Written by
The BIG10.CO Desk
Conference Newsroom · Independent Big Ten coverage since 2026
The house desk of BIG10.CO - independent researchers tracking every Big Ten game, stat and storyline.
Big Ten Matchups
Illinois vs San José State
Who wins Illinois vs San José State?
Tap your pick, it saves on this device.
Head-to-head on record
| Team | Wins | Series |
|---|---|---|
 Illinois Fighting Illini | 1 | Series level |
 San José State Spartans | 1 |
Meetings since 2002: 2. Source: CollegeFootballData game log.
The series in numbers
1-1 Regular season
1-1 Last 2
38-29 Avg score
1 Longest Illinois win run
Biggest Illinois win 40-19 in 2005, a 21-point margin.
Biggest Illinois loss 35-38 in 2002, a 3-point margin.
Every Illinois vs San José State meeting
| Season | Result | Site | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Illinois win | Champaign | 40-19 |
| 2002 | San José State win | Champaign | 35-38 |
Scores from the Illinois perspective. Source: CollegeFootballData game log, since 2002.
Matchup stats
Last five games
Completed results from CollegeFootballData via the CFB Data Hub
The series since 2002 is level at 1-1. Here is the series on record and how to watch when Illinois and San José State meet.
How to watch Illinois vs San José State
When Illinois and San José State 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 San José State 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.
About the author and reviewer
Fact-checked by
BIG10.CO Coverage Review
Fact & Data Review · Primary-source verification
Every stat and historical claim on data pages is checked against official box scores and the live feed before publication.
Independence: BIG10.CO was not paid by any school, network or sportsbook for this page. Corrections are logged in our editorial policy.
Illinois vs San José State: the essentials
Illinois Fighting Illini vs San José State Spartans is a non-conference matchup that sets the Big Ten against the Mountain West (Group of 6). The series since 2002 is level at 1-1. Across 2 meetings on record the series is level, and whenever the two programs are scheduled this page carries the Illinois vs San José State 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 San José State against the whole conference, see San José State vs the Big Ten.
The Big Ten Report
One conference, in your inbox every Tuesday.
Standings, the title race and one opinion on the Big Ten. No filler.
Frequently asked questions
What is the all-time record between Illinois and San José State?
The series since 2002 is level at 1-1. The two programs have met 2 times on record.
How can I watch Illinois vs San José State?
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 San José State in the same conference?
No. Illinois plays in the Big Ten. San José State plays in the Mountain West (Group of 6). This is a non-conference game.