Football - Bowl Games (2024)

Illinois Bowl History

All-Time Record: 8-12
Streak: L3
January Bowls: 9 (4-5)
Most Points: 63 vs. Virginia (1999 MicronPC.com)
Biggest Margin: 42 vs. Virginia (1999 MicronPC.com)
Most Consecutive Wins: 3 (1947-64)
Most Consecutive Appearances: 5 (1988-92)

1947 ROSE BOWL

Jan. 1, 1947 // Pasedena, Calif.

In the first Rose Bowl under the Big Ten-Pac 10 agreement, unheralded Illinois routed highly ranked UCLA, 45-14. Illinois running backs Julius Rykovich and Claude “Buddy” Young rushed for 103 yards apiece. During the course of the game, six different Illinois players scored touchdowns as the Fighting Illini racked up their first Bowl victory.

1952 ROSE BOWL

Jan. 1, 1952 // Pasedena, Calif.

For three quarters, Illinois and Stanford battled in what appeared to be a low-scoring, defensive struggle. Late in the third quarter, Illinois scored the first of 34 un­answered points to blow out Stanford. Illinois took the lead on a six-yard touchdown run by Johnny Karras, then exploded for 27 fourth-quarter points to give Illinois and Head Coach Ray Eliot a second Rose Bowl victory in as many tries. Illinois rolled up 434 yards in total offense, with Mattoon’s Bill Tate picking up 150 yards on the ground. The 1952 Rose Bowl was the first nationally telecast college football game on NBC.

1964 ROSE BOWL

Jan. 1, 1964 // Pasedena, Calif.

Illinois made its first appearance in Pasadena in 12 years, led by linebacker Dick Butkus and fullback Jim Grabowski. Illinois trailed 7-0 before Jim Plankenhorn’s 32-yard field goal with one second remaining in the first half put the Illini on the scoreboard. Illinois came out strong in the second half, grinding out touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters to wear down the Huskies, 17-7. Grabowski earned MVP honors, gaining 125 yards and scoring one touchdown.

1982 LIBERTYBOWL

Dec. 29, 1982 // Memphis, Tenn.

Illinois reappeared on the bowl scene after a 19-year absence, facing Alabama and Paul “Bear” Bryant, who was coaching his final game and finished his career as the winningest coach in college football history. Illinois saw its perfect bowl record snapped with a 21-15 loss. Fighting Illini quarterback Tony Eason set a Liberty Bowl record, throwing for 423 yards, but Alabama’s bruising ground attack mustered 217 yards and proved to be the difference. The game would later become a made-for-television movie “Bear,” starring Gary Busey.

1984ROSE BOWL

Jan. 2, 1984// Pasedena, Calif.

Head Coach Mike White led Illinois to a perfect 9-0 Big Ten Conference record and the first Fighting Illini visit to Pasadena in 20 years. UCLA ended fourth-ranked Illinois’ hopes for a national cham­pionship with a 45-9 victory. The Bruins piled up 21 second-quarter points en route to a 28-3 halftime lead. UCLA quarterback Rick Neuheisel enjoyed the best game of his college career, completing 22 of 31 passes for 298 yards. The Bruins rushing attack ground out 232 yards to give UCLA 511 yards in total offense. Illinois ended the season with a 10-2 record, only the second Illinois team in history to win 10 or more games, and became the first and only team in conference history to defeat all nine Big Ten opponents in the same season.

1985PEACH BOWL

Dec. 31, 1985 // Atlanta, Ga.

On a cold, rainy day in Atlanta, Army scored two touchdowns on halfback option plays to take an eight-point lead into the final five minutes. Trailing 31-23 with less than a minute left, Illinois quarterback Jack Trudeau hit All-American receiver David Williams for a 54-yard touchdown to bring the Fighting Illini within two points of a tie. Trudeau’s two-point conversion pass attempt was broken up and Army handed Illinois its third consecutive Bowl defeat in the 1980s. Trudeau set Peach Bowl records with 38 completions in 55 attempts for 401 yards.

1988 ALL-AMERICAN BOWL

Dec. 29, 1988// Birmingham, Ala.

