Saturday, October 31
College Park, Md.
11 AM CT
University of Illinois
at
Maryland
October 26, 2026 | Football
PREVIEW
| Illinois (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) at Maryland (2-5, 0-4 Big Ten) | |
|---|---|
| Date | Time | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT |
| Location | College Park, Maryland (SECU Stadium) |
| Tickets | UMTerps.com |
| TV | FS1 |
| Radio | Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | SiriusXM (262) | SXM App |
| Live Stats | illinois.statbroadcast.com |
| Illinois | Game Notes |
| Maryland | UMTerps.com |
| Shop | Fighting Illini Store |
| Social Media | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook |
| App | Fighting Illini App |
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Following two straight Big Ten wins, Illinois heads to Maryland for the second time in program history and the first time since 2023. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday at 12 p.m. ET/11 a.m. CT on FS1.
Illinois (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) is coming off a 21-10 win over #-/25 Oregon in Champaign. The Illini scored the games final 21 points to come from behind and beat the Ducks. The Illinois defense, led by Juice Clarke's 10 tackles and two pass breakups, snapped Oregon's streak of 61 straight games scoring more than 10 points.
Maryland (2-5, 0-4 Big Ten) is coming off a bye and will play its first game under interim head coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim.
Noah Reed (play-by-play) and Mark Helfrich (analyst) have the the national television broadcast on FS1. The Busey Bank Illini Sports Network has the state-wide radio call with Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Carey Davis (analyst), and Kevin Mitchell (sideline).
Press Conference
Notes
ILLINOIS OFFENSE NOTES
- WR Collin Dixon is one of the top wide receivers in the nation:
- One of only four players in the nation to rank in the top 15 in receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, along with Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Malachi Toney (Miami), and Umari Hatcher (Syracuse)
- Fourth in the nation in receiving touchdowns (10), behind Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, Oregon State's Jesse Legree, and Miami's Malachi Toney
- Broke Illinois' Gies Memorial Stadium record for receiving touchdowns in a season (7) in three games
- Tied Illinois' single-season record with his 10th receiving touchdown during last week's Oregon game
- Fifth in the nation and leads in the Big Ten in receptions (54)
- 14th in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten in receiving yards (678)
- 16th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in total touchdowns (10)
- QB Katin Houser will miss an extended period of time after suffering a broken hand at Michigan State on Oct. 10. Houser ranked in the top 25 in the nation in ESPN's QBR metric (21st, 80.5), passing touchdowns (24th, 12), completions (17th, 122), and passing yards (23rd, 1,440) before going down with the injury.
- QB Michael Clayton II relieved Houser at Michigan State and became the first true freshman to throw 2+ touchdowns in a Big Ten win in Illinois program history. He was 6-of-8 passing for 88 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown pass to Hudson Clement on the first play of overtime.
- Clayton was the third true freshman quarterback in Illinois history to win a game as the starter, joining Juice Williams at Michigan State in 2006 and Kurt Kittner at Northwestern in 1998. Clayton was the first to beat a ranked team.
- Clayton was the sixth Illini true freshman to start at QB: M.J. Rivers II (2018, 3G), Cam Thomas (2017, 2G), Aaron Bailey (2013, 1G), Juice Williams (2006, 9G), Kurt Kittner (1998, 5G).
- RB Aidan Laughery and Qwantavius Wiggins (Georgia State) are the only running backs in the nation with two touchdown rushes over 75 yards this season.
- Laughery has 100+-yard games against two ranked opponents - Ohio State (113) and Oregon (123). In the last 25 years, he is the only player to run for over 100 yards against both Ohio State and Oregon in the same season.
- Laughery ran for 113 yards at Ohio State, the first opposing player to rush for 100+ at Ohio Stadium since Michigan's Kalel Mullings (116 yards) on Nov. 30, 2024.
ILLINOIS DEFENSE NOTES
- After Oregon scored a touchdown on its first drive, the Illini defense only allowed three points on the last 12 Ducks drives, including five three-and-outs.
- DB Matthew Bailey is the only player in the nation returning after leading his team in tackles in 2024 and 2025. Bailey is Illinois' leading tackler again this season with 49, including a career-high 14 at Ohio State.
- DL Will Holmes' 24 pressures ranks fourth in the Big Ten, according to PFF
- CB Juice Clarke ranks ninth in the nation in pass breakups (8). He is tied for the Big Ten lead with Audavion Collins (Penn State) and Ivy Obidegwu (Oregon).
- Clarke had one of the best games of his career against Oregon, allowing only one reception for three yards on 42 coverage snaps. He had more pass breakups (2) than receptions allowed (1) on only three targets against.
ILLINOIS SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
- Illinois had punted only 10 times through six games, tied with Oklahoma State for the fewest in the nation, before punting eight times against Oregon.
- Illinois punter Lars Rau has landed six of his last 14 punts inside the 12-yard line over the last four games, including two at Ohio State (4- and 7-yard lines), two against Purdue (9- and 11-yard lines), and two against Oregon (both on the 9-yard line).
- Illinois kicker Ethan Moczulski is 10-for-12 on field goals and 10-for-11 inside of 60 yards, including two made field goals over 50 yards. He ranks sixth in the Big Ten in made field goals (10) and fifth in field goal percentage (83.3).
RANKED WINS
- Illinois is 7-5 against ranked opponents (AP, Coaches, and/or CFP rankings) since 2024. From the 2008 Rose Bowl game through the 2023 season, Illinois went 5-41 against ranked teams and two of those wins were under Bielema in 2021 (at #7/8 Penn State; at #20 Minnesota).
- Illinois' ranked wins since 2024:
- 2026: #-/25 Oregon
- 2025: #21/22 USC, #-/23 Tennessee (Music City Bowl)
- 2024: #19/20 Kansas, at #22/22 Nebraska, #24/22 Michigan, vs. #14/14 South Carolina (Citrus Bowl)
- All seven of Illinois' ranked wins since 2024 have come as underdogs.
- Illinois has beaten at least one ranked team in three straight seasons for the first time since an eight-year run from 1988-95.
Players Mentioned
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