Illinois finished the 2011 season with a 7-6 overall record and a 2-6 mark in Big Ten play. The Fighting Illini started the season 6-0 including wins over Northwestern and Indiana before losing six straight contests. Illinois recovered in the Fight Hunger Bowl with a 20-14 win over UCLA.
Illinois returns 17 starters from a season ago including quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, who threw for over 2,100 yards and 13 touchdowns a season ago.
Illinois begins its non-conference schedule with a game against Western Michigan, and then travels to take on Arizona State, and then concludes with home games against Charleston Southern and Louisiana Tech before opening Big Ten play against Penn State on September 29.