1986 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

Last updated

1986 Illinois Fighting Illini football
Conference Big Ten Conference
Record4–7 (3–5 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVP Keith Jones
Captains
Home stadium Memorial Stadium
Seasons
  1985
1987  
1986 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Michigan + 7 1 011 2 0
No. 7 Ohio State + 7 1 010 3 0
No. 16 Iowa 5 3 09 3 0
Minnesota 5 3 06 6 0
Michigan State 4 4 06 5 0
Indiana 3 5 06 6 0
Illinois 3 5 04 7 0
Northwestern 2 6 04 7 0
Purdue 2 6 03 8 0
Wisconsin 2 6 03 9 0
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1986 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their seventh year under head coach Mike White, the Fighting Illini compiled a 4–7 record (3–5 in conference game), tied for sixth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 299 to 189. [1]

Contents

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Shane Lamb (1,414 passing yards, 50.7% completion percentage), running back Keith Jones (534 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry), wide receiver Stephen Pierce (43 receptions for 602 yards), and kicker Chris Siambekos (61 points, 19 of 20 extra points, 14 of 19 field goals). [2]

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

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 6 Louisville *W 23–072,822 [3]
September 13at USC *L 16–3151,496 [4]
September 20No. 6 Nebraska *
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 14–5975,869 [5]
October 4at Ohio State L 0–1490,030 [6]
October 11 Purdue
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
W 34–2773,720 [7]
October 18 Michigan State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 21–2975,083 [8]
October 25at Wisconsin L 9–1576,983 [9]
November 1at No. 3 Michigan L 13–69104,122 [10]
November 8No. 16 Iowa
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
W 20–1675,190 [11]
November 15at Indiana W 21–1634,572 [12]
November 22 Northwestern
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (rivalry)
L 18–2370,568 [13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Games summaries

No. 6 Nebraska

Nebraska at Illinois [box score]
Team1234Total
No. 6 Cornhuskers281014759
Fighting Illini070714

At Ohio State

Illinois at Ohio State
Team1234Total
Fighting Illini00000
Buckeyes0140014

At No. 3 Michigan

Illinois at Michigan
Team1234Total
Fighting Illini1030013
No. 3 Wolverines720212169
          

[14]

No. 16 Iowa

Iowa at Illinois
Team1234Total
No. 16 Hawkeyes370616
Fighting Illini0071320
   

[15]

References

  1. "1986 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  2. "1986 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  3. "Illini trump Cards". Quad-City Times. September 7, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Southern California trips Illinois, 31–16". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 14, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Huskers take fight out of Illini". Lincoln Journal Star. September 21, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Ohio St. shuts out the Illini". Chicago Tribune. October 5, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Illinois' late TD subdues Boilers". Evansville Courier and Press. October 12, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Illini drop decision to Michigan State". The Pantagraph. October 19, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Defense keys Badgers over Illini". The Reporter. October 26, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Total collapse: Illini blown out 69–13". Herald and Review. November 2, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Hayden Fry's worry is justified after Iowa upset by Illinois 20–16". Omaha World-Herald. November 9, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Spoilsport Illinois bowls over Indiana". Chicago Tribune. November 16, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Northwestern defeats Illinois 23–18". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 23, 1986. Retrieved April 22, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  14. Tommy George (November 2, 1986). "MSU rocks and U-M rolls: Michigan nails Illini – 69-13". The Detroit Free Press . pp. 1D, 12D. Retrieved July 23, 2022 via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Illinois Remembers To Pay Back Iowa". Chicago Tribune . November 10, 1986. Retrieved July 23, 2022.