2010 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

2010 Illinois Fighting Illini football
Texas Bowl champion
Texas Bowl, W 38–14 vs. Baylor
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record7–6 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorPaul Petrino (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorVic Koenning (1st season)
Base defense4–3
MVPMikel Leshoure
Captains
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
2010 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 14 Michigan State +   7 1     11 2  
No. 7 Wisconsin $+   7 1     11 2  
Iowa   4 4     8 5  
  4 4     7 6  
Penn State   4 4     7 6  
Michigan   3 5     7 6  
Northwestern   3 5     7 6  
Purdue   2 6     4 8  
Minnesota   2 6     3 9  
Indiana   1 7     5 7  
No. 5 Ohio State† %   0 1     0 1  
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • % – BCS at-large representative
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • † – Ohio State (12–1, 7–1) self-vacated all of their wins[1]
Rankings from AP Poll[2][3]

The 2010 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. In their sixth season under head coach Ron Zook, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–6 record (4–4 in conference games), finished in three-way tie for third place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 423 to 305. They concluded the season in the Texas Bowl where they defeated Baylor, 38–14.[4]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (1,825 passing yards), running back Mikel Leshoure (1,697 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns, 122 points scored), and wide receiver A. J. Jenkins (56 receptions for 746 yards).[5]

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

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 411:30 amvs. Missouri*FSNL 13–2358,060[6]
September 116:30 pmNo. 5 (FCS) Southern Illinois*BTNW 35–352,217[7]
September 1811:00 amNorthern Illinois*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
BTNW 28–2250,569[8]
October 211:00 amNo. 2 Ohio State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (Illibuck)
BTNL 13–2462,870[9]
October 911:00 amat Penn StateESPN2W 33–13107,638[10]
October 1611:00 amat No. 13 Michigan StateBTNL 6–2674,441[11]
October 2311:00 amIndianadagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
BTNW 43–1353,550[12]
October 3011:00 amPurdue
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
ESPN2W 44–1050,371[13]
November 611:00 amat MichiganESPNL 65–67 3OT111,441[14]
November 1311:00 amMinnesota
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
BTNL 34–3855,549[15]
November 202:30 pmvs. No. 25 NorthwesternESPNUW 48–2741,058[16]
December 39:15 pmat Fresno State*ESPN2L 23–2530,625[17]
December 295:00 pmvs. Baylor*ESPNW 38–1468,211[18]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

References

  1. ^ "Buckeyes vacate wins from last football season". ESPN.com. July 8, 2011. The measures taken by the school included vacating all the Buckeyes' wins from last season, a year in which Ohio State captured a record-tying sixth straight Big Ten title and won an unprecedented seventh straight game over Michigan.
  2. ^ "Big Ten Conference Standings - 2010". ESPN. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  3. ^ "2014 NCAA Football Rankings - Week 16". ESPN. December 7, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2011.
  4. ^ "2010 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  5. ^ "2010 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  6. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Missouri Tigers Box Score". ESPN. September 4, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  7. ^ "Southern Illinois Salukis vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. September 11, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  8. ^ "Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. September 18, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  9. ^ "Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. October 2, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  10. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Box Score". ESPN. October 9, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  11. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Michigan State Spartans Box Score". ESPN. October 16, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  12. ^ "Indiana Hoosiers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. October 23, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  13. ^ "Purdue Boilermakers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. October 30, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  14. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Michigan Wolverines Box Score". ESPN. November 6, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  15. ^ "Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. November 13, 2010. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  16. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. November 20, 2010. Archived from the original on December 1, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  17. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Fresno State Bulldogs Box Score". ESPN. December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  18. ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Baylor Bears Box Score". ESPN. December 29, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.