This is a list of seasons completed by the Illinois Fighting Illini football program since the team's conception in 1890. The list documents season-by-season records, and conference records from 1896 to the present.[1][2][3][4]

Seasons

Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Scott Williams (Independent) (1890)
1890 Scott Williams 1–2
Robert Lackey (Independent) (1891)
1891 Robert Lackey 5–1
E.K. Hall (Independent) (1892–1893)
1892 E.K. Hall 7–4–1
1893 E.K. Hall 3–2–3
Louis Vail (Independent) (1894)
1894 Louis Vail 4–3
George Huff (Independent) (1895)
1895 George Huff 4–2–1
George Huff (Western) (1896–1899)
1896 George Huff 4–2–1 0–2–1 T–6th
1897 George Huff 6–2 1–1 4th
1898 George Huff 4–5 1–1 4th
1899 George Huff 3–5–1 0–3 T–6th
Fred L. Smith (Western) (1900)
1900 Fred L. Smith 7–3–2 1–3–2 8th
Edgar Holt (Western) (1901–1902)
1901 Edgar Holt 8–2 4–2 4th
1902 Edgar Holt 10–2–1 4–2 4th
George W. Woodruff (Western) (1903)
1903 George W. Woodruff 8–6 1–5 7th
Arthur R. Hall, Justa Lindgren, Fred Lowenthal, & Clyde Matthews (Western) (1904)
1904 Hall, Lindgren, Lowenthal, & Matthews 9–2–1 3–1–1 4th
Fred Lowenthal (Western) (1905)
1905 Fred Lowenthal 5–4 0–3 T–6th
Justa Lindgren (Western) (1906)
1906 Justa Lindgren 1–3–1 1–3 5th
Arthur R. Hall (Western) (1907–1912)
1907 Arthur R. Hall 3–2 3–2 3rd
1908 Arthur R. Hall 5–1–1 4–1 2nd
1909 Arthur R. Hall 5–2 3–1 3rd
1910 Arthur R. Hall 7–0 4–0 1st
1911 Arthur R. Hall 4–2–1 2–2–1 T–4th
1912 Arthur R. Hall 3–3–1 1–3–1 T–6th
Robert Zuppke (Western) (1913–1941)
1913 Robert Zuppke 4–2–1 2–2–1 5th
1914 Robert Zuppke 7–0 6–0 1st
1915 Robert Zuppke 5–0–2 3–0–2 5th
1916 Robert Zuppke 3–3–1 2–2–1 T–4th
1917 Robert Zuppke 5–2–1 2–2–1 T–5th
1918 Robert Zuppke 5–2 4–0 1st
1919 Robert Zuppke 6–1 6–1 1st
1920 Robert Zuppke 5–2 4–2 4th
1921 Robert Zuppke 3–4 1–4 8th
1922 Robert Zuppke 2–5 2–4 6th
1923 Robert Zuppke 8–0 5–0 1st
1924 Robert Zuppke 6–1–1 3–1–1 T–2nd
1925 Robert Zuppke 5–3 2–2 T–4th
1926 Robert Zuppke 6–2 2–2 T–6th
1927 Robert Zuppke 7–0–1 5–0 T–1st
1928 Robert Zuppke 7–1 4–1 1st
1929 Robert Zuppke 6–1–1 3–1–1 2nd
1930 Robert Zuppke 3–5 1–4 8th
1931 Robert Zuppke 2–6 0–6 T–9th
1932 Robert Zuppke 5–4 2–4 7th
1933 Robert Zuppke 5–3 3–2 5th
1934 Robert Zuppke 7–1 4–1 3rd
1935 Robert Zuppke 3–5 1–4 T–9th
1936 Robert Zuppke 4–3–1 2–2–1 6th
1937 Robert Zuppke 3–3–2 2–3 8th
1938 Robert Zuppke 3–5 2–3 7th
1939 Robert Zuppke 3–4–1 3–3 6th
1940 Robert Zuppke 1–7 0–5 9th
1941 Robert Zuppke 2–6 0–5 9th
Ray Eliot (Western) (1942–1952)
1942 Ray Eliot 6–4 3–2 T–3rd
1943 Ray Eliot 3–7 2–4 6th
1944 Ray Eliot 5–4–1 3–3 6th 15
1945 Ray Eliot 2–6–1 1–4–1 7th
1946 Ray Eliot 8–2 6–1 1st W Rose 5
1947 Ray Eliot 5–3–1 3–3 T–3rd
1948 Ray Eliot 3–6 2–5 8th
1949 Ray Eliot 3–4–2 3–3–1 T–5th
1950 Ray Eliot 7–2 4–2 4th 11 13
1951 Ray Eliot 9–0–1 5–0–1 1st W Rose 3 4
1952 Ray Eliot 4–5 2–5 T–6th
Ray Eliot (Big Ten) (1953–1959)
1953 Ray Eliot 7–1–1 5–1 T–1st 7 7
1954 Ray Eliot 1–8 0–6 10th
1955 Ray Eliot 5–3–1 3–3–1 5th
1956 Ray Eliot 2–5–2 1–4–2 T–7th
1957 Ray Eliot 4–5 3–4 7th
1958 Ray Eliot 4–5 4–3 6th
1959 Ray Eliot 5–3–1 4–2–1 T–3rd 12 13
Pete Elliott (Big Ten) (1960–1966)
1960 Pete Elliott 5–4 3–4 T–5th
1961 Pete Elliott 0–9 0–7 T–9th
1962 Pete Elliott 2–7 2–5 8th 18
1963 Pete Elliott 8–1–1 5–1–1 1st W Rose 4 3
1964 Pete Elliott 6–3 4–3 T–4th 16
1965 Pete Elliott 6–4 4–3 5th
1966 Pete Elliott 4–6 4–3 T–3rd
Jim Valek (Big Ten) (1967–1970)
1967 Jim Valek 4–6 3–4 T–5th
1968 Jim Valek 1–9 1–6 T–8th
1969 Jim Valek 0–10 0–7 10th
