| Illinois Fighting Illini football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1890; 135 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Josh Whitman | ||
| Head coach | Bret Bielema 5th season, 32–23 (.582) | ||
| Stadium | Gies Memorial Stadium (capacity: 60,670, record: 78,297) | ||
| Location | Champaign, Illinois | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Big Ten | ||
| All-time record | 649–627–50 (.508) | ||
| Bowl record | 9–12 (.429) | ||
| Claimed national titles | |||
| 1914,1919,1923,1927,1951 | |||
| Conference titles | |||
| Big Ten:1910,1914,1915,1918,1919,1923,1927,1928,1946,1951,1953,1963,1983,1990,2001 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 27 | ||
| Rivalries | Indiana (rivalry) Iowa (rivalry) Michigan (rivalry) Missouri (rivalry) Northwestern (rivalry) Ohio State (rivalry) Purdue (rivalry) | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Orange and blue[1] | ||
| Fight song | Illinois Loyalty andOskee Wow Wow | ||
| Marching band | Marching Illini | ||
| Outfitter | Nike | ||
| Website | fightingillini.com | ||
TheIllinois Fighting Illini football program represents theUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign incollege football at theNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) level. The Fighting Illini are a founding member of theBig Ten Conference. Illinois claims five national championships and 15 Big Ten championships.
The University of Illinois fielded its first football team in 1890, under the direction ofScott Williams, the team's startingquarterback who also served as the team's head coach. The team finished with a record of 1–2.[2]Robert Lackey took over the reins for the program's second season in 1891, and the team finished undefeated with a mark of 6–0.[3] In July 1892, several days after graduating from Dartmouth,Edward K. Hall was hired by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to serve as head football coach and director of physical training at a salary of $1,000. He announced at the time that he would spend the summer working as a waiter at a hotel inOld Orchard Beach, Maine, before reporting to Illinois.[4] He was the third head football coach at Illinois, held that position for the 1892 and 1893 seasons, and led the team to a record of 12–6–4 in his two years as head coach.[5] His 1892 team compiled a 9–4–1 record, played the first games in the football rivalries withNorthwestern andChicago, and played six road games in nine days (four wins and two losses) in late October 1892.[6]
George Huff was the fifth head coach in Illini football history, succeedingLouis Vail. Huff led the Illini into theBig Ten Conference, which formed in 1896.[7] After back-to-back 4–2–1 seasons in 1895 and 1896,[8][9] the Illini posted a 6–2 record in 1897.[10] That proved to be the high point of Huff's tenure, as Illinois slipped to 4–5 in 1898 and 3–5–1 in 1899,[11][12] ending Huff's tenure at Illinois.Arthur Hall served as Illinois' head football coach from 1907 to 1912, compiling a 36–12–4 record.[13] Hall led the Illini to an undefeated 7–0 mark in 1910.[14]
For 29 seasons,Robert Zuppke served as Illinois' head football coach.[15] During his tenure, Illinois' fan attendance at home games skyrocketed from an average of 4,500 to 60,000.[15] Under Zuppke's leadership, the Fighting Illini posted undefeated seasons in 1914,[16] 1915,[17] 1923[18] and 1927.[19] In 1914, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–0 record (6–0 againstWestern Conference opponents), claimed a national championship, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 224–22.[20] The team was retroactively selected as the national champion for 1914 by theBillingsley Report and as a co-national champion withArmy byParke H. Davis.[21]EndPerry Graves andguardRalph Chapman were consensusAll-Americans. Chapman was the team captain.[22] In 1915, the Illini compiled a 5–0–2 record and finished as co-champions of theWestern Conference.[23] Center John W. Watson was the team captain.[22] In 1923, the Fighting Illini compiled an 8–0 record (5–0 againstBig Ten Conference opponents) and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 136–20.[24] The team was selected retroactively as the national champion by theBoand System,College Football Researchers Association,Helms Athletic Foundation, andParke H. Davis, and as a co-national champion by theBerryman QPRS system,National Championship Foundation, andJeff Sagarin (using the ELO-Chess methodology).[21]GuardJim McMillen andhalfbackRed Grange were consensusAll-Americans. McMillen was also the team captain.[22]
In 1927, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–0–1 record (5–0 againstWestern Conference opponents) and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 152–24.[25] The team was selected as the 1927 national champion by theBillingsley Report,Dickinson System,Helms Athletic Foundation,National Championship Foundation, andParke H. Davis.[26] Though the team had no consensusAll-Americans and was known for its lack of prominent names, centerRobert Reitsch and guardRuss Crane made a handful of first-team selections. Reitsch was also the team captain.[22] Illinois struggled from 1930 to 1941, posting seven losing seasons and no conference championships.[27] The Illini did finish 7–1 in 1934, however, this proved to be the last season of six or more wins during the Zuppke era.[28] Zuppke retired from Illinois following a 2–6 campaign in 1941,[29] leaving the Illini after compiling a 131–81–12 record.[30]
