COLUMBIA, Mo. – A border state football rivalry between Missouri and Illinois that dates to 1896 is scheduled to resume with a four-year home and home football series that will begin in the 2026 season at Champaign, Illinois, school officials announced Monday.
"We are pleased to announce a four-year home and home series with the University of Illinois," said Mizzou Director of Athletics Jim Sterk. "This is another opportunity to renew a great football rivalry that we believe Tiger fans everywhere will be excited about."
Mizzou will travel to Illinois for a September 26, 2026 contest in Champaign, Ill., with the Illini returning the game the following year to Columbia, Mo., on September 18, 2027. The teams will also meet in Champaign on Sept. 16, 2028 before concluding the agreement in Columbia on September 15, 2029.
Missouri and Illinois have met 24 times in football, with the Tigers holding a 17-7 series advantage. Mizzou has won six-straight and seven of the last eight between the programs, including a 23-13 win during the 2010 campaign in the last meeting between the programs which was played in St. Louis.
The Illinois series marks the first games Mizzou Athletics has contracted beyond the 2025 campaign.
In addition to the series with Illinois, Mizzou also announced Monday that it has completed its 2020 football schedule with the addition of a Nov. 21 home game against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns. The Tigers other 2020 non-conference games include home contests with Central Arkansas (Sept. 5) and Eastern Michigan (Sept. 26), in addition to a Nov. 7 game at BYU.
