offense success rate | 0.483 | 84th138 teams | higher |
| Offense explosiveness | 1.261 | 64th138 teams | higher |
| Offense pass PPA/play | 0.288 | 68th138 teams | higher |
| Offense rush PPA/play | 0.164 | 73rd138 teams | higher |
| Defense PPA/play | 0.232 | 10th138 teams | lower |
| Defense success rate | 0.456 | 13th138 teams | lower |
| Defense explosiveness | 1.259 | 33rd138 teams | lower |
| Defense havoc created | 0.129 | 13th138 teams | higher |
Passing profile
2026 · CFBD passing family · raw PPACaptured 2026-10-30. Offense: 98% of 213 attempts charted. Average depth of target 9.7 yards (78th percentile of FBS). Yards after catch 4.0 per completion. Completion 65.3%, 7.5 yards per attempt, pass PPA 0.35.
| Side | Actual | Expected | CPOE (pp) | Qualifying / all attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 63.3% | 59.1% | +4.2 | 180 / 213 |
| Defense allowed | 69.3% | 61.6% | +7.7 | 179 / 226 |
Actual and expected use the same qualifying attempts, which can be fewer than all passes. CPOE is their difference in percentage points (pp); higher is better on offense, lower allowed is better on defense. CFBD models FBS-vs-FBS passes, excluding spikes, throwaways, intentional grounding and attempts without air yards. — means unavailable; small samples have fewer than 40 qualifying attempts.
138 teams with at least 40 charted attempts. The highlighted point is Illinois.
Highlighted bars are deep zones. Shares are of located attempts only.
Defense and rushing detail
| Side | Attempts | Charted | ADOT | YAC | Comp % | PPA | CPOE | CPOE att |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 213 | 98% | 9.7 | 4.0 | 65.3% | 0.35 | +4.2 pp | 180 |
| Passing defense | 226 | 97% | 9.0 | 5.1 | 66.4% | 0.35 | +7.7 pp | 179 |
Rushing production
| Side | Attempts | Yards / carry | Success | PPA | Line yards / rush | Second-level yards / rush | Open-field yards / rush | Stuff rate | Power success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 218 | 5.2 | 46.6% | 0.20 | 3.40 | 1.10 | 1.50 | 11.1% | 73.1% |
| Defense allowed | 234 | 3.9 | 44.5% | 0.21 | 3.10 | 1.00 | 0.70 | 14.5% | 71.8% |
Second-level yards are gained 5–10 yards past the line; open-field yards are beyond 10. These are provider per-rush averages, not totals. Power success measures success with two or fewer yards needed. Exact line-metric and power-success denominators are not supplied in this feed.
Rushing sample and attribution
| Side | Yards recorded | Individual | Unattributed | Sacks | Kneels | Team rushes | Multiple carriers | Direction located / eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 216 / 218 | 215 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 207 / 208 · 99.5% |
| Defense allowed | 229 / 234 | 222 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 219 / 220 · 99.5% |
Counts are attempts. Team totals include sacks, kneels, team-only rushes and unresolved attribution; these categories can overlap and must not be summed. Direction coverage uses ordinary direction-eligible rushes, not all attempts. Missing fields in older captures remain unavailable.
Raw provider values, no opponent adjustment; not model inputs. CFBD metric definitions.
Game-by-game passing and rushing
2026 · Passing CPOE · percentage points. Dashed line: season +4.2 pp. 6 of 7 captured games have this metric. Missing observations break the line.
CPOE is completion percentage over expected on qualifying FBS-vs-FBS attempts; positive means more completions than expected. PPA is raw provider PPA. These are game observations, not opponent-adjusted forecasts. P labels postseason weeks.
Game log and attempt coverage
| Week | Opponent | Pass att | CPOE att | Comp %* | Expected %* | CPOE | ADOT | Pass PPA | Rush att | Rush yds/carry | Rush PPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | UAB | 17 | 16 | 75.0% | 62.0% | +13.0 pp | 7.3 | 0.89 | 26 | 5.8 | 0.15 |
| W2 | Duke | 36 | 35 | 68.6% | 59.9% | +8.6 pp | 9.0 | 0.29 | 32 | 3.9 | -0.11 |
| W3 | Southern Illinois | 29 | 0 | — | — | — | 10.2 | 0.71 | 28 | 6.7 | 0.51 |
| W4 | Ohio State | 38 | 36 | 55.6% | 56.5% | -1.0 pp | 11.4 | 0.17 | 33 | 6.0 | 0.57 |
| W5 | Purdue | 38 | 38 | 55.3% | 54.0% | +1.3 pp | 12.9 | 0.15 | 27 | 4.4 | 0.10 |
| W6 | Michigan State | 36 | 36 | 69.4% | 62.4% | +7.0 pp | 7.6 | 0.38 | 33 | 3.8 | -0.04 |
| W8 | Oregon | 19 | 19 | 63.2% | 64.3% | -1.1 pp | 6.6 | 0.15 | 39 | 5.8 | 0.29 |
*Completion and expected rates use the same CPOE-eligible attempts. ADOT uses available air-yard attempts; a game needs at least one. No missing family is filled with the other family’s data.
Punting and returns
2026 season to date · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30T11:16:37.416814+00:00. Descriptive totals, including postseason when present.
Our punts
18 punts · 43.3 gross yards/punt · 39.9 net yards/punt
6 inside the 20 · 1 touchbacks · 0 blocked
Known gross yards: 18/18 punts. Known net yards: 14/18 punts.
Our punt returns
4 returns · 24.5 yards/return · 0 touchdowns
0 muffs · 0 opponent punts blocked
Known return yards: 4/4 returns. Return totals include team-only and unattributed plays.
Recent games
| Game | Punts | Gross yd/punt | Net yd/punt | Known net yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 8 · Oregon | 8 | 44.5 | 41.1 | 7/8 |
| Week 6 · Michigan State | 1 | 44.0 | 39.0 | 1/1 |
| Week 5 · Purdue | 3 | 37.3 | 37.3 | 3/3 |
| Week 4 · Ohio State | 2 | 47.5 | — | 0/2 |
| Week 3 · Southern Illinois | 3 | 43.3 | 48.5 | 2/3 |