Illinois promoted assistant coachRay Eliot to the position of head coach after Zuppke's retirement.[31] Eliot would lead the Illini football program for 18 seasons, compiling an 83–73–11 record.[32] In 1946, the Illini won theBig Ten Conference title and completed an 8–2 season with a 45–14 win overUCLA in theRose Bowl. The team's captain wascenter Mac Wenskunas.GuardAlex Agase was voted the team's most valuable player and received theChicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's most valuable player.[33]
In 1951, the Illini compiled a 9–0–1 record, finished in first place in theBig Ten Conference, was ranked No. 4 in the finalAP Poll, and defeatedStanford 40–7 in the1952 Rose Bowl. The lone setback was a scoreless tie withOhio State.[34] The team is the school's lastnational champion in football with a 40–7 rout of Stanford in what was the first nationally televised college football game. Additionally,Al Brosky had 8 interceptions that season bringing his career total to 30, an NCAA record that still stands today. His record included aDiMaggio-like streak of 16 consecutive games with an interception. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. HalfbackJohnny Karras was a consensus first-team pick on the1951 College Football All-America Team.[35] LinebackerChuck Boerio was selected as the team's most valuable player.[33] In 1953, the Illini compiled a 7–1–1 record, finished in a tie for first place in theBig Ten Conference, and were ranked No. 7 in the finalAP Poll. The sole defeat was a 34–7 loss toWisconsin.[36] TackleDon Ernst was selected as the team's most valuable player.[33] Sophomore halfbackJ. C. Caroline led the team with 1,256 rushing yards on 194 attempts (6.5 yards per carry) and was selected as a consensus first-team player on the1953 College Football All-America Team.[35] GuardJohn Bauer was selected by theNewspaper Enterprise Association as a third-team All-American.[37] Following a 5–3–1 record in 1959, Eliot opted to retire as Illinois' head football coach.[38]
Illinois hiredCalifornia head coachPete Elliott as Eliot's replacement in 1960.[39] With the Illini, his record was 31–34–1,[40] earning a Big Ten title andRose Bowl victory over Washington during the 1963 season.[41] A few months after the end of the 1966 season in which the Illini finished 4–6,[42] Elliott was forced to resign as head coach in the wake of aslush fund scandal in the athletic program.[43]
South Carolina assistant coachJim Valek was hired as Elliott's replacement in 1967.[44] Under Valek, the Illini compiled an 8–32 record,[45] the worst of any Illini football head coach in decades. In 1967, the Illini compiled a 4–6 record and finished in a tie for fifth place in theBig Ten Conference.[46] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackDean Volkman with 1,005 passing yards, running back Rich Johnson with 768 rushing yards, and wide receiver John Wright with 698 receiving yards.[47] End John K. Wright was selected as the team's most valuable player.[48]
In 1968, the Illini compiled a 1–9 record and finished in a tie for eighth place in theBig Ten Conference.[49] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackBob Naponic with 813 passing yards, running back Rich Johnson with 973 rushing yards, and wide receiverDoug Dieken with 223 receiving yards.[50] Fullback Rich Johnson was selected as the team's most valuable player.[48] In 1969, the Illini compiled a 0–10 record and finished in last place in theBig Ten Conference.[51] The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Steve Livas with 705 passing yards, running back Dave Jackson with 465 rushing yards, and wide receiver Doug Dieken with 486 receiving yards.[52] Dieken was selected as the team's most valuable player.[48]Guard Doug Redmann was selected by theNewspaper Enterprise Association as a second-team player on the1969 College Football All-America Team.[53]
In 1970, the Illini compiled a 3–7 record and finished in a tie for last place in theBig Ten Conference.[54] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackMike Wells with 906 passing yards, running backDarrell Robinson with 749 rushing yards, and wide receiver Doug Dieken with 537 receiving yards.[55] Dieken was selected for the second consecutive year as the team's most valuable player.[48] Illinois fired Valek after the 1970 season, citing the decline in the team's on-field performance.[56]
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CoachBob Blackman came to Illinois fromDartmouth, where he had had a successful head coach tenure spanning more than a decade, to turn the Illini program around in 1971.[57] Under Blackman, the Illini compiled a record of 29–36–1.[58] In 1971, the Illini compiled a 5–6 record and finished in a three-way tie for third place in theBig Ten Conference.[59] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackMike Wells with 1,007 passing yards, running back John Wilson with 543 rushing yards, and wide receiver Garvin Roberson with 372 receiving yards.[60] Punter/halfback Terry Masar was selected as the team's most valuable player.[48]
In 1972, the Illini compiled a 3–8 record and finished in a tie for 6th in theBig Ten Conference.[61] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackMike Wells with 837 passing yards, running back George Uremovich with 611 rushing yards, and wide receiver Garvin Roberson with 569 receiving yards.[62] CenterLarry McCarren and defensive end Larry Allen were the most valuable players.[48] In 1973, the Illini compiled a 5–6 record and finished in a four-way tie for 4thin theBig Ten Conference.[63] The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Jeff Hollenbach with 916 passing yards, running back George Uremovich with 519 rushing yards, and wide receiver Garvin Roberson with 416 receiving yards.[64] Halfback Eddie Jenkins and defensive end Octavus Morgan were the most valuable players.[48]
