Illinois Fighting Illini

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Illinois Fighting Illini

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Illinois Fighting Illini Football Team

The University of Illinois is a school with a proud tradition in athletics, but that hasn’t been the case when it comes to college football, at least since the beginning of the 21st century. The Fighting Illini used to be a national powerhouse when it came to this sport, but the football program has fallen on some times.

Illinois competes in the Big Ten Conference, which is annually one of the best college football conferences in the country. The Fighting Illini have fallen on tough times in that league, and it’s hard to see them turning things around anytime soon.

There have been some impressive players and teams in the history of Illinois football, and even some national championships. There are plenty of former Fighting Illini playing in the NFL and even some legendary names.

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The Illinois Fighting Illini have a strong record this season, with impressive stats and a solid standing in the NCAAF. The team has shown a lot of potential, and fans are excited to see what they can achieve in the coming games.

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Illinois Fighting Illini Team History

The Illinois Fighting Illini named Bret Bielema as the newest head coach of the football program on December 19, 2020. It is Bielema that is now tasked with getting this football team back to competing for Big Ten Conference championships.

The Northwestern Wildcats are one of the biggest rivals for the Illinois Fighting Illini, but Purdue and Indiana are on the list of rivals as well. It is the men’s college basketball program that is on the rise in Illinois, and that has taken some of the focus away from college football.

Illinois has won more than 600 college football games in program history, but they are also right around the .500 mark with their overall record. There just hasn’t been enough consistency with this program, and they struggle to recruit.

Recent History

While there have been some rough patches in the history of Illinois football, this current stretch might be the worst. Illinois has not won a Big Ten Conference championship since 2001, and they have had very few bowl appearances since that time.

The last bowl game victory came all the way back in 2001 for the Fighting Illini as they beat UCLA in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Lovie Smith, the most recent head coach before Bielema, posted a 10-33 record in Big Ten Conference games before he was fired.

Key Players in History

There have been 24 consensus All-Americans in the history of Illinois Fighting Illini football, and the program has sent a number of players to the National Football League. Red Grange and Dick Butkus are typically the first two players that come to mind when thinking about the program.

Whitney Mercilus (2011) was the latest Illinois football player to be named an All-American, and he was just the second player in this century. Dana Howard was the last Illinois football player to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, earning that honor in 2018.

Illinois has never had a player win the Heisman Trophy, which is the award given to the best college football player in the country.

Key Championships

Since Illinois has won just five national championships in program history, all of them have been special. It has been 70 years since the last title, and Illinois won’t be winning a championship anytime soon.

The most recent run of success for Illinois came during the 2001 season in which the Fighting Illini won the Big Ten Conference with a record of 10-2 and 7-1 in conference action. Illinois accepted an invitation to the Sugar Bowl that season and suffered a blowout loss to the LSU Tigers.

Conference Outlook

One of the biggest reasons that Illinois has struggled to become a national championship contender is the fact that the Big Ten Conference remains one of the best in the league. Illinois did catch a break when the conference split up into two divisions as the West is generally considered the weaker of the two.

Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, and Michigan State are all in the East Division, leaving the West to be traditionally dominated by Wisconsin and Iowa. The bottom of the West Division is typically where Illinois lands, and they are usually competitive with the other four teams.

The Big Ten Conference as a whole has struggled to win National Championships despite getting several chances in the College Football Playoff. The Ohio State Buckeyes have been the best program in the conference over the past decade, with some other schools coming through at different times.

Coaching History

Bret Bielema is the 26th coach in the history of Illinois football, a program that was founded all the way back in 1890. The first 100 years of Illinois football saw some coaches with long tenures, but that hasn’t been the trend lately.

Robert Zuppke amassed 131 wins while the head coach at Illinois and his teams also sported a winning percentage of .618. Zuppke is the gold standard when it comes to Fighting Illini football coaches, and there isn’t a real clear second option.

Ray Eliot is the last coach to lead the Fighting Illini to a National Championship, having done so all the way back in 1951. Illinois has not had a coach post a career-winning record since John Mackovic back in 1991.

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Illinois Fighting Illini FAQs

Has Illinois won any National Championships?

Illinois has five claimed National championships in college football, with all of them occ.

Who is the winningest coach in Illinois Football history?

Robert C. Zuppke is the winningest coach in Illinois football history, compiling a 131-81-13 record from 1913-1941.

Has Illinois had any Heisman Trophy winners?

Illinois has not had any Heisman Trophy winners in team history. Dick Butkus was third in the Heisman Trophy voting back in 1964, and Jim Grabowski was third in 1965.

What conference does Illinois compete in?

Illinois competes in the Big Ten Conference. They are members of the West Division.

What is the name of the home football stadium?

Memorial Stadium is the home to the Fighting Illini football team. The capacity at Memorial Stadium in Champaign is 60,670.