Coach John Mackovic led Illinois to a surprising 6-4-1 record and a third-place finish in the Big Ten, earning a date with SEC powerhouse Florida in the All-American Bowl. On the first play from scrimmage, Florida freshman Emmitt Smith scampered 55 yards for a touchdown. Illinois tied the score on a 30-yard run by Keith Jones in the second quarter. After a fourth-quarter Doug Higgins field goal gave Illinois a three-point lead, Smith scored his second TD with less than four minutes remaining to give the Gators the victory.

1990 CITRUS BOWL

Jan. 1, 1990// Orlando, Fla.

Illinois snapped a 26-year bowl victory drought with a 31-21 win over Virginia in the Florida Citrus Bowl. Illinois jumped on the Cavaliers early, with linebacker Bill Henkel recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff. Five plays later, quarterback Jeff George drilled a 15-yard scoring strike to Steven Williams. After Virginia tied the game early in the second quarter, George directed Illinois on an 80-yard scoring drive. Illinois opened the second half with an 84-yard drive capped by fullback Howard Griffith’s three-yard touchdown. Early in the fourth quarter, receiver Mike Bellamy scored on a 26-yard pass from George to clinch an Illini victory. George earned MVP honors, completing 26-of-38 for 321 yards and three TDs.

1991 HALL OF FAME BOWL

Jan. 1, 1991// Tampa, Fla.

The Fighting Illini’s trip to the Hall of Fame Bowl would be Illinois’ third bowl appearance in as many years under John Mackovic, but it would also be the most disappointing. The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 71 yards in 16 plays before All-American kicker Chris Gardocki kicked an 18-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Record-setting Illini running back Howard Griffith fumbled on Illinois’ first play from scrimmage, and on the very next play, Tiger quarterback DeChane Cameron hit Doug Thomas with a 14-yard touch­down pass to give his team a 10-0 lead. The Tiger offense tacked on two more touchdowns in the second quarter, while the Clemson defense held the Fighting Illini to just 22 total yards in the half. Illinois got its offense on track in the second half with 225 yards, but never could find paydirt.

1991 JOHN HANco*ck BOWL

Dec. 31, 1991 // El Paso, Texas

The Illini were play­ing their first game under new head coach Lou Tepper, who was named John Mackovic’s re­placement a little more than two weeks earlier when Mac­kovic took the head coaching job at Texas. The UI defense cer­tainly came to play, holding the high-octane UCLA attack to just 268 yards of total offense. The Illini offense didn’t fare much bet­ter, though, totaling 308 yards of its own in a classic defen­sive struggle. Illinois missed an early scoring opportunity when Jason Verduzco’s pass was intercepted at the Bruin goal line. The Illinois defense forced a UCLA fumble six plays later, but promptly turned the ball back to the Bruins at the UI 24-yard line after a blocked punt. The Illinois defense held UCLA to a field goal. Both teams traded punches until Illini freshman Chris Richardson kicked a 27-yard field goal. The score remained tied until the opening drive of the fourth quarter when Illinois’ Filmel Johnson fumbled a UCLA punt at the UI 11-yard line that lead to a 19-yard Louis Perez field goal. Illinois LB Mike Poloskey earned the Jimmy Rogers Jr. Trophy as the game’s Most Valuable Lineman.

1992 HOLIDAY BOWL

Dec. 30, 1992// San Diego, Calif.

Coach Lou Tepper ended his first full year at the helm of the Illini by lead­ing the team to its fifth-consecutive bowl appearance, the longest such streak in school history. Illinois’ offense got off to a quick start against Hawaii, marching 73 yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead after the first quarter. The Illini were down by three, 10-7, at halftime, but Hawaii stormed out of the locker room to piece together scoring drives of 80 and 62 yards. On its opening possession of the fourth quarter, a botched Illini lateral gave Hawaii the ball on the Illini’s 21, but the UI defense held the Rainbows to a field goal. On Illinois’ next possession, an interception gave Hawaii the ball once again, and the Rainbows proceeded to kill Illinois’ hopes for a victory by cruising for another score. John Wright caught his second TD pass of the contest in the waning minutes to make the final score 27-17.