In 1974, the Illini compiled a 6–4–1 record and finished 5th in the Big Ten, their first winning season since 1965.[65] The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Jeff Hollenbach with 1,037 passing yards, running back Chubby Phillips with 772 rushing yards, and wide receiver Joe Smalzer with 525 receiving yards.[66] Hollenbach and linebacker Tom Hicks were the most valuable players.[48] In 1975, the Illini compiled a 5–6 record and finished in a three-way tie for 3rd in the Big Ten.[67] The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Kurt Steger with 1,136 passing yards, running backLonnie Perrin with 907 rushing yards, and wide receiver Frank Johnson with 349 receiving yards.[68] Offensive tackle Stu Levenick and defensive back Bruce Beaman were the most valuable players.[48]
In 1976, the Illini compiled a 5–6 record and finished in a four-way tie for 3rd in the Big Ten.[69] The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Kurt Steger with 1,243 passing yards, running back James Coleman with 687 rushing yards, and wide receiver Eric Rouse with 326 receiving yards.[70] Offensive tackle Jerry Finis and linebackerScott Studwell were the most valuable players.[48] Blackman was fired following the 1976 season, the administration again unhappy with the team's consistent mediocrity.[56]
Michigan defensive coordinatorGary Moeller was hired to replace Blackman in 1977.[71] Under Moeller, the Illini continued to struggle, compiling a 6–24–3 record.[72]
In 1977, the Illini compiled a 3–8 record and finished in ninth place in theBig Ten Conference.[73] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackMike McCray with 418 passing yards, running back James Coleman with 715 rushing yards, and wide receiverTom Schooley with 231 receiving yards.[74] Coleman and linebacker John Sullivan were selected as the team's most valuable players.[48] In 1978, the Illini compiled a 1–8–2 record and again finished in ninth place in the Big Ten Conference.[75] The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Rich Weiss with 665 passing yards, running back Wayne Strader with 389 rushing yards, and wide receiver Jeff Barnes with 270 receiving yards.[76] Linebacker John Sullivan and center Randy Taylor were selected as the team's most valuable players.[48]
In 1979, the Illini compiled a 2–8–1 record and, for the third season in a row, finished in ninth place in the Big Ten Conference.[77] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackLawrence McCullough with 1,254 passing yards, running backMike Holmes with 792 rushing yards, and wide receiverJohn Lopez with 296 receiving yards.[78] McCullough was selected as the team's most valuable player.[48] Illinois fired Moeller after the 1979 season.[56]
San Francisco 49ers offensive line coachMike White succeeded Moeller and brought moderate success to Illinois' football program, compiling a 47–41–3 record in his eight years.[79]
The Illini posted five consecutive winning seasons from 1981 to 1985, posting records of 7–4,[80] 7–5,[81] 10–2,[82] 7–4[83] and 6–5–1.[84] His best team was the 1983 unit, which won a school-record 10 games en route to Illinois' first conference title and bowl appearance in 20 years. The 1983 season ended with a loss toUCLA in theRose Bowl.[85] White departed as coach after 1987 due to recruiting violations.[86]
John Mackovic, head coach of theNFL'sKansas City Chiefs, was hired as the Fighting Illini's 20th head football coach in 1988.[87]
In 1988, the Illini compiled a 6–5–1 record, finished in third place in theBig Ten Conference, and lost toFlorida in the1988 All-American Bowl.[88] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackJeff George with 2,257 passing yards, running backKeith Jones with 1,108 rushing yards, and Steve Williams with 523 receiving yards.[89] In 1989, the Illini finished 10–2,[90] capping their season off with a win in the Florida Citrus Bowl.[91]
In 1990, the Illini compiled an 8–4 record, finished in a four-way tie for first place in theBig Ten Conference, were ranked No. 25 in the finalAP Poll, and lost toClemson in the1991 Hall of Fame Bowl.[92] The team's offensive leaders were quarterbackJason Verduzco with 2,567 passing yards, fullbackHoward Griffith with 1,115 rushing yards, and Shawn Wax with 863 receiving yards.[93]In a 56–21 victory againstSouthern Illinois University on September 22, 1990, Griffith set theNCAA record for touchdowns in a game with eight.[94] In 1991, the Illini enjoyed another non-losing season, finishing 6–6 after losing in the1991 John Hancock Bowl.[95][96] Because he was able to turn around the Illini football program, Mackovic received interest from multiple schools regarding their head football coaching position. Mackovic elected to leave Illinois after the 1991 season to accept the head coaching position atTexas.[97]
Lou Tepper was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach of the Illinois in 1992.[98] Tepper was the first Illinois coach sinceRobert Zuppke to win or tie both of his first two meetings againstMichigan.[99] The 1992 game, a 22–22 tie, ended Michigan's 19-game conference winning streak.
