Illinois Fighting Illini bring a 4-game streak to Ryan Field
Northwestern Wildcats meet Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field, Saturday 4:00pm (College Football (NCAA), Week 13). Northwestern Wildcats have won 8 of the 13 meetings with Illinois Fighting Illini since 2013.
The big picture
Northwestern Wildcats are 6–3 in College Football (NCAA) 2026, averaging 31 points for and 19.3 against.
Illinois Fighting Illini are 6–3 in College Football (NCAA) 2026, averaging 28.4 points for and 23 against.
Form
Northwestern Wildcats have won three of their last five and most recently lost to Iowa Hawkeyes 10–24.
Illinois Fighting Illini have won four of their last five and most recently beat Nebraska Cornhuskers 24–13.
Illinois Fighting Illini arrive on a 4-game winning streak.
Head to head
These sides have met 13 times on our records since 2013: Northwestern Wildcats 8, Illinois Fighting Illini 5.
Last time out (2025, Week 14), Illinois Fighting Illini won 20–13 at Gies Memorial Stadium.
Biggest margin between these two: Illinois Fighting Illini by 38 points in 2022 (41–3).
Players to watch
For Northwestern Wildcats, watch Richie Hagarty (5.5 def total tackles a game, 1 def sack in 2023) and Xander Mueller (5.3 def total tackles a game, 2 def sacks in 2023).
For Illinois Fighting Illini, watch Nicario Harper (8 def total tackles a game in 2023) and Dylan Rosiek (8 def total tackles a game in 2023).
At Ryan Field
Northwestern Wildcats have won 5 of their last 6 at Ryan Field.
What the numbers say
On the numbers this is too close to split.
Written automatically from Lineball's own match and player database. Not betting advice.
