1977 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1977 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record3–8 (2–6 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPs
  • James Coleman
  • John Sullivan
Captains
  • Rickie Mitchem
  • Kurt Steger
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1977 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 9 Michigan + 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 11 Ohio State + 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Michigan State 6 – 1 – 1 7 – 3 – 1
Indiana 4 – 3 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
Minnesota 4 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Purdue 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Iowa 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin 3 – 6 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
2 – 6 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Northwestern 1 – 8 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 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 1977 Big Ten season. In their first year under head coach Gary Moeller, the Fighting Illini compiled a 3–8 record (2–6 in conference games), finished in ninth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 292 to 141.[1]

The team's statistical leaders includd quarterback Mike McCray (418 passing yards, 60.0% completion percentage), running back James Coleman (715 rushing yards, 5.0 yards per carry), wide receiver Tom Schooley (15 receptions for 231 yards), and kicker Dave Finzer (25 points scored, 7 of 13 extra points, 6 of 11 field goals).[2] Coleman and linebacker John Sullivan were selected as the team's most valuable players.[3] Guard Kevin Pancratz and linebacker John Sullivan received first-team honors on the 1977 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[4] [5][6]

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

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 10No. 2 Michigan
L 9–3760,477[7][8]
September 17Missouri*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
W 11–752,771[9]
September 24at Stanford*
L 24–3750,500[10]
October 1Syracuse*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 20–3052,015[11]
October 8at No. 19 Wisconsin
L 0–2678,661[12]
October 15at Purdue
W 29–2260,242[13]
October 22Indiana
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
W 21–750,298[14]
October 29at Michigan State
L 20–4970,589[15]
November 5No. 4 Ohio State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (Illibuck)
L 0–3566,973[16]
November 12Minnesota
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 0–2137,697[17]
November 19at Northwestern
L 7–2117,255[18]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1977 Illinois Fighting Illini football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
TE 81 Mike Sherrod Jr
QB 10 Nick Sowa Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 97 John Sullivan Sr
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. ^ "1977 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  2. ^ "1977 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  3. ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "Blue places five on AP's Big Ten squad". The Michigan Daily. November 29, 1977. p. 12.
  5. ^ "1977 All-Big Ten Football". The Times Recorder. November 29, 1977. p. 13.
  6. ^ "OSU, Michigan Dominate Big 10". The Salem News (Salem, Ohio). November 23, 1977. p. 9.
  7. ^ Curt Sylvester (September 11, 1977). "What Big Test? It's U-M, 37-9". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1E, 4E.
  8. ^ John Niemeyer (September 11, 1977). "Michigan mauls Illinois, 37-9". The Michigan Daily. pp. 1, 10 – via Bentley Historical Library.
  9. ^ "Illini hold on for 11–7 victory over fumbling Missouri". Southern Illinoisan. September 18, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Stanford trounces Illinois". Minneapolis Tribune. September 25, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Syracuse downs Illini". The Post-Crescent. October 2, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Illinois is fifth victim of Badgers". The Rock Island Argus. October 9, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Strader's 30-yard TD aids Illini win". The Dispatch. October 16, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Illinois turns back Indiana, 21–7". The Times. October 23, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Michigan State ground game destroys Illini". The Pantagraph. October 30, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Ohio State rolls over Illini, 35–0". The Grand Rapids Press. November 6, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Gopher carries 57 times in win". The Sioux City Journal. November 13, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Wildcats beat Illini for first victory". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 20, 1977. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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