Tepper was involved in a series of controversial moves associated with therecruitment ofblue-chip quarterbackChris Redman in 1994 and 1995. Redman stated that he had committed to Illinois based on the recruiting efforts of Illini offensive coordinator and former NFLPro Bowl quarterbackGreg Landry.[100] Tepper ignited a controversy when he unexpectedly fired Landry the day after Redman signed hisletter of commitment.[101] Tepper denied any attempt to deceive Redman about Landry's future at Illinois and eventually released Redman from his commitment. It would later emerge that Landry had allegedly been soliciting an NFL job behind Tepper's back. The departures of Landry and Redman and the manner in which they left had damaged Tepper's reputation among fans and media.[102][101] TheNCAA decided to void the LOC based on the unusual circumstances, allowing Redman five full years of eligibility and no transfer restrictions.[101] Tepper hired formerBall State head coach and veteranBig Ten assistantPaul Schudel as Landry's replacement. The hiring of Schudel marked the fourth time in six years that the Illini had made a change at offensive coordinator.
Despite Tepper's abilities as a defensive coach, he only put together only two winning seasons in his six years in Champaign.[103] His teams were unable to match the moderate success the Illini had enjoyed under Mackovic andMike White, and the Illini got progressively worse over his tenure. They placed fourth in theBig Ten Conference in Tepper's first full season, 1992, and finished in fourth, fifth, seventh, and ninth in his remaining years. Tepper was fired after the 1996 season, when the Illini went 2–9 with a 1–7 conference record.[104][105]
Chicago Bears offensive coordinatorRon Turner was hired in 1997 to replace Tepper.[106] 1997 saw Illinois go 0–11, the worst season in program history.[107][108] In 1998, the team again posted a losing record, although it was a 3–8 campaign that bettered the previous year's mark by three games.[109] The '98 campaign was followed by a winning 8–4 season in 1999,[110] which was capped off by a dominant win overVirginia in theMicronPC Bowl.[111]
After a disappointing 2000 season in which the Illini finished 5–6,[112] the Illini finished 10–2 (7–1 conference) behind the arm of quarterbackKurt Kittner in 2001, winning the Big Ten championship.[113] The Illini accepted a berth in theSugar Bowl, which they lost toLSU, coached byNick Saban, by a score of 47-34.[114] From 2002 to 2004, the Illini's struggles once again returned, as Turner's teams posted a 5–7 record in 2002,[115] which was followed by a 1–11 campaign in 2003[116] and a 3–8 mark in 2004.[117] Illinois fired Turner after the 2004 season.[118]
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In 2005, formerFlorida head coachRon Zook was hired to replace Turner as head coach.[119] In Zook's inaugural season of 2005, Illinois finished with an overall record of 2–9, and a record of 0–8 in Big Ten games.[120] Despite his team's past struggles, Zook improved the ability of Illinois to recruit top football talent. According to one source, the 2006 recruiting class was one of the 30 best in college football.[121] Despite this, they finished the 2006 season 1–7 in the conference and 2–10 overall. While the record did not improve, the play on the field did as the Illini nearly upset top ranked Ohio State. Additionally, the Illini played well againstIowa,Wisconsin, andPenn State but ended up losing close games (they were down 15–12 at Penn State until Penn State broke open the close game to make it 26–12). The 2006 recruiting class includedIsiah "Juice" Williams of Chicago Vocational High School, considered to be one of the top quarterback recruits in the country.[122] In late 2006, Zook signedArrelious Benn, one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2007 class.[123][124] More recently, Zook also won overSimeon High School standoutMartez Wilson[125][126] along withFlorida prospect D'Angelo McCray.[127] This class was one of Illinois' best in recent memory, being rated within the top 25 nationally by some experts.[128]
Zook's recruiting success finally began to pay dividends during the 2007 season. After losing a close game on neutral turf to aMissouri squad, the Illini ran off five straight wins, including back-to-back home wins over Penn State and Wisconsin. Illinois' 5–1 start gave them a No. 18 ranking in the AP Poll. This was Illinois' first ranking in the AP Poll since the end of the 2001 season. A homecoming win over Ball State gave the Illini bowl eligibility and a blowout win at Minnesota all but assured Zook's first bowl appearance as coach of the Illini. On November 10, the then-unranked Illini defeated No. 1-ranked Ohio State in Columbus. The Illini finished the 2007 regular season by defeating Northwestern to finish 9–3 overall, 6–2 in the Big Ten.[129] Because Big Ten championOhio State football played in the BCS National Championship game, Illinois received a bid to play in the Rose Bowl as the second ranked team in the Big Ten. Their improvement of 7 wins over the 2006 season was the largest such increase of any Division I team. His success earned Zook a contract extension in October 2007, which paid him approximately $1.5 million through the 2013 season.[130] Zook's success on the recruiting trail continued as well, with Illinois having the No. 17 recruiting class in 2008 according to rivals.com.[131] On November 20, 2007, Ron Zook was selected as the Big Ten Coach of the Year.[132] Zook also was awarded the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award following the 2007 season.[133] After making the2008 Rose Bowl, Illinois was squashed, 49–17, by theUSC Trojans, putting a bit of a damper on an otherwise great season.
