The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Land of Lincoln Trophy

Illinois59-55-5Northwestern
National Program II#47 of 138▲National Program II#49 of 138▲
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
Next meeting: Sat Nov 28 · time TBA, 24 days away.

2 players crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

Illinois leads the all-time series 59-55-5. They've met 119 times since 1892. Illinois once took 7 straight.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Illinois
Win total
4.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
-3
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -26
What fans are saying · player performance
fans believe the team's defense is terrible
On Saturday I watch my orange and blue football team be forced to score a million touchdowns to keep up with the ass defense.
Verified verbatim
Northwestern
Win total
7.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+19
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +27

Stature & the series, 1892–2025

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeIllinoisNorthwesternevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Illinois won, gray: Northwestern won)1900192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Northwestern has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Illinois led 9 and Northwestern led 14.

more passmore runIllinoisNorthwestern2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262007Northwestern 21.9 ptsIllinois won 41-222015Illinois 20.2 ptsNorthwestern won 24-142018Northwestern 10.4 ptsNorthwestern won 24-16
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

The biggest win was Illinois by 66 in 1894. The biggest crowd, 54,116, was in 2007.

The coaching duels

Ray Eliot vs Robert Voigts2-6
Robert Zuppke vs Pappy Waldorf1-5
Ron Turner vs Randy Walker3-3
Ron Zook vs Pat Fitzgerald3-3
Ray Eliot vs Pappy Waldorf3-2
Mike White vs Dennis Green5-0

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
101-68
Illinois leads
1st-rounders
10-7
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
IllinoisNorthwestern
1960s4-5
1970s8-10
1980s16-5
1990s17-13
2000s19-13
2010s20-13
2020s17-9

Best picks, either side

1990Jeff George Quarterback · Indianapolis ColtsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1983Chris Hinton Offensive Guard · Denver BroncosRd 1, pick 4#4 overall
2023Devon Witherspoon Cornerback · Seattle SeahawksRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
2023Peter Skoronski Offensive Tackle · Tennessee TitansRd 1, pick 11#11 overall
1967Casimir Banaszek Tight End · San Francisco 49ersRd 1, pick 11#11 overall
1993Brad Hopkins Offensive Tackle · Houston OilersRd 1, pick 13#13 overall
2021Rashawn Slater Offensive Tackle · Los Angeles ChargersRd 1, pick 13#13 overall
1983Tony Eason Quarterback · New England PatriotsRd 1, pick 15#15 overall

Recent meetings

2025Illinois20-13
2024Illinois38-28
2023Northwestern45-43Illinois — decided by 2
2022Illinois41-3
2021Illinois47-14
2020Northwestern28-10
2019Northwestern29-10Illinois — Illinois routed by 19
2018Northwestern24-16
2017Northwestern42-7
2016Northwestern42-21
2015Northwestern24-14
2014Illinois47-33Northwestern — Northwestern routed by 14
2013Northwestern37-34
2012Northwestern50-14

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Illinois’s chance to win through that meeting. The loudest meeting for fans was 2022: loud. Fans of both teams were loud at once in 2023. The bracket marks where.

2025Illinois 20-13Illinois won 20-13 vs Northwestern. Chance to win started at 79%, low 50%, high better than 99%.Steady
2024Illinois 38-28Illinois won 38-28 vs Northwestern. Chance to win started at 72%, low 62%, high better than 99%.
2023Northwestern 45-43Illinois lost 43-45 vs Northwestern. Chance to win started at 66%, low 5%, high 81%.Busy
2022Illinois 41-3Illinois won 41-3 at Northwestern. Chance to win started at 81%, low 79%, high better than 99%.Loud
2021Illinois 47-14Illinois won 47-14 vs Northwestern. Chance to win started at 75%, low 64%, high better than 99%.
2020Northwestern 28-10Illinois lost 10-28 at Northwestern. Chance to win started at 23%, low under 1%, high 30%.
2019Northwestern 29-10Illinois lost 10-29 vs Northwestern. Chance to win started at 60%, low under 1%, high 72%.
2018Northwestern 24-16Illinois lost 16-24 at Northwestern. Chance to win started at 17%, low 1%, high 20%.
“Indy has a blocked fg, purdue still up by 10 doh”
An Illinois fan
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “the receiver didn’t have anyone within five yards of him — by design!”
    An Illinois fan

Meetings with their own story page

11 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.