Illinois Fighting Illini football

The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.

All-time win/loss/tie record

 * 563-513-51

National championships
The University of Illinois claims five national championships in football: 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, and 1951. The Fighting Illini now officially recognize the 1951 National Championship by the Boand selecting body, but as recently as 2006 this was not mentioned officially by the school.

Trophy games

 * Illibuck - Ohio State
 * Purdue Cannon - Purdue
 * Land of Lincoln Trophy - Northwestern (formerly the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk)

Career leaders

 * Passing Yards: Jack Trudeau (8,725)
 * Rushing Yards: Robert Holcombe (4,105)
 * Receiving Yards: David Williams (3,392)
 * Touchdowns: Howard Griffith (33)
 * Touchdown Passes: Kurt Kittner (70)
 * Receptions: David Williams (245)
 * Tackles: Dana Howard (495)
 * Interceptions: Al Brosky (30) *NCAA Record
 * Sacks: Simeon Rice (44.5) *NCAA Record

Season leaders

 * Passing Yards: Tony Eason (3,671 in 1982)
 * Rushing Yards: Mikel Leshoure (1,697 in 2010)
 * Receiving Yards: David Williams (1,278 in 1984)
 * Touchdowns: Mikel Leshoure (20 in 2010)
 * Touchdown Passes: Kurt Kittner (27 in 2001)
 * Receptions: David Williams (101 in 1984)
 * Tackles: John Sullivan (202 in 1977)
 * Interceptions: Al Brosky (11 in 1950 and 1951)
 * Sacks: Simeon Rice (16 in 1994), Whitney Mercilus (16 in 2011)

Game leaders

 * Passing Yards: Dave Wilson (621 vs. Ohio State in 1980) *Big Ten Record
 * Rushing Yards: Mikel Leshoure (330 vs. Northwestern in 2010)
 * Receiving Yards: A.J. Jenkins (268 vs. Northwestern in 2011)
 * Touchdowns: Howard Griffith (8 vs. Southern Illinois in 1990) *NCAA Record
 * Touchdown Passes: Dave Wilson (6 vs. Ohio State in 1980)
 * Receptions: David Williams (16 vs. Purdue in 1985)
 * Tackles: John Sullivan (34 vs. Minnesota in 1977)
 * Interceptions: Mike Gow (4 vs. Stanford in 1974)
 * Sacks: Simeon Rice (5 vs. Washington State in 1994)

Individual honors

 * National Player of the Year
 * Dick Butkus - 1964
 * Jim Grabowski - 1965


 * Baugh Trophy
 * Jeff George - 1989


 * Butkus Award
 * Dana Howard - 1994
 * Kevin Hardy - 1995


 * Hendricks Award
 * Whitney Mercilus - 2011


 * CFPA National Defensive Performer of the Year
 * Whitney Mercilus - 2011


 * CFPA Running Back Trophy
 * Mikel Leshoure - 2010


 * No. 1 Overall Draft Pick
 * Jim Grabowski - 1965... Miami
 * Dave Wilson - 1981... New Orleans
 * Jeff George - 1990... Indianapolis


 * Heisman Trophy finalists
 * Buddy Young - 1944... 5th
 * Bill Burrell - 1959... 4th
 * Dick Butkus - 1964... 3rd
 * Jim Grabowski - 1965... 3rd


 * Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player
 * George Halas - 1919
 * Buddy Young - 1946
 * Julius Rykovich - 1946
 * Bill Tate - 1951
 * Jim Grabowski - 1964


 * Chicago Tribune Silver Football (Big Ten Player of the Year)
 * Red Grange - 1924
 * Alex Agase - 1946
 * Bill Burrell - 1959
 * Dick Butkus - 1963
 * Jim Grabowski - 1965
 * Don Thorp - 1983
 * Rashard Mendenhall - 2007


 * Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year
 * Moe Gardner - 1990
 * Darrick Brownlow - 1990
 * Dana Howard - 1993 & 1994


 * Big Ten Freshman of the Year
 * Simeon Rice - 1992
 * Arrelious Benn - 2007


 * Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year
 * Moe Gardner - 1989
 * Simeon Rice - 1994


