The five most important Illini for the 2026-27 season
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Everyone’s favorite time of the year is slowly approaching as we are less than seven weeks away from seeing the Fighting Illini football team don those lovely orange and blue jerseys and storm the field at Gies Memorial Stadium for what is set to be another exciting season.
Coming off of back-to-back bowl-winning seasons, head coach Bret Bielema looks to make it a hat-trick and be the first coach in program history to ever lead the Illini to three bowl game-winning seasons in a row.
To accomplish such a remarkable feat, Bielema is going to need all hands on deck, especially after the many valuable departures that came at the end of last season.
With Gabe Jacas, J.C. Davis, and Miles Scott all getting picked in the NFL draft, alongside Hank Beatty and Luke Altmyer signing unrestricted free agent deals with the Tennessee Titans and Detroit Lions, respectively, the coaching staff has had stars on both sides of the field.
But with those stars leaving, it only means these five guys have more room to grow and continue to take this team to unprecedented heights.
1. Matthew Bailey
Whether it be on the field in pursuit of the football, or serenading Wrigley Field during the Seventh-inning stretch, Matthew Bailey is going to give you 110% energy.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 225 pounds, Bailey looks to come back and continue where he left off last season as the Moline native started all regular-season games and led the team in tackles with 76 tackles, including 59 solo tackles and four tackles for loss.
Although Bailey was a big part of the defense last year, he was unable to suit up for the Music City Bowl game against Tennessee, as a surgery to fix his nagging shoulder injury saw him enjoy the win on the sidelines.
But with the surgery being a success, the two-time All-Big Ten honoree and Lott IMPACT watchlist safety is coming back and bringing all the energy with him to the field.
2. Katin Houser
From starting his career in the Big Ten to ending it in the Big Ten, Houser looks to prove his doubters wrong while wearing the orange and blue.
After a rocky start in Michigan State that saw the highly touted St. John Bosco quarterback throw six touchdowns and five interceptions in his redshirt freshman year, Houser headed over to AAC and joined East Carolina.
His two years with the Pirates saw Houser breathe a breath of fresh air and confidence into his game, which he used to land at eighth on the school’s all-time passing yard leaders with an impressive 5,306 yards.
While many Illini faithful may still be reeling after the departure of fan favorite Luke Altmyer. If there was ever a guy who has proved he is ready to step up and take over as QB1, it’s Houser.
3. Alex Perry
This 6-foot-5 wide receiver was yet another gem the coaching staff was able to secure through the transfer portal, who, just like Houser, looks to leave it all on the field in his last year of eligibility.
Before calling Champaign-Urbana home, Perry was in Hawaii for two years and in that time played in all 24 games while racking up 472 receiving yards and three touchdowns to boot. Yet, it was his one and only year at Florida International where he made his name.
At FIU, Perry started all 13 games and led the team in receptions (56), receiving yards (840), and receiving touchdowns (9). These stats were more than enough to give Perry All-CUSA First Team honors and garner him a lot of buzz once he decided to enter the portal for a second time.
With Perry having played in every game since 2023, his size and resilience make him a valuable asset to this evolving Illini team.
4. Ca’Lil Valentine
Although it may be in his first name, Valentine’s impact on the offensive side of the ball is far from being classified as “lil.”
The third-year running back has already cemented himself to both the fans and opposing defensive coordinators as a danger with the ball in his hands, as his sophomore year outing saw him put up 614 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 131 carries.
Having started all 13 games and produced a career-high 95 rushing yards at Purdue, Valentine looks to continue his upward trajectory and have all his big runs show up on college football’s largest screen.
5. Xavier Scott
He may have been born years before the song was made, but I have a feeling DMX was thinking about Scott when he uttered the phrase “X gon give it to ya.”
After an unforgettable junior year outing, which saw Scott start all 13 games, get 49 tackles and four interceptions en route to gaining All-Big Ten first team honors, all eyes were on Scott to see just how dominant his following season would be.
Sadly, Scott’s 2025-26 season was cut short as a leg injury at home against Western Michigan would force the defensive back to get surgery and redshirt the rest of the season.
Although many people believed Scott would join the list of Illini declaring for the draft at the end of the season, he decided that his time in Champaign wasn’t over yet and announced he’d be returning to the team for this upcoming season.
And with both Scott and Bailey suiting up for the Illinois secondary, all Big Ten quarterbacks are going to think twice about throwing it deep this season.
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