1994LIBERTYBOWL

Dec. 31, 1994 // Memphis, Tenn. // Box Score (PDF)

Mak­ing its sixth bowl appearance in seven years, Illinois dominated Liberty Bowl opponent East Carolina from the beginning. The Illini took a 14-0 first-quarter lead on Johnny Johnson touchdown passes to Ken Dilger and Jasper Strong. In the second quarter the Illini added a Chris Richardson field goal and a touchdown reception by Jason Dulick to pull away, 24-0. Illinois’ final score came in the third quarter on another Johnson TD strike, this time to Ty Douthard. John­son’s four touchdown passes and 250 yards passing earned him Most Valuable Offensive Player and Most Valuable Player of the Game honors. The Illini defense forced four interceptions and a fum­ble, allowing a total of only 271 total yards. All-American linebacker Simeon Rice led the way with 10 tackles. The Liberty Bowl was the Illini’s first Bowl victory since 1990. Illinois’ 30-0 vic­tory was the most lopsided win in Liberty Bowl history and was the only shutout posted among the 1994-95 Bowls.

1999MICRONPC.COM BOWL

Dec. 30, 1999 // Miami, Fla. // Box Score

The Illini took advantage of the school’s first bowl appearance in five years with an impressive 63-21 victory over highly touted running back Thomas Jones and the Virginia Cavaliers. In a game which pitted two evenly matched, 7-4 squads, the Illini dominated with 611 yards total offense and nine touchdowns. On the first drive of the game, Kurt Kittner led the Illini down field 71 yards and scored on a one-yard run. The Illini then rattled off 35 unanswered points, including a flea-flicker pass from wide receiver Brandon Lloyd to Kittner for 30 yards and a halftime score of 42-7. Kittner threw a school record 24th touchdown pass on a one-yard reception to Jameel Cook. The Illini broke 22 Illinois and Micronpc.com Bowl records that night and scored the second-most points in collegiate bowl history.

2002 SUGAR BOWL

Jan. 1, 2002 // New Orleans, La. // Box Score

Big Ten champion Illinois made a late rally but couldn’t overcome LSU’s fast start as it fell in its first-ever Bowl Championship Series contest 47-34 at the Nokia Sugar Bowl. The Tigers scored the game’s first 28-points and jumped out to a 34-7 halftime advantage thanks to a 27-point second quarter that saw Domanick Davis run for a pair of scores and Rohan Davey throw for two more. The Illini matched LSU’s hot start with a second half rally as Kurt Kittner threw for 182 yards and three scores after halftime to cut the Tiger lead to 13 midway through the fourth quarter. But Illinois couldn’t get any closer as LSU converted a pair of third downs to run out the clock and get the win.

2008 ROSE BOWL

Jan. 1, 2008// Pasedena, Calif. // Box Score

The Illini took themselves out of the 2008 Rose Bowl game with four turnovers, which resulted in 28 USC points, and squandered four trips in the red zone for no points to fall to the Trojans, 49-17. Making their first bowl appearance in six years, the Big Ten’s second-place team squared off against No. 6 USC, the Pac-10 champs. Junior tailback Rashard Mendenhall rattled off 155 rushing yards on USC’s fourth-ranked defense and added another 59 yards receiving. With a 21-3 halftime deficit, Illinois came out in the second half, scoring a quick touchdown on a 79-yard run by Mendenhall. After another 55-yard burst by Mendenhall, the Illini threatened inside the 20 yard line, but a Jacob Willis fumble near the goal line gave the momentum back to USC. From there, the Trojans scored 28 unanswered points before an Arrelious Benn 56-yard reception from Eddie McGee capped the game’s scoring in the fourth quarter. Sophom*ore defender Vontae Davis tied an Illinois bowl record with 13 solo tackles. Early in the game, senior safety Justin?Harrison picked off a John David Booty pass returning it 45 yards, but a missed field goal gave the Illini no points.

2010 TEXAS BOWL

Dec. 29, 2010 // Houston, Texas // Box Score

Mikel Leshoure ran for 184 yards and three touchdowns as Illinois earned its first bowl victory since 1999, beating Baylor 38-14 in the Texas Bowl. The Illini spoiled the Bears’ first bowl appearance in 16 seasons. Both teams finished at 7-6. Leshoure had a 5-yard TD run in the second quarter, a 13-yard score in the third quarter and another 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth period. The performance gave him the school single-season rushing record with 1,697 yards. The Illini built a 24-0 lead and Leshoure’s last touchdown put the game out of reach. Leshoure was chosen the most valuable player. Illinois finished with 291 yards rushing and 533 yards of total offense to give coach Ron Zook his first bowl win as a head coach in his fourth try. Freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase got off to a sensational start, completing all of his 13 passes in the first half, and finished 18 of 23 for 242 yards. He scored on a 55-yard touchdown run with 41 seconds to play to make it 38-14. Illinois opened the second half with an 87-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown run by Leshoure. Leshoure also scored the 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 24-0 and set the Illinois single-season scoring record. Illinois led 9-0 before a 5-yard touchdown run by Leshoure about 10 minutes before halftime stretched the lead to 16-0. That score was set up by a 52-yard reception by Ryan Lankford a play earlier.

