1966 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1966 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record4–6 (4–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPRon Guenther
Captains
  • Bo Batchelder
  • Kai Anderson
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1966 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Michigan State $7–0–09–0–1
No. 7 Purdue6–1–09–2–0
Michigan4–3–06–4–0
Illinois4–3–04–6–0
Minnesota3–3–14–5–1
Ohio State3–4–04–5–0
Northwestern2–4–13–6–1
Wisconsin2–4–13–6–1
Indiana1–5–11–8–1
Iowa1–6–02–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1966 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 1966 Big Ten season. In their seventh year under head coach Pete Elliott, the Fighting Illini compiled a 4–6 record (4–3 in conference games), tied for third place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 193 to 173.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Bob Naponic (998 passing yards, 43.2% completion percentage), running back Bill Huston (420 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry), and wide receiver John Wright (60 receptions for 831 yards).[2] Guard Ron Guenther was selected as the team's most valuable player.[3] Defensive end Ken Kmiec and defensive back Bruce Sullivan received first-team honors on the 1966 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[4][5]

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

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 17at SMU*
L 7–2628,000[6]
September 24Missouri*
L 14–2155,378[7]
October 1No. 1 Michigan State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 10–2657,747[8]
October 8Ohio State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL (Illibuck)
W 10–951,069[9]
October 15at Indiana
W 24–1039,339[10]
October 22Stanford*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
L 3–656,561[11]
October 29at Purdue
L 21–2561,643[12]
November 5at Michigan
W 28–2159,322[13][14]
November 12Wisconsin
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Champaign, IL
W 49–1453,645[15]
November 19at Northwestern
L 7–3537,625[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • Source: [17]

References

  1. ↑ "1966 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  2. ↑ "1966 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 29, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  4. ↑ "MSU Dominates All-Big Ten Team". The Pantagraph. November 23, 1966. p. 13.
  5. ↑ "Eight Spartans, Six From Michigan All Big Ten". The Holland, Michigan Evening Sentinel. November 23, 1966. p. 17.
  6. ↑ "SMU shocks Illini in 26–7 upset win". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. September 18, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Whittaker's 60 yard sprint leads Mizzou over Illini". Daily Herald-Telephone. September 25, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Roy Damer (October 2, 1966). "Battling Illini Beaten: Michigan State Thwarts Upset Bid, 26–10". Chicago Tribune. p. 1, 3 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Ohio State drops 10–9 Big 10 decision at Illinois". The Times Recorder. October 9, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Illini 'outgrab' IU 24–10". The Courier-Journal. October 16, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Stanford rallies to tip Illinois". The Minneapolis Tribune. October 23, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Griese heroic as Purdue rebounds". The South Bend Tribune. October 30, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Pete Elliott wins in brother act". Omaha World-Herald. November 6, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Jack Saylor (November 6, 1966). "Pete Wins 1st From Bump In 28–21 Upset". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Illinois tramples Badgers, 49–14". Wisconsin State Journal. November 13, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Wildcats rip Illini, 35–7". News Journal. November 20, 1966. Retrieved March 11, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Schedule/Results (1966 Illinois)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
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