Expectations were high for 2008, but Illinois didn't live up to those expectations early on, as they lost toMissouri, 52–42, in their season opener and toPenn State, 38–24. The 2008 Fighting Illini ended up with a 5–7 record (3–5 in conference games) and finishing tied for 6th in the Big Ten. Despite a very disappointing 2008 season, Zook's 2009 Fighting Illini team received AP Poll votes. As they had the previous two years, Illinois started off the season with a loss to Missouri, but this time, the result was far more lopsided than the previous affairs; Missouri won 39–7. Illinois beat Illinois State but then suffered an embarrassing 30–0 shutout at the hands ofOhio State. Illinois lost their next four games by 10 points or more (including a 27–14 loss to Indiana, which was the Hoosiers' only Big Ten win of the season), sinking to 1–6 overall. Zook's team then put together a stunning blowout of the Michigan Wolverines in Memorial Stadium, and followed it up with a 35–32 upset of Minnesota the very next week. After back-to-back wins, the Illini lost their last 3 games to finish the year off at 3-9 (2–6 in Big Ten Play). At the end of the 2009 season, offensive coordinator Mike Schultz was released from his contract,[134] and co-defensive coordinators Dan Disch and Curt Mallory were demoted to position coaches.[135] Illinois hiredPaul Petrino as offensive coordinator, andVic Koenning as defensive coordinator.
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After back-to-back disappointing years, the Illini had almost no pre-season expectations entering 2010. Juice Williams andArrelious Benn were no longer on the team. However, running backMikel Leshoure was, and he proved to be an invaluable asset on offense, where Illinois started freshmanNathan Scheelhaase at quarterback. They started off 2010 by losing to Missouri for the fourth consecutive year. After the early loss, Illinois defeatedSouthern Illinois, 35–3, andNorthern Illinois, 28–22. While the Fighting Illini lost to Ohio State in their Big Ten opener, they gave the Buckeyes a scare, knocking out quarterbackTerrelle Pryor and holding the Buckeye passing offense almost entirely in check. Illinois then traveled to State College to take on theNittany Lions, and Illinois had never won in Beaver Stadium prior to 2010. Illinois handed Penn State a stunning 33–13 loss on homecoming. They went on to win theTexas Bowl in a blowout againstBaylor.[136]
As the 2011 season begun, the Illini were picked by most experts to finish near the bottom of the newly formed Leaders Division. However, Illinois got off to one of their best starts in history by winning their first six games. After taking care ofArkansas State, 33–15, and blastingSouth Dakota State, 56–3, the Fighting Illini won a trio of home games by a margin of a field goal over 22nd-rankedArizona State (17–14),Western Michigan (23–20), andNorthwestern (38–35) in a game in which Illinois rallied from a 28–10 deficit in the second half. After defeatingIndiana, 41–20, in Illinois' first road game of the season, the Illini were 6–0 for the first time since 1951 and they climbed to 15th in theCoaches' Poll and 16th in theAP Poll. However, the Illini lost, 17–7, toOhio State and the season seemed headed towards a downward spiral as Illinois lost a pair of close road games atPurdue (21–14) andPenn State (10–7). Illinois returned home and lost toMichigan, 31–14. On the Tuesday before the Wisconsin game, Zook opened his weekly press conference by warning the reporters not to ask questions about his job status. When reporter Shannon Ryan of theChicago Tribune asked Zook if he had talked to his players about the rumors pertaining to his future, he walked out of the press conference. The Illini went on to lose toWisconsin and a 27–7 loss toMinnesota. With that loss, Illinois became the first team in NCAA Division I FBS history to start a season 6–0, and end it at 6–6.[137] Zook was fired on November 27, 2011. His final record at Illinois was 34–51.[138] The Illini did receive a bowl invitation and they defeatedUCLA in theKraft Fight Hunger Bowl.[139] It was first time in school history that the football team won back-to-back bowl games.
Toledo head coachTim Beckman was hired as Zook's replacement in December 2011.[140]
At Illinois, Beckman went 12–25 in three seasons, and only won four games in Big Ten play.[141] In his third season, the Illini managed to qualify for a bowl with a 6–6 record,[142] but lost 35–18 toLouisiana Tech in theHeart of Dallas Bowl.[143]
On August 28, 2015—just a week before what was to be his fourth season—Beckman was fired after the preliminary results of an internal investigation substantiated accusations of gross player mistreatment.[144] Most seriously, the investigation found that he'd forced players to play through serious injuries and had the medical staff clear these players too soon.[145] In a statement, Beckman called his ouster a "rush to judgment" that violated the terms of his contract, and stated that he intended to "vigorously defend both my reputation and my legal rights."[146] On April 11, 2016, Beckman settled with the university for a one time payment of $250,000 with the decision of firing "for cause" due to the mistreatment of players standing.[147]
On August 28, 2015, Illini offensive coordinator and formerWestern Michigan head coachBill Cubit was named head coach at Illinois for the 2015 season after the university firedTim Beckman for alleged mistreatment of players.[148][149] On November 28, 2015, Illinois formally named Cubit as its 24th head coach, giving him a two-year, $2.4 million contract.[150]
Cubit went 5–7 in the2015 season.