 * National Coach of the Year
 * Mike White - 1983
 * Ron Zook - 2007


 * Big Ten Coach of the Year
 * Mike White - 1983
 * John Mackovic - 1988 & 1989
 * Ron Turner - 2001
 * Ron Zook - 2007

College Football Hall of Famers

 * Alex Agase (Guard, 1941–1942; 1946)
 * Bob Blackman (Head Coach, 1971–1976)
 * Al Brosky (Safety, 1950–1952)
 * Dick Butkus (Center/Linebacker, 1962–1964)
 * Chuck Carney (End, 1918–1921)
 * J.C. Caroline (Halfback, 1953–1954)
 * Jim Grabowski (Fullback, 1963–1965)
 * Red Grange (Halfback, 1923–1925)
 * Ed Hall (Head Coach, 1892–1893)
 * Bart Macomber (Halfback, 1914–1916)
 * Bernie Shively (Guard, 1924–1926)
 * David Williams (Wide Receiver, 1983–1985)
 * George Woodruff (Head Coach, 1903)
 * Claude "Buddy" Young (Halfback, 1944, 1946)
 * Bob Zuppke (Head Coach, 1913–1941)

Consensus All-Americans

 * Ralph Chapman - 1914
 * Perry Graves - 1914
 * Bart Macomber - 1915
 * John Depler - 1918
 * Chuck Carney - 1920
 * Jim McMillen - 1923
 * Red Grange - 1923, 1924, 1925
 * Bernie Shively - 1926
 * Alex Agase - 1946
 * Johnny Karras - 1951
 * J.C. Caroline - 1953
 * Bill Burrell - 1959
 * Dick Butkus - 1963, 1964
 * Jim Grabowski - 1965
 * David Williams - 1984, 1985
 * Moe Gardner - 1989, 1990
 * Dana Howard - 1994
 * Kevin Hardy - 1995
 * J Leman - 2007
 * Whitney Mercilus - 2011

Pro Football Hall of Famers

 * Red Grange, Class of 1963
 * George Halas, Class of 1963
 * Hugh "Shorty" Ray, Class of 1966
 * Ray Nitschke, Class of 1978
 * Dick Butkus, Class of 1979
 * Bobby Mitchell, Class of 1983

Current NFL players

 * Alan Ball
 * Arrelious Benn
 * Danny Clark
 * Vontae Davis
 * Will Davis
 * David Diehl
 * Kelvin Hayden
 * Michael Hoomanawanui
 * Greg Lewis
 * Brandon Lloyd
 * Rashard Mendenhall
 * Brit Miller
 * Brandon Moore
 * Corey Liuget
 * Mikel Leshoure
 * Tony Pashos
 * Neil Rackers
 * Pierre Thomas
 * Steve Weatherford
 * Eugene Wilson

Other notable players

 * Tim Brewster - Former Head Coach, University of Minnesota
 * Bill Brown - Former NFL Running Back
 * Bill Burrell - Former NFL player
 * Ken Dilger - Former NFL Tight End
 * Tony Eason - Former NFL Quarterback
 * Dwight Eddleman - Former Olympian and NBA player
 * Kevin Hardy - Former NFL Linebacker
 * Jeff George - Former NFL Quarterback
 * Howard Griffith - Former NFL Fullback
 * John Holecek - Former NFL Linebacker
 * Brad Hopkins - Former NFL Offensive Tackle
 * Jesse Jackson - Political Activist
 * Kurt Kittner - Former NFL Quarterback
 * Ryan McPartlin - Actor
 * Ed O'Bradovich - Former NFL Defensive End
 * Simeon Rice - Former NFL Defensive End
 * Jack Trudeau - Former NFL Quarterback

Media
Illini football games are shown via the Illini Sports Network, which brings the Illini to stations across Illinois. Locally, the team's games are shown on WDWS-AM 1400 and WHMS-FM 97.5. WDWS has been the Illini's exclusive radio station in Champaign since 1935. WHMS has aired Illini games since the 1950's. The team's student newspaper is the Daily Illini, while outside coverage is handled by The News-Gazette.