After a strong start to the season, the Illinois Fighting Illini football team will hit pause for a bye week.

The 25th-ranked Fighting Illini have a pair of wins against ranked opponents (vs. Kansas and at Nebraska), but are coming off a 21-7 loss to No. 7 Penn State. The Illini are poised to make a run toward a bowl game.

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Coach Bret Bielema and the Illini come back from the bye to host Purdue (1-3) before facing their two toughest remaining opponents — at home vs. No. 10 Michigan and on the road at No. 6 Oregon.

Here’s all you need to know about Illinois’ schedule in Week 6 and onward:

Does Illinois play today?

The Fighting Illini will not play Saturday, which serves as their first of two byes of the season, following Week 5. Illinois also has a bye in Week 11.

Every team in the Football Bowl Subdivision gets two byes this season because of an NCAA by-law that prohibits FBS teams from playing a game before the first Thursday before Labor Day.

Big Ten schedule Week 5 2024

 Friday’s game

Saturday’s games

Illinois football schedule 2024

Below is Illinois’ 2024 college football schedule, including its Week 6 bye on Saturday, with TV info; all times are CT.

• Thursday, Aug. 29: Illinois 45, Eastern Illinois 0 | Recap

• Saturday, Sept. 7:  Illinois 23, Kansas 17 | Recap

• Saturday, Sept. 14: Illinois 30, Central Michigan 9 | Recap

• Friday, Sept. 20: No. 24 Illinois 31, No. 22 Nebraska 24 (OT) | Recap

• Saturday, Sept. 28: No. 8 Penn State 21, No. 21 Illinois 7 | Recap

• Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE

• Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Purdue* | 2:30 p.m. | FS1 (Fubo free trial)

• Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. No. 10 Michigan*

• Saturday, Oct. 26: at No. 6 Oregon*

• Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. Minnesota*

• Saturday, Nov. 9: BYE

• Saturday, Nov. 16: vs. Michigan State*

• Saturday, Nov. 23: at Rutgers*

• Saturday, Nov. 30: at Northwestern*

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This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Does Illinois play today? Fighting Illini’s Week 7 college football schedule