The Illinois football program finalized Eastern Illinois as its 2024 season-opening opponent. The Fighting Illini and EIU are scheduled to start the season at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31 during Week 1 of the college football season.

Illinois and Eastern Illinois were originally scheduled to play during Week 4 on Sept. 21 before Illinois' new Big Ten schedule was announced in November. The new Big Ten schedule included Illinois at Nebraska on Sept. 21. 

The Eastern Illinois game will be Illinois' first at Memorial Stadium during the 100th Anniversary season.

2024 Illinois Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location
Sat., Aug. 31 Eastern Illinois Memorial Stadium
Sat., Sept. 7 Kansas Memorial Stadium
Sat., Sept. 14 Central Michigan Memorial Stadium
Sat., Sept. 21 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb.
Sat., Sept. 28 at Penn State State College, Pa.
Sat., Oct. 5 OFF --
Sat., Oct. 12 Purdue Memorial Stadium
Sat., Oct. 19 Michigan Memorial Stadium
Sat., Oct. 26 at Oregon Eugene, Ore.
Sat., Nov. 2 Minnesota Memorial Stadium
Sat., Nov. 9 OFF --
Sat., Nov. 16 Michigan State Memorial Stadium
Sat., Nov. 23 at Rutgers Piscataway, N.J.
Sat., Nov. 30 at Northwestern Evanston, Ill.
Sat., Dec. 7 Big Ten Championship Indianapolis, Ind.