2020 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

2020 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record2–6 (2–6 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorRod Smith (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorLovie Smith (first seven games)
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →
2020 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 2 Ohio State xy$^   5 – 0     7 – 1  
No. 12 Indiana   6 – 1     6 – 2  
Penn State   4 – 5     4 – 5  
Maryland   2 – 3     2 – 3  
Rutgers   3 – 6     3 – 6  
Michigan   2 – 4     2 – 4  
Michigan State   2 – 5     2 – 5  
West Division
No. 10 Northwestern xy   6 – 1     7 – 2  
No. 16 Iowa   6 – 2     6 – 2  
Wisconsin   3 – 3     4 – 3  
Minnesota   3 – 4     3 – 4  
Nebraska   3 – 5     3 – 5  
Purdue   2 – 4     2 – 4  
Illinois   2 – 6     2 – 6  
Championship: Ohio State 22, Northwestern 10
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Note: Due to COVID-19, the Big Ten suspended the season on August 11, but later decided to begin play on October 24. In addition to the title game that was played on December 19, the conference seeded all remaining teams for "championship week" games.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll.

The 2020 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Fighting Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, and competed in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by fifth-year head coach Lovie Smith.

On July 9, 2020, the Big Ten announced that member teams will only play conference games in effort to reduce issues related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[2] On August 11, the Big Ten canceled the college football season for the fall of 2020 due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4][5] On September 16, the Big Ten reinstated the season, announcing an eight-game season beginning on October 24.[6]

Prior to the team's final game, Smith was relieved of his coaching duties.[7] The team finished the season with a record of 2–6.

  1. ^ Stevens, Matthew. "Big Ten To Play A "Championship Weekend" 9th Game Of 2020 Season". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  2. ^ "Big Ten to play conference-only football schedule for 2020 season amid COVID-19 pandemic". CBSSports.com. July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  3. ^ "Big Ten cancels college football season for fall 2020, hopes to play in spring 2021". CBSSports.com. August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  4. ^ West, Jenna (August 11, 2020). "Big Ten Postpones Fall Sports, Including Football". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  5. ^ "Big Ten nixes fall football season, eyes spring". ESPN.com. August 11, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  6. ^ "The Big Ten Conference Adopts Stringent Medical Protocols; Football Season to Resume October 23-24, 2020". Big Ten Conference. September 16, 2020. Archived from the original on September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  7. ^ "Illini Head Coach Lovie Smith Out After Five Seasons". www.msn.com. Retrieved December 14, 2020.