The Illinois Fighting Illini have added the Western Michigan Broncos to their 2032 football schedule, according to an announcement from both schools on Thursday.
Illinois will host Western Michigan at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill., on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2032. The game will mark the eighth overall meeting between the two schools on the gridiron.
Illinois and Western Michigan first met in football in 1947 in Champaign. In their most recent contest in 2016, the Broncos traveled to Champaign and defeated the Fighting Illini, 34-10. Illinois still holds a two-game advantage in the series at 4-2.
The Fighting Illini won’t have to wait until 2032 to get back in the win column against the Broncos. The two schools are also scheduled to meet in Champaign during the 2025 season, which was previously announced. Today, Illinois announced that the date of that game has been moved up one week from Sept. 20 to Sept. 13.
Illinois is scheduled to open the 2025 season at home on Saturday, Aug. 30 against the Western Illinois Leathernecks. The Fighting Illini will then visit the Duke Blue Devils the following week on Sept. 6 before welcoming Western Michigan to Champaign.
Western Michigan’s slate next season kicks off on the road versus the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, Aug. 30. The Broncos will also host the North Texas Mean Green on Sept. 6 and the Rhode Island Rams on Sept. 20 that season, in addition to visiting Illinois.
Illinois also announced another minor schedule change on Thursday. Its 2028 home game against the Illinois State Redbirds has been pushed back one week from Sept. 2 to Sept. 9.
Football Schedules