1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1959 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 18th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Illini compiled a 5–3–1 record and finished in a tie for third place in the Big Ten Conference.[1] After the season, guard Bill Burrell was selected as the team's most valuable player and also received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Big Ten's most valuable player.[2]

1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 13
1959 record5–3–1 (4–2–1 Big Ten)
Head coachRay Eliot (18th season)
MVPBill Burrell
CaptainBill Burrell
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1959 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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 Illinois 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
  • $ Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26at Indiana
L 0–20
October 3No. 4 Army*
W 20–14
October 10at Ohio StateNo. 20W 9–0
October 17MinnesotaNo. 13
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
W 14–6
October 24vs. No. 8 Penn State*No. 13
L 9–20
October 31No. 11 Purdue
T 7–7
November 7Michigan
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 15–2045,573[3]
November 14at No. 7 WisconsinW 9–6
November 21No. 8 Northwestern
W 28–0
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Awards and honors

References

  1. "1959 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  2. "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  3. "Michigan Spoils Illinois' Rose Bowl Hopes, 20-15". The Sunday Pantagraph. November 8, 1959. p. 25 via Newspapers.com.


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