On March 5, 2016, the school announced that Cubit had been relieved of his duties.[151] Illinois director of athletics Josh Whitman stated, "I appreciate the leadership that Bill Cubit provided our football program during what has been, unquestionably, a very tumultuous time...Through his efforts, he has kept the program moving forward. Bill is a good man and a good football coach...At this juncture, however, I think it is most important that we position our program for long-term success by creating a more stable environment for the coaches, players, and prospective student-athletes."
On March 7, 2016, former head coach of the NFL'sChicago Bears andTampa Bay BuccaneersLovie Smith was named Fighting Illini head coach, agreeing to a contract paying $21 million over six years.[152][153] After five years without a winning record, the hiring of a leader who had taken a professional football team to the Super Bowl invigorated fans and students.[154] Smith'sfirst team posted a 3–9 record.[155]
Smith'ssecond season saw a youth-movement with 10 true freshman starting by the third game of the season, the most in program history. Illinois also played 18 true freshman student athletes overall, tied for the second most in the nation,[156] and posted records of 2–10 overall and 0–9 in Big Ten games. The2018 Illini improved on their record from the previous year, going 4–8 overall and 2–7 in conference games during Smith's third season. The2019 team finished the season 6–7 with a loss in the2019 Redbox Bowl.[157] It was the first bowl game for the University of Illinois football team since 2014.[158] Smith started the season with a 2–5 record and was fired on December 13, 2020. He finished with an overall record of 17–39 in five seasons at Illinois, including a 10–33 record in Big Ten Conference play.[159]
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On December 19, 2020,Bret Bielema was named as the 26th Fighting Illini Head Football Coach.[160] Bielema led Illinois to a 5–7 record in his first year with the Fighting Illini in 2021, including road wins that gained national notoriety over #7Penn State and #20Minnesota to give Bielema more AP/CFP ranked wins than any other first-year coach in Illinois history. The Illini won at #7 Penn State, 20-18, in nine overtimes to mark the longest game in college football history. Chase Brown ran for 223 yards, the most ever by a Big Ten opponent atBeaver Stadium, andBrandon Peters connected with Casey Washington in the back of the end zone of the ninth overtime to stun the Penn State crowd. Two games later, Illinois earned its first ever win over a College Football Playoff ranked opponent by taking down #20 Minnesota, 14-6, inMinneapolis behind a dominant effort by the defense.[161]
Illinois has been selected asnational champions in five seasons (1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951) by NCAA-designated major selectors, often using mathematical algorithms.[162][163]: 111–113 Illinois claims championships for all five years.[164] Almost all college football title selections before 1928 were retrospective (selected years or decades later), and that is the case here.[163] Only Dickinson in 1927 and Boand in 1951 were contemporaneous. Selection of consensus champions began in 1950.
The Fighting Illini have never finished a season ranked No. 1 in either theAP Poll orCoaches' Poll.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl game | Final AP | Final Coaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | Bob Zuppke | Billingsley,Parke Davis (both co-champions) | 7–0 | – | – | |
| 1919 | Bob Zuppke | Billingsley,Boand,Football Researchers, Parke Davis,Sagarin (all co-champions except Boand) | 6–1 | – | – | |
| 1923 | Bob Zuppke | Berryman, Boand, Football Researchers,Helms,National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis, Sagarin (Berryman, NCF, Sagarin co-champions) | 8–0 | – | – | |
| 1927 | Bob Zuppke | Billingsley,Dickinson, Helms, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis | 7–0–1 | – | – | |
| 1951 | Ray Eliot | Boand (co-champion) | 9–0–1 | WRose Bowl | No. 4 | No. 3 |
Illinois has won 15 conference championships, eight outright and seven shared.[165]
| Year | Conference | Coach | Conference record | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910† | Western Conference | Arthur Hall | 4–0 | 7–0 |
| 1914 | Western Conference | Bob Zuppke | 6–0 | 7–0 |
| 1915† | Western Conference | 3–0–2 | 5–0–2 | |
| 1918† | Western Conference | 4–0 | 5–2 | |
| 1919 | Western Conference | 6–1 | 6–1 | |
| 1923† | Western Conference | 5–0 | 8–0 | |
