The 2022 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 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their second season under head coach Bret Bielema, the Fighting Illini compiled an 8âÂÂ5 record (5âÂÂ4 in conference games), tied for second place in the Big Ten's West Division, and outscored opponents by a total of 315 to 166.
Junior running back Chase Brown led the team in rushing (1,643 rushing yards on 328 carries) and scoring (13 touchdowns, 78 points scored). He also had 27 receptions for 240 yards. The team's other statistical leaders included senior quarterback Tommy DeVito (2,650 passing yards, 69.6% completion percentage), wide receiver Isaiah Williams (82 receptions for 715 yards), and linebacker Isaac Darkangelo (71 total tackles). Defensive back Devon Witherspoon was a consensus All-American, and offensive lineman Alex Palczewski won first-team honors from The Sporting News.
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Illinois announced its 2022 football schedule on January 12, 2022. The 2022 schedule consists of seven home games and five away games in the regular season. The Fighting Illini will host Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan State, and Purdue and will travel to Indiana, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and Northwestern. The Fighting Illini will host all three of their non-conference opponents, Wyoming from the Mountain West, Virginia from ACC, and Chattanooga from Division I FCS.
Illinois won for the first time in nine tries in the series since the two teams became part of the Big Ten West. It was also former Iowa player and coach Bret Bielema's first game at Illinois against Iowa, as he missed the 2021 meeting due to issues relating to COVID-19.