Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 1 | 2:30 PM | at California* | Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, CA | FSN | W 44–17 | 38,160 | ||
| September 8 | 11:00 AM | Northern Illinois* | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | ESPN+ | W 17–12 | 45,674 | ||
| September 22 | 11:00 AM | #25 Louisville* | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | ESPN | W 34–10 | 43,232 | ||
| September 29 | 2:30 PM | at #17 Michigan | #22 | Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI | ABC | L 20–45 | 107,085 | |
| October 6 | 11:00 AM | Minnesota | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | ESPN+ | W 32–14 | 53,225 | ||
| October 13 | 11:00 AM | at Indiana | Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN | ESPN2 | W 35–14 | 31,116 | ||
| October 20 | 11:00 AM | Wisconsin | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | ESPN | W 42–35 | 70,904 | ||
| November 3 | 11:00 AM | at #20 Purdue | #21 | Ross-Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN (Purdue Cannon) | ESPN | W 38–13 | 61,568 | |
| November 10 | 2:30 PM | Penn State | #15 | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL | ABC | W 33–28 | 70,904 | |
| November 17 | 11:00 AM | at #25 Ohio State | #12 | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, OH (Illibuck) | ESPN | W 34–22 | 104,407 | |
| November 24 | 11:00 AM | Northwestern | #10 | Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL (Sweet Sioux Tomahawk) | ESPN2 | W 34–28 | 45,755 | |
| January 1 | 7:30 PM | vs. #12 LSU* | #7 | Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | ABC | L 34–47 | 77,688 | |
Read more about this topic: 2001 Illinois Fighting Illini Football Team