| Mode: | football |
| Year: | 2022 |
| Team: | Illinois Fighting Illini |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Record: | 8–5 |
| Conf Record: | 5–4 |
| Head Coach: | Bret Bielema |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Coach: | Barry Lunney Jr. |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Off Scheme: | Spread |
| Def Coach: | Ryan Walters |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Stadium: | Memorial Stadium |
| Bowl: | ReliaQuest Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | L 10–19 vs. Mississippi State |
The 2022 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represents the University of Illinois in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Bret Bielema was in his second season as the team's head coach. The Fighting Illini played home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Key players included senior quarterback Tommy DeVito and junior running back Chase Brown.
In Week 6, the Fighting Illini became ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 2011.[1] The Illini clinched a winning season for the first time since that same season.
Illinois announced its 2022 football schedule on January 12, 2022.[2] The 2022 schedule consists of seven home games and five away games in the regular season. The Fighting Illini will host Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Purdue and will travel to Indiana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and Northwestern.[3] The Fighting Illini will host all three of their non-conference opponents, Wyoming from the Mountain West, Virginia from ACC, and Chattanooga from Division I FCS.
See also: 2022 Wyoming Cowboys football team.
See also: 2022 Indiana Hoosiers football team.
See also: 2022 Virginia Cavaliers football team.
See also: 2022 Chattanooga Mocs football team.
See also: 2022 Wisconsin Badgers football team.
See also: 2022 Iowa Hawkeyes football team.
Illinois won for the first time in nine tries in the series since the two teams became part of the Big Ten West. It was also former Iowa player and coach Bret Bielema's first game at Illinois against Iowa, as he missed the 2021 meeting due to issues relating to COVID-19.
| Statistics | IOWA | ILL |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 13 | 18 |
| Total yards | 221 | 316 |
| Rushing yards | 52 | 200 |
| Passing yards | 169 | 116 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 28:55 | 31:05 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | Passing | 18/36, 169 yards, INT | |
| Rushing | Leshon Williams | 7 carries, 32 yards | |
| Receiving | 9 receptions, 100 yards | ||
| Illinois | Passing | 13/19, 74 yards, INT | |
| Rushing | Chase Brown | 31 carries, 146 yards | |
| Receiving | Brian Hightower | 5 receptions, 68 yards |
See also: 2022 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.
See also: 2022 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.
| Statistics | ILL | NEB |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 18 | 9 |
| Total yards | 367 | 248 |
| Rushes/yards | 48–188 | 25–60 |
| Passing yards | 179 | 188 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 20–22–0 | 11–24–3 |
| Time of possession | 38:13 | 21:47 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Passing | Tommy DeVito | 20/22, 179 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Chase Brown | 32 carries, 149 yards, TD | |
| Receiving | 9 receptions, 93 yards, TD | ||
| Nebraska | Passing | 7/15, 172 yards, TD, 2 INT | |
| Rushing | Anthony Grant | 12 carries, 61 yards | |
| Receiving | 1 reception, 56 yards, TD |
See also: 2022 Michigan State Spartans football team.
See also: 2022 Purdue Boilermakers football team and Purdue Cannon.
See also: 2022 Michigan Wolverines football team and Illinois–Michigan football rivalry.
See also: 2022 Northwestern Wildcats football team and Illinois-Northwestern football rivalry.
| Bret Bielema | Head coach | 2nd | |
| Ryan Walters | Defensive coordinator | 2nd | |
| Barry Lunney Jr. | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach | 1st | |
| George McDonald | Wide receivers Coach / assistant head coach | 2nd | |
| Kevin Kane | Outside linebackers Coach / associate head coach | 2nd | |
| Bart Miller | Offensive line coach | 2nd | |
| Andy Buh | Linebackers coach | 2nd | |
| Terrance Jamison | Defensive line coach | 2nd | |
| Aaron Henry | Defensive backs coach | 2nd | |
| Ben Miller | Tight ends coach/special teams coordinator | 2nd | |
| Cory Patterson | Running backs coach | 5th |