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Big Ten Matchups
Illinois vs California
Who wins Illinois vs California?
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Head-to-head on record
| Team | Wins | Series |
|---|---|---|
 Illinois Fighting Illini | 7 | Illinois leads |
 California Golden Bears | 4 |
Meetings since 1955: 11. Source: CollegeFootballData game log.
The series in numbers
California has won the last 3 meetings.
7-3 Regular season
0-1 Postseason
6-4 Last 10
23-20 Avg score
5 Longest Illinois win run
Biggest Illinois win 44-17 in 2001, a 27-point margin.
Biggest Illinois loss 14-31 in 1974, a 17-point margin.
Every Illinois vs California meeting
| Season | Result | Site | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 * | California win | Neutral | 20-35 |
| 2005 | California win | Berkeley | 20-35 |
| 2003 | California win | Champaign | 24-31 |
| 2001 | Illinois win | Berkeley | 44-17 |
| 2000 | Illinois win | Champaign | 17-15 |
| 1974 | California win | Champaign | 14-31 |
| 1973 | Illinois win | Berkeley | 27-7 |
| 1964 | Illinois win | Berkeley | 20-14 |
| 1963 | Illinois win | Champaign | 10-0 |
| 1956 | Illinois win | Champaign | 32-20 |
| 1955 | Illinois win | Berkeley | 20-13 |
* postseason meeting. Scores from the Illinois perspective. Source: CollegeFootballData game log, since 1955.
Matchup stats
Last five games
Completed results from CollegeFootballData via the CFB Data Hub
Illinois Fighting Illini lead the series since 1955, 7-4. Here is the series on record and how to watch when Illinois and California meet.
How to watch Illinois vs California
When Illinois and California are scheduled, here is how to find the game.
- National TV National windows are set by Set weekly by the conference TV partners (ESPN, ABC, FOX, FS1).
- Streaming ESPN+ and the FOX Sports app stream the national windows.
- Radio Listen on the Illinois radio network.
- Confirm kickoff Kickoff and the exact channel are set by the networks before game week. Check the match center for the Illinois vs California time and line.
The live time, line and how-to-watch details land on the match center and how to watch pages once the game is scheduled.
The Illinois this season
Follow Illinois in the title race on the Big Ten standings, and model the finish with the title race calculator. For the conference series that define the year, see the Big Ten rivalry pages, or browse every Big Ten matchup.
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Illinois vs California: the essentials
Illinois Fighting Illini vs California Golden Bears is a non-conference matchup that sets the Big Ten against the ACC (Power 4). Illinois Fighting Illini lead the series since 1955, 7-4. Across 11 meetings on record the series is one-sided so far, and whenever the two programs are scheduled this page carries the Illinois vs California head-to-head record, the matchup numbers for both sides, and how to watch on TV and streaming. It sits alongside the Illinois Fighting Illini team hub, the Big Ten this week round-up and the live conference standings. For California against the whole conference, see California vs the Big Ten.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the all-time record between Illinois and California?
Illinois Fighting Illini lead the series since 1955, 7-4. The two programs have met 11 times on record.
How can I watch Illinois vs California?
National windows are set by Set weekly by the conference TV partners (ESPN, ABC, FOX, FS1). Kickoff time and the exact channel are set by the networks before game week.
Are Illinois and California in the same conference?
No. Illinois plays in the Big Ten. California plays in the ACC (Power 4). This is a non-conference game.