| 1927† | Western Conference | 5–0 | 7–0–1 | |
| 1928 | Western Conference | 4–1 | 7–1 | |
| 1946 | Western Conference | Ray Eliot | 6–1 | 8–2 |
| 1951 | Big Ten Conference | 5–0–1 | 9–0–1 | |
| 1953† | Big Ten Conference | 5–1 | 7–1–1 | |
| 1963 | Big Ten Conference | Pete Elliott | 5–1–1 | 8–1–1 |
| 1983 | Big Ten Conference | Mike White | 9–0 | 10–2 |
| 1990† | Big Ten Conference | John Mackovic | 6–2 | 8–4 |
| 2001 | Big Ten Conference | Ron Turner | 7–1 | 10–2 |
† Co-champions
Illinois has participated in 21 bowl games, with the Fighting Illini having a record of 9–12.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Ray Eliot | Rose Bowl | UCLA | W 45–14 |
| 1951 | Rose Bowl | Stanford | W 40–7 | |
| 1963 | Pete Elliott | Rose Bowl | Washington | W 17–7 |
| 1982 | Mike White | Liberty Bowl | Alabama | L 15–21 |
| 1983 | Rose Bowl | UCLA | L 9–45 | |
| 1985 | Peach Bowl | Army | L 29–31 | |
| 1988 | John Mackovic | All-American Bowl | Florida | L 10–14 |
| 1989 | Florida Citrus Bowl | Virginia | W 31–21 | |
| 1990 | Hall of Fame Bowl | Clemson | L 0–30 | |
| 1991 | Lou Tepper | John Hancock Bowl | UCLA | L 3–6 |
| 1992 | Holiday Bowl | Hawai'i | L 17–27 | |
| 1994 | Liberty Bowl | East Carolina | W 30–0 | |
| 1999 | Ron Turner | MicronPC.com Bowl | Virginia | W 63–21 |
| 2001 | Sugar Bowl | LSU | L 34–47 | |
| 2007 | Ron Zook | Rose Bowl | USC | L 17–49 |
| 2010 | Texas Bowl | Baylor | W 38–14 | |
| 2011 | Vic Koenning (interim) | Fight Hunger Bowl | UCLA | W 20–14 |
| 2014 | Tim Beckman | Heart of Dallas Bowl | Louisiana Tech | L 18–35 |
| 2019 | Lovie Smith | Redbox Bowl | California | L 20–35 |
| 2022 | Bret Bielema | ReliaQuest Bowl | Mississippi State | L 10–19 |
| 2024 | Citrus Bowl | South Carolina | W 21–17 |
Illinois has seven series against teams that generally are considered their rival in some form, with six of their rivals being in theBig Ten Conference.
While not as intense as the men's basketball rivalry between the schools, the football rivalry between Illinois andIndiana dates back to 1899 and has been played 73 times.[166][167] When the Big Ten split into non-geographical divisions in 2011,[168] both the Fighting Illini and Hoosiers were placed in the "Leaders" division, thereby ensuring an annual meeting on the football field.[169] However, when the Big Ten opted for a divisional format based on geography three years later,[170] Illinois was placed in the "West" division with Indiana placed in the "East", making the series intermittent once again.[171] Illinois leads the all-time series 46–25–2.[172]
The series dates back to the first meeting in 1899 and has been played 79 times.[173][174] When the Big Ten split into non-geographical "Leaders" and "Legends" divisions in 2011,[175] The Illini and Hawkeyes were placed in opposite divisions and weren't designated as protected annual cross-divisional so the series became intermittent again.[176] However, in 2014, the conference scrapped that divisional format in favor of a more geographically friendly "East" and West" divisional arrangement.[177] In so doing, the Big Ten placed both Illinois and Iowa in the West division which revived the annual rivalry once again.[178][179]
Perhaps the 1952 game is the most notable matchup in the history of the football rivalry.[180] Illinois won 33–13, but the game is more known for egregious Hawkeye penalties, angry Iowa fans throwing apples at Illini football players and a punch thrown between players on both teams that lead to the Big Ten suspending the series indefinitely.[181] The conference would not lift the indefinite suspension until 1967, the longest break in the history of the football rivalry.[182][183]
The history and rivalry between Illinois andMichigan has been marked by crazy games, upsets, and tensions between the two schools and fanbases. The first game was played in 1898 in Detroit, which the Wolverines won 12–5, and both teams played each other for 73 consecutive years from 1924 to 1996. In their most recent meeting in 2024, Illinois won 21–7 in Champaign. Michigan leads the series, 72–24–2.
The rivalry between Illinois andMissouri is modeled after the two schools' longstandingbasketball rivalry, and it garners the most interest around St. Louis, with both schools having alumni and fans in the area. It has not been played annually, with 24 matchups occurring from 1896 to 2010, with Missouri leading the series 17–7.[citation needed] Between 2000 and 2010, the schools met in St. Louis six times, with Missouri winning each time. In 2026, the series will be renewed for a four-year period, to be played on campus sites.
