The University of Illinois football team took to the field in 1890.  This Big Ten team fights for the conference title amongst other teams such as Wisconsin, Ohio, Penn State, and more.  Illinois has not won as many conference titles as Ohio State or Wisconsin, but they are proud to take the field every season.

One of the best decades for Illinois football was the 1920's.  They won three titles that decade.  In 1946, Ray Elliot led the team to the Rose Bowl and won.  In 1983, they lost the Rose Bowl after going 9-0 in the Big Ten, and 10-2 overall.  They have not one the conference championship since 2001, when they were 10-2. This season, the fighting Illini suffered through a 3-9 record.     

Highlights of former bowl games past include the1947 Rose Bowl Championship.  Once again, they won the Rose Bowl in 1952.  They defeated Virginia in the Florida Citrus Bowl, in 1990, and won the Liberty Bowl in 1994, playing East Carolina.  In the Micron PC bowl of 1999, they crushed Virginia 63-21.

Famous Illinois coaches include Mike White, John Mackovic, Ron Turner, and Ron Zook.  Former players to come out of Illinois are a who's who of pro football.  Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, George Hallas, and Red Grange all played in Illinois.