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Illinois Fighting Illini vs Northwestern Wildcats: the Land of Lincoln Trophy

They last met on Saturday, Nov 29, 2025. No market is live on this matchup right now. College football spreads, totals and the community lean post as each game approaches.

Illinois Fighting Illini oddsNorthwestern Wildcats oddsAll college football games
Trophy game

Playing for the Land of Lincoln Trophy

A bronze Lincoln stovepipe hat designed by a Pulitzer-winning cartoonist, played for by Illinois and Northwestern since 2009.

Holder
Illinois
All-time series
Illinois 59-55-5
Trophy era
Northwestern 10-7
First awarded
2009

Series records as of the end of the 2025 season.

  • The 2010 Wrigley Field game used only one end zone for offense: after every change of possession the ball was flipped so the offense always drove west, and the east end zone could only see scores on returns or defensive plays.
  • Mikel Leshoure's 330 rushing yards in that one-way Wrigley game broke Illinois' single-game school record and led the nation that season.
  • Northwestern's athletics department says "Land of Lincoln" beat out three other finalist names, including the "Popcorn Bowl" (after the state snack) and the "Graham-Grange Fire Bell."
How the Land of Lincoln Trophy came to be, and every era since 2009 →

Matchup history

Illinois Fighting Illini and Northwestern Wildcats last played on Saturday, Nov 29, 2025, when the Illinois Fighting Illini won 20–13. Over the last 6 meetings: Illinois Fighting Illini 4, Northwestern Wildcats 2.

Nov 29, 2025NU@ILL13–20ILL
Nov 30, 2024ILLvsNU38–28ILL
Nov 25, 2023NU@ILL45–43NU
Nov 26, 2022ILL@NU41–3ILL
Nov 27, 2021NU@ILL14–47ILL
Dec 12, 2020ILL@NW10–28NW

Meetings from the last 8 seasons, from ESPN.

Next scheduled meeting: Illinois Fighting Illini at Northwestern Wildcats on Nov 28, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET. Lines post as the game approaches.

2026 season so far

Every result both teams have posted this season, with scoring averages.

Big Ten
Illinois Fighting Illini
6-3
Record
28.4
Points/game
23
Allowed/game
  • vs UABW 42-23
  • vs DukeL 27-31
  • vs Southern IllinoisW 48-10
  • at Ohio StateL 19-42
  • vs PurdueL 17-24
  • at Michigan StateW 38-37
  • vs OregonW 21-10
  • at MarylandW 20-17
  • vs NebraskaW 24-13

Went 9-4 in 2025. Current streak: W4. Home: Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL.

Big Ten
Northwestern Wildcats
6-3
Record
31
Points/game
19.3
Allowed/game
  • vs South Dakota StateW 34-18
  • vs ColoradoW 41-7
  • at IndianaL 23-29
  • vs Penn StateW 34-13
  • vs Ball StateW 45-14
  • at Michigan StateW 24-21
  • vs RutgersW 42-14
  • at OregonL 26-34
  • vs IowaL 10-24

Went 7-6 in 2025. Current streak: L2. Home: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL.

Common opponents

Teams both sides have already played this season.

  • Michigan StateIllinois: W 38-37Northwestern: W 24-21
  • OregonIllinois: W 21-10Northwestern: L 26-34