2021 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 2021 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2021 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 first-year head coach Bret Bielema. The Illini finished the season 5–7, 4–5 in Big Ten play to finish in fifth place in the West division.

The team's 20–18 victory over No. 7-ranked Penn State set a NCAA record for the most overtime periods in one game, with nine.

Big Ten media poll
The Illini were predicted to finish seventh in the Big Ten's West Division.

Charlotte

 * Sources:

No. 17 Iowa

 * Source: Box Score