Champaign, Ill.- Texas State athletic director Larry Teis announced Wednesday that the Bobcat football team will travel to Champaign and play the University of Illinois in a non-conference football game on Sept. 20, 2014.
 
This will mark the first ever meeting for Texas State and Illinois and the first time that the Bobcats have played against a team from the Big 10 Conference since Texas State played at Minnesota on August 31, 2002. It also marks the first time Texas State has played in Illinois since playing at Illinois State in 2001.
 
The Bobcats are entering their first season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference in 2013 after posting their first win against an FBS since 2000, winning it first conference game as a member of the WAC and winning the final regular season game in WAC football history in 2012.
 
Illinois posted a 2-10 overall record and 0-8 conference slate in its first year under head coach Tim Beckman, who went to Illinois after leading Toledo to back-to-back bowl games and a MAC championship in his three years as head coach.