ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Matrix Midwest) - The University of Illinois has canceled its scheduled football matchups against the University of Missouri for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, opting instead to schedule a home-and-home series with Notre Dame.
According to Illinois, the Fighting Illini will now face Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, in 2027, instead of the originally scheduled home matchup with Mizzou.
“We are disappointed by Illinois’ decision to withdraw from multiple future football games, including a home game for Mizzou in 2027,” said Mizzou AD Laird Veatch. “We are exploring all available options to address this matter.”
Missouri and Illinois last met on the football field in 2010, capping a multi-year series played at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis.
The schools originally agreed in 2017 to resume their regional rivalry with a four-game series running from 2026 through 2029, later expanding the agreement in 2019 to include four additional meetings between 2032 and 2035.
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The decision leaves Mizzou searching for replacement non-conference matchups against Power Four opponents for both seasons. The 2027 game was slated to be played in COMO, followed by a 2028 meeting in Champaign, Ill.
The earliest possible meeting between the two schools is now 2029.
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