Northwestern is Illinois' most played and biggest rival and the series began in 1892 with the two teams having played each other 112 times. Illinois leads the series 58–55–5 as of 2024. The original trophy was the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk utilized from 1947 to 2008, until it was replaced with the Land of Lincoln Trophy in 2009. The Fighting Illini have had periods of dominance in the series, notably winning 11 of 12 matchups from 1908 to 1928.[184]
The rivalry withOhio State has occurred since 1902, with the Illibuck, a carved wooden trophy, being a reflection of its longevity, being the 2nd oldest trophy awarded for a Big Ten rivalry game. Ohio State leads the series 68–30–4 (not including the 2010 vacated win), with Ohio State having won the last eight games played. They were members of the same Division (Leaders) upon expansion in 2011, but they were separated in 2014, meaning that they do not meet up each year, although they are guaranteed to meet at least once in a four-year period. Illinois has had varied success in this rivalry, notably winning five straight from 1988 to 1992, although they have not beaten Ohio State since 2007, when Illinois beat No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus.
The rivalry withPurdue is the oldest of the four, with their first meeting being in 1890. Illinois has had varied success, such as winning 11 out of 12 games played between 1900 and 1911 and winning six straight from 1988 to 1993. Purdue leads the series, 47–45–6.
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Illinois has retired two jersey numbers.[185][186]
| Illinois Fighting Illini retired numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Ref. | |
| 50 | Dick Butkus | C/LB | 1962–1964 | [185] | |
| 77 | Red Grange | HB | 1923–1925 | [186] | |
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The following 17 Illinois players and coaches have been inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame.
| Name | Years | Position | Induction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Grange | 1923–1925 | HB | 1951 |
| Edward K. Hall | 1892–1893 | Head coach | 1951 |
| Robert Zuppke | 1913–1941 | Head coach | 1951 |
| Alex Agase | 1941–1942; 1946 | G | 1963 |
| George Woodruff | 1903 | Head coach | 1963 |
| Chuck Carney | 1918–1921 | End | 1966 |
| Claude "Buddy" Young | 1944, 1946 | HB | 1968 |
| Bart Macomber | 1914–1916 | HB | 1972 |
| J.C. Caroline | 1953–1954 | HB | 1980 |
| Bernie Shively | 1924–1926 | G | 1982 |
| Dick Butkus | 1962–1964 | LB | 1983 |
| Bob Blackman | 1971–1976 | Head coach | 1987 |
| Jim Grabowski | 1963–1965 | FB | 1995 |
| Al Brosky | 1950–1952 | S | 1998 |
| David Williams | 1983–1985 | G | 2005 |
| Dana Howard | 1991-1994 | LB | 2018 |
| Moe Gardner | 1987-1990 | DT | 2022 |
Illinois has six inductees.[188]
| Name | Position | Induction | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Grange | HB | 1963 | [189] |
| George Halas | End | 1963 | [190] |
| Hugh "Shorty" Ray | NFL rules | 1966 | [191] |
| Ray Nitschke | LB | 1978 | [192] |
| Dick Butkus | LB | 1979 | [193] |
| Bobby Mitchell | HB | 1983 | [194] |
November 2, 1990 - The University of Illinois announced its 25-man All-Century Football Team as voted on by fans.
| NFL Draft selections | |
|---|---|
| Top 5 Draft Picks | 8 |
| 1st round: | 23 |
| Total Playing: | 26 |
| Total NFL Players: | 301 |
| Notable achievements | |
| Illini in the Super Bowl: | 39 |
| Pro Football Hall of Famers: | 6 |
| College Football Hall of Famers: | 15 |
Illini football games are shown via theIllini Sports Network, which brings the Illini to stations across Illinois. Locally, the team's games are shown onWDWS-AM 1400 andWHMS-FM 97.5. WDWS has been the Illini's exclusive radio station in Champaign since 1935. WHMS has aired Illini games since the 1950s. The team's student newspaper is theDaily Illini, while outside coverage is handled byThe News-Gazette.
| Year | Non-conference opponents | Big Ten home games | Big Ten away games | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Western Illinois (8/29) | at Duke (9/6) | Western Michigan (9/20) | Maryland | Northwestern | Ohio State | Rutgers | USC | Indiana | Purdue | Washington | Wisconsin | N/A |
| 2026 | UAB (9/5) | Duke (9/12) | Southern Illinois (9/19) | Iowa | Nebraska | Oregon | Purdue | N/A | Maryland | Michigan State | Northwestern | Ohio State | UCLA |
| 2027 | Eastern Illinois (8/28) | at Missouri (9/18) | TBD | Indiana | Northwestern | Penn State | UCLA | Wisconsin | Michigan | Minnesota | Purdue | USC | N/A |
| 2028 | Illinois State (9/2) | Missouri (9/16) | Ohio (TBD) | Michigan State | Ohio State | Purdue | Washington | N/A | Indiana | Iowa | Northwestern | Oregon | Rutgers |
| 2029 | at Missouri (9/15) | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
| 2030 | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
| 2031 | TBD | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
| 2032 | Western Michigan (9/4) | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
| 2033 | at Missouri (9/17) | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
| 2034 | Missouri (9/16) | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
| 2035 | at Missouri (9/15) | TBD | TBD | ||||||||||
Media related toIllinois Fighting Illini football at Wikimedia Commons