2023 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

2023 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record5–7 (3–6 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBarry Lunney Jr. (2nd season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorAaron Henry (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinatorTerrance Jamison (1st season)
Base defenseMultiple 3–4
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
2023 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 1 Michigan xy$#^   9 0     15 0  
No. 10 Ohio State   8 1     11 2  
No. 13 Penn State   7 2     10 3  
Maryland   4 5     8 5  
Rutgers   3 6     7 6  
Indiana   1 8     3 9  
Michigan State   0 7     0 8  
West Division
No. 24 Iowa xy   7 2     10 4  
Northwestern   5 4     8 5  
Wisconsin   5 4     7 6  
Minnesota   3 6     6 7  
Illinois   3 6     5 7  
Nebraska   3 6     5 7  
Purdue   3 6     4 8  
Championship: Michigan 26, Iowa 0
  • # – College Football Playoff champion
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • † — NCAA vacated all wins for Michigan State (4–8, 2–7)
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2023 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 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their third season under head coach Bret Bielema, the Fighting Illini compiled a 5–7 record (3–6 in conference games), finished in a four-way tie for fourth/last place in the Big Ten's West Division, and were outscored by a total of 353 to 294.

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Luke Altmyer (1,883 passing yards), running back Reggie Love III (567 rushing yards), wide receiver Isaiah Williams (82 receptions for 1,055 yards), kicker David Olano (89 points scored, 38 of 39 extra points, 17 of 20 field goals), and linebacker Dylan Rosiek (82 total tackles, 52 solo tackles). Isaiah Williams and defensive lineman Johnny Newton received first-team honors on the 2023 All-Big Ten Conference football team.

Playing its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, the team drew an average home attendance of 49,698.