2011 KRAFT FIGHT HUNGERBOWL

Dec. 31, 2011// San Francisco, Calif. // Box Score

Terry Hawthorne intercepted a Kevin Prince pass and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown with 43 seconds left in the third quarter to give Illinois its first lead of the game and the Illini held off UCLA for a 20-14 victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park. It marked the first time in school history that Illinois had won bowl games in consecutive years and snapped a six-game losing streak after the Illini began the season 6-0. Nathan Scheelhaase sealed the victory with a 60-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Jenkins midway through the fourth quarter. A stingy Illinois defense limited the Bruins to 18 yards rushing – the lowest by an FBS opponent since 2005 – and only 219 total yards of offense, and recorded five sacks, breaking the single-season school record. Consensus All-American Whitney Mercilus recorded 1.5 sacks, equaling Simeon Rice’s school-record 16 from 1994, and giving him 22.5 tackles for loss on the season, the second-most in school history. Jenkins caught six passes for 80 yards on the day, falling two yards short of tying David Williams’ single-season record for receiving yards with his season total of 1,276 yards. The game was played under unique circ*mstances as both schools had interim coaching staffs for the game, most of which were not retained after the bowl.

2014 ZAXBY'S HEART OF DALLASBOWL

Dec. 26, 2014 // Dallas, Texas // Box Score

Reilly O’Toole threw for 295 yards and a touchdown for the Fighting Illini and fellow seniors Jon Davis and Donovonn Young each found the end zone in their final game in Orange and Blue. But special teams and big plays burned Illinois in a 35-18 loss in the 2014 Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl. Illinois (6-7) struggled early with penalties and missed field goals, but got within three points early in the fourth quarters. But Kenneth Dixon scored his second TD from one yard out with six minutes left to make it 28-18 and the Illini couldn’t answer. Illinois appeared to have gotten a break when LaKeith Walls sacked Cody Sokol, causing him to fumble. Jihad Ward returned it 19 yards before Dixon forced a fumble and Sokol recovered. That drive was capped by Dixon’s TD. O’Toole was 24 of 39 for a season-high 295 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

2019REDBOXBOWL

Dec. 30, 2019// Santa Clara, Calif. // Box Score

Illinois dropped a 35-20 decision to Cal in the Redbox Bowl in the Illini's first bowl game since 2014. The Illini outgained Cal, 450-395, but did not force a turnover on defense for the first time this season. Brandon Peters passed for 273 yards and one touchdown for Illinois (6-7) in his return after sitting out the regular-season finale with a concussion. Peters, who was shaken up again after diving out of bounds following a scramble late in the fourth quarter, completed 22 of 37 passes and added a team-high 68 rushing yards. Cal's Chase Garbers threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. Christopher Brown Jr. ran for 120 yards on 20 carries, and Makai Polk caught five passes for a season-high 105 yards as Cal (8-5) won its first bowl game since 2015.

2023 RELIAQUEST BOWL

Jan. 2, 2023// Tampa, Fla.// Box Score

Following its best season in 15 years, the Fighting Illini football program earned a berth in the ReliaQuest Bowl at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. The Illini were ranked in the AP Top 25 for five straight weeks in 2022 and were also ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time in school history. Illinois’ defense led the nation in scoring defense (12.8), interceptions (24), and takeaways (32), and ranked third in total defense (273.5). In the ReliaQuest Bowl, Illinois and #22/24 Mississippi State were tied 10-10 in the final minute before the Bulldogs kicked a game-winning field goal with four seconds remaining. Offensively, Tommy DeVito went 23-of-34 passing for 253 yards and a rushing touchdown, Isaiah Williams had career highs in receptions (10) and receiving yards (120), and Alex Palczewski became the second two-time bowl captain in Illini history and tied the FBS record for career starts (65). On the defensive side, Kendall Smith and Matthew Bailey both picked off passes to help the Illini break the single-season program record for interceptions.