The 2020 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their fifth and final season under head coach Lovie Smith, the Fighting Illini compiled a 2âÂÂ6 record (2âÂÂ6 in conference games), finished in fifth place in the Big Ten's West Division, and were outscored by a total of 279 to 161. Prior to the team's final game, Smith was fired as head coach.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Brandon Peters (429 passing yards, 48.8% completion percentage), running back Chase Brown (540 rushing yards), wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe (22 receptions for 297 yards), kicker James McCourt (33 points, 15 of 15 extra points, 6 of 10 field goals), and linebacker Jake Hansen (68 total tackles, 36 solo tackles).
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
The Big Ten preseason media prediction poll was released on July 31, 2020. The Fighting Illini were predicted to finish seventh (last) in the Big Ten West.
Illinois had games scheduled against Illinois State, UConn, and Bowling Green, but canceled these games on July 9 due to the Big Ten Conference's decision to play a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.