1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
| 1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 12 |
| AP | No. 13 |
| Record | 5–3–1 (4–2–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Bill Burrell |
| Captain | Bill Burrell |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Wisconsin $ | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1959 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 1959 Big Ten season In their 18th and final year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled a 5–3–1 record (4–2–1 in conference games), finished in a tie for third place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 111 to 93. They were ranked No. 13 in the final AP poll.[1]
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Mel Meyers (495 passing yards, 50.8% completion percentage), Bill Brown (504 rushing yards, 5.7 yards per carry), and Johnny Counts (19 receptions for 314 yards, 16.5 yards per reception). Guard Bill Burrell was selected as the team's most valuable player, received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Big Ten's most valuable player,[2] and was a consensus first-team All-American.[3] Burrell and tackle Joe Rutgens received first-team honors on the 1959 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[4][5]
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26 | at Indiana | L 0–20 | 20,000 | |||
| October 3 | No. 4 Army* | W 20–14 | 64,891 | |||
| October 10 | at Ohio State | No. 20 | W 9–0 | 82,980 | ||
| October 17 | Minnesota | No. 13 |
| W 14–6 | 57,485 | |
| October 24 | vs. No. 8 Penn State* | No. 13 | L 9–20 | 15,045 | ||
| October 31 | No. 11 Purdue |
| T 7–7 | 42,553 | ||
| November 7 | Michigan |
| L 15–20 | 45,573 | [6] | |
| November 14 | at No. 7 Wisconsin | W 9–6 | 56,028 | |||
| November 21 | No. 8 Northwestern |
| W 28–0 | 32,390 | ||
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Awards and honors
References
- ^ "1959 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 9. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ Charles Chamberlain (November 24, 1959). "Lanphear Unanimous AP All-Big Ten Choice". The LaCrosse Tribune. p. 12.
- ^ Ed Sainsbury (November 27, 1959). "4 Northwestern gridders make UPI all-Big 10 team; Norton, Jeter place". Globe-Gazette, Mason City, Iowa. p. 12.
- ^ "Michigan Spoils Illinois' Rose Bowl Hopes, 20-15". The Sunday Pantagraph. November 8, 1959. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.