1970 Jim Valek 3–7 1–6 T–9th
Bob Blackman (Big Ten) (1971–1976)
1971 Bob Blackman 5–6 5–3 T–3rd
1972 Bob Blackman 3–8 3–5 T–6th
1973 Bob Blackman 5–6 4–4 T–4th
1974 Bob Blackman 6–4–1 4–3–1 5th
1975 Bob Blackman 5–6 4–4 T–3rd
1976 Bob Blackman 5–6 4–4 T–3rd
Gary Moeller (Big Ten) (1977–1979)
1977 Gary Moeller 3–8 2–6 T–8th
1978 Gary Moeller 1–8–2 0–6–2 9th
1979 Gary Moeller 2–8–1 1–6–1 9th
Mike White (Big Ten) (1980–1987)
1980 Mike White 3–7–1 3–5 T–6th
1981 Mike White 7–4 6–3 T–3rd
1982 Mike White 7–5 6–3 4th L Liberty
1983 Mike White 10–2 9–0 1st L Rose 10 10
1984 Mike White 7–4 6–3 T–2nd
1985 Mike White 6–5–1 5–2–1 3rd L Peach
1986 Mike White 4–7 3–5 T–6th
1987 Mike White 3–7–1 2–5–1 8th
John Mackovic (Big Ten) (1988–1991)
1988 John Mackovic 6–5–1 5–2–1 T–3rd L All-American
1989 John Mackovic 10–2 7–1 2nd W Citrus 10 10
1990 John Mackovic 8–4 6–2 T–1st L Hall of Fame 24 25
1991 John Mackovic[n 1] 6–6[n 1] 4–4 4th L John Hancock
Lou Tepper (Big Ten) (1992–1996)
1992 Lou Tepper 6–5–1 4–3–1 4th L Holiday
1993 Lou Tepper 5–6 5–3 T–4th
1994 Lou Tepper 7–5 4–4 T–5th W Liberty
1995 Lou Tepper 5–5–1 3–4–1 T–7th
1996 Lou Tepper 2–9 1–7 T–9th
Ron Turner (Big Ten) (1997–2004)
1997 Ron Turner 0–11 0–8 11th
1998 Ron Turner 3–8 2–6 7th
1999 Ron Turner 8–4 4–4 T–6th W MicronPC 25 24
2000 Ron Turner 5–6 2–6 T–9th
2001 Ron Turner 10–2 7–1 1st L Sugar† 12 12
2002 Ron Turner 5–7 4–4 T–5th
2003 Ron Turner 1–11 0–8 11th
2004 Ron Turner 3–8 1–7 11th
Ron Zook (Big Ten) (2005–2011)
2005 Ron Zook 2–9 0–8 11th
2006 Ron Zook 2–10 1–7 T–10th
2007 Ron Zook 9–4 6–2 T–2nd L Rose† 18 20
2008 Ron Zook 5–7 3–5 T–8th
2009 Ron Zook 3–9 2–6 9th
2010 Ron Zook 7–6 4–4 T–4th W Texas
2011 Ron Zook[n 2] 7–6[n 2] 2–6 5th (Leaders) W Kraft Fight Hunger
Tim Beckman (Big Ten) (2012–2014)
2012 Tim Beckman 2–10 0–8 6th (Leaders)
2013 Tim Beckman 4–8 1–7 5th (Leaders)
2014 Tim Beckman 6–7 3–5 T–5th (West) L Heart of Dallas
Bill Cubit (Big Ten) (2015)
2015 Bill Cubit 5–7 2–6 T–5th (West)
Lovie Smith (Big Ten) (2016–2020)
2016 Lovie Smith 3–9 2–7 6th (West)
2017 Lovie Smith 2–10 0–9 7th (West)
2018 Lovie Smith 4–8 2–7 7th (West)
2019 Lovie Smith 6–7 4–5 4th (West) L Redbox
2020 Lovie Smith[n 3] 2–6[n 3] 2–6[n 3] 7th (West)
Bret Bielema (Big Ten) (2021–present)
2021 Bret Bielema 5–7 4–5 5th (West)
2022 Bret Bielema 8–5 5–4 T–2nd (West) L ReliaQuest
2023 Bret Bielema 5–7 3–6 T-4th (West)
Total: 635–622–50
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. ^ a b The Fighting Illini were led by fourth-year head coach John Mackovic during the regular season before he resigned and was replaced by Lou Tepper as interim head coach for the team's bowl game.
  2. ^ a b Zook was fired after the team lost the final six games of its regular season. Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning was appointed as interim head coach led the team in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
  3. ^ a b c Prior to the team's final game, Smith was relieved of his coaching duties and replaced by offensive coordinator Rod Smith on an interim basis.

References

  1. ^ CFRC College Football Database - Illinois. Retrieved 2013-Nov-26.
  2. ^ Nationalchamps.net - Illinois. Retrieved 2013-Nov-26.
  3. ^ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2012_FB_RecordBook_full.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "Winsipedia - Illinois Fighting Illini football all-time record, wins, and statistics - Big Ten Conference".
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