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1968 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1968 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record1–9 (1–6 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorEllis Rainsberger (2nd season)
MVPRich Johnson
Captains
  • Carson Brooks
  • Tony Pleviak
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1968 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Ohio State $ 7 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 0
No. 12 Michigan 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 10 Purdue 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Minnesota 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Indiana 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Iowa 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Michigan State 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Illinois 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
Wisconsin 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1968 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1968 Big Ten season. In their second year under head coach Jim Valek, the Illini compiled a 1–9 record (1–6 in conference games), finished in a tie for eighth place in the Big Ten, and were outcored by a total of 333 to 107.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Bob Naponic (813 passing yards, 39.0% completion percentage), fullback Rich Johnson (973 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry), and wide receiver Doug Dieken (21 receptions for 223 yards).[2] Johnson was also selected as the team's most valuable player.[3]

The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 21Kansas*
L 7–4746,359[4]
September 28Missouri*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
L 0–4448,127[5]
October 5at Indiana
L 14–2850,996[6]
October 12at Minnesota
L 10–1749,864[7]
October 19at No. 6 Notre Dame*
L 8–5859,075[8]
October 26No. 2 Ohio State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (Illibuck)
L 24–3156,174[9]
November 2at No. 6 Purdue
L 17–3562,321[10]
November 9at No. 7 Michigan
L 0–3656,775[11]
November 16Northwestern
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
W 14–042,099[12]
November 23Iowa
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 13–3735,055[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

Roster

Team photo of the 1968 Illinois Fighting Illini.
Team photo of the 1968 Illinois Fighting Illini.
1968 Illinois Fighting Illini football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
E 82 Doug Dieken So
QB 12 Bob Naponic Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

References

  1. ^ "1968 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  2. ^ "1968 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  3. ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "Kansas jumps to 20–0 lead, rambles past Illinois, 47–7". The Pantagraph. September 22, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Mizzou tops Illinois 44–0". Southern Illinoisan. September 29, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Unimpressive Indiana rallies to tip Illinois 28–14". The Courier-Journal. October 6, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Gophers top Illinois, 17–10, for homecoming". Grand Forks Herald. October 13, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "ND rips Illinois, 58–8; Hanratty sets record". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 20, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "OSU, near season-wrecking tie, rallies to nip Illini". Springfield News-Sun. October 27, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Boilers trip Illini 'easily'". The Kokomo Tribune. November 3, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Wolverines near showdown". The Bay City Times. November 10, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Illini finally win one, 14–0". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 17, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Hawks smash Illini, 37–13". The Sioux City Journal. November 24, 1968. Retrieved October 26, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Schedule/Results (1968 Illinois)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved October 26, 2025.
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