No. 12 Illinois makes it an easy 18-0 all-time against FCS opponents with a cruising 52-3 victory over Western Illinois in a Friday night opener to mark the beginning of Bret Bielema’s fifth season in Champaign.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 29, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — For the 18th consecutive time in school history, Illinois has once again put itself in the winners category against a lower-level Football Championship Subdivision/Division I-AA opponent.

The Illini’s undefeated streak continued at Memorial Stadium Friday night in a cruising 52-3 victory over Western Illinois.

Illinois, ranked No. 12 in both the preseason Associated Press and Coaches’ polls, dominated an FCS opponent for the third time during Bret Bielema’s five-year tenure in Champaign-Urbana with the only difference Friday night being Western Illinois’ Air Raid passing scheme managed to eventually put points on the scoreboard. Over three games against WIU, Eastern Illinois (45-0 in 2024) and Chattanooga (31-0 in 2022), Illinois has outscored its lower-level non-conference opponent 128-3.

The game was essentially over in the first half after the first five offensive drives for Illinois (1-0), resulting in points with four touchdowns and a field goal for a 31-0 lead at the half.

Illinois third-year starting quarterback Luke Altmyer finished his night going 17 of 21 through the air for 217 yards and three touchdowns in his 23rd career start for the orange and blue. The veteran connected on short three-yard passes to Tanner Arkin and Justin Bowick to open the scoring. After an Aidan Laughery 25-yard scoring run and a David Olano field goal, Altmyer found Bowick again on a 13-yard strike to make it a 31-0 score.

Altmyer has proven to enjoy opening an Illini season. In 2023, he led fourth quarter drive to preserve a come-from-behind victory against Toledo and last season, the 22-year-old tossed a career-high four touchdowns in the 45-0 win over EIU.

It’s hard to envision Bowick’s debut in an Illinois jersey going any better. The transfer from Eastern Illinois and Ball State programs finished with three catches for 23 yards and the pair of touchdown grabs for the 6-foot-4, 210-pound target.

While also being Altmyer’s primary receiving target on Friday night, Hank Beatty certainly proved his value as a special teams performer. The fourth-year receiver ended a nearly 12-year drought of returning a punt back to the end zone for a 69-yard score. Beatty ended the evening with 241 all-purpose yards.

The Illini defense, which coordinator Aaron Henry said earlier in the week should and could be compared in dominance to the 2022 version that led all of FBS in scoring defense and was Top 10 among then-131 FBS programs in passing defense and rushing defense, showed flashes of brilliance Friday night, containing WIU quarterback Chris Irvin in first career Division I start. Irvin, a transfer from Washington State before a stop at Ventura College, a junior college located about 70 miles north of Los Angeles, finished with one turnover and just 149 total yards.

Gabe Jacas, who was a preseason ESPN.com first-team All-America selection and a watch list candidate for the Bronko Nagurski, Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award, ended the night with a pair of sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.

Illinois will be on the road in Week 2 as they prepare for its first trip to play at Duke since the Illini lost 15-13 in 1958 in their only game in Durham, North Carolina. Duke, which matched Illinois’ nine regular season wins last season, opened its 2025 campaign with a 45-17 victory over Elon where the power program from the Atlantic Coast Conference was tied with its FCS opponent at halftime and the Blue Devils led just 21-17 with 14 minutes left in the contest.

ILLINI vs. FCS/Division I-AA Opponents

2025 - vs. WIU 52-3

2024 - vs. EIU 45-0

2022 - vs. Chattanooga 31-0

2018 - vs. WIU 34-14

2015 - vs. WIU 44-0

2014 - vs. Youngstown State 28-17

2013 - vs. SIU 42-34

2012 - vs. Charleston Southern 44-0

2011 - vs. South Dakota State 56-3

2010 - vs. SIU 35-3

2009 - vs. Illinois State 45-17

2008 - vs. EIU 47-21

2007 - vs. WIU 21-0

2006 - vs. EIU 42-17

2004 - vs. Florida A&M 52-13

2003 - vs. Illinois State 49-22

1990 - vs. SIU 56-21

1985 - vs. SIU 28-25