1986 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1986

| team = Illinois Fighting Illini

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Big Ten Conference

| short_conf = Big Ten

| record = 4–7

| conf_record = 3–5

| head_coach = Mike White

| hc_year = 7th

| off_coach =

| oc_year =

| off_scheme =

| def_coach =

| dc_year =

| def_scheme =

| mvp = Keith Jones

| captain = Scott Davis

| captain2 = Sam Ellsworth

| captain3 = Mark Dennis

| captain4 = Shane Lamb

| stadium = Memorial Stadium

}}

The 1986 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their seventh year under head coach Mike White, the Illini compiled a 4–7 record and finished in a tie for sixth place in the Big Ten Conference.{{cite web|title=1986 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=December 16, 2015|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1986-schedule.html}}

The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Shane Lamb with 1,414 passing yards, running back Keith Jones with 534 rushing yards, and Stephen Pierce with 602 receiving yards.{{cite web|title=1986 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=December 16, 2015|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1986.html}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1986

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 6

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Louisville

| stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| score = 23–0

| attend = 72,822

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-illini-trump-cards/170674321/|work=Quad-City Times|title=Illini trump Cards|date=September 7, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 13

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = USC

| site_stadium = Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

| site_cityst = Los Angeles, CA

| score = 16–31

| attend = 51,496

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-southern-califor/170829095/|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|title=Southern California trips Illinois, 31–16|date=September 14, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 20

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Nebraska

| opprank = 6

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| score = 14–59

| attend = 75,869

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star-huskers-take-fight/170802144/|work=Lincoln Journal Star|title=Huskers take fight out of Illini|date=September 21, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 4

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Ohio State

| site_stadium = Ohio Stadium

| site_cityst = Columbus, OH

| gamename = Illibuck Trophy

| score = 0–14

| attend = 90,030

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-ohio-st-shuts-out-the-i/170895984/|work=Chicago Tribune|title=Ohio St. shuts out the Illini|date=October 5, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 11

| w/l = w

| opponent = Purdue

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 34–27

| attend = 73,720

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-courier-and-press-illinois-l/170892132/|work=Evansville Courier and Press|title=Illinois' late TD subdues Boilers|date=October 12, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 18

| w/l = l

| opponent = Michigan State

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| score = 21–29

| attend = 75,083

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pantagraph-illini-drop-decision-to-m/170896102/|work=The Pantagraph|title=Illini drop decision to Michigan State|date=October 19, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 25

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Wisconsin

| site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium

| site_cityst = Madison, WI

| score = 9–15

| attend = 76,983

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-reporter-defense-keys-badgers-over-i/170891081/|work=The Reporter|title=Defense keys Badgers over Illini|date=October 26, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 1

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Michigan

| opprank = 3

| site_stadium = Michigan Stadium

| site_cityst = Ann Arbor, MI

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 13–69

| attend = 104,122

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review-total-collapse-illini/170896212/|work=Herald and Review|title=Total collapse: Illini blown out 69–13|date=November 2, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 8

| w/l = w

| opponent = Iowa

| opprank = 16

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| score = 20–16

| attend = 75,190

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-hayden-frys-worry-is/170896305/|work=Omaha World-Herald|title=Hayden Fry's worry is justified after Iowa upset by Illinois 20–16|date=November 9, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Indiana

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 21–16

| attend = 34,572

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-spoilsport-illinois-bowl/170896414/|work=Chicago Tribune|title=Spoilsport Illinois bowls over Indiana|date=November 16, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 22

| w/l = l

| opponent = Northwestern

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 18–23

| attend = 70,568

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch/131775443/|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|title=Northwestern defeats Illinois 23–18|date=November 23, 1986|accessdate=April 22, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

Games summaries

=No. 6 Nebraska=

{{AFB game box start

| Title = Nebraska at Illinois [box score]

| Visitor = No. 6 Cornhuskers

| Host = Fighting Illini

| V1 = 28| V2 = 10| V3 = 14| V4 = 7

| H1 = 0| H2 = 7| H3 = 0| H4 = 7

| Date = September 20, 1986

| Location = Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

| StartTime =

| TimeZone = CDT

| Attendance = 75,865

| Referee =

| TVAnnouncers = Skip Caray (play-by-play), Paul Hornung (analyst)

| TVStation = Turner Sports

}}

=At Ohio State=

{{AFB game box start

|Title=Illinois at Ohio State

|Visitor=Fighting Illini

|V1= 0|V2=0 |V3=0 |V4=0

|Host=Buckeyes

|H1= 0|H2=14 |H3=0 |H4=0

|Date=October 4

|Location=Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=EDT

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=90,030

|Weather=

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=

}}

=At No. 3 Michigan=

{{AFB game box start

|Title=Illinois at Michigan

|Visitor=Fighting Illini

|V1=10 |V2=3 |V3=0 |V4=0

|Host=No. 3 Wolverines

|H1=7 |H2=20 |H3=21 |H4=21

|Date=November 1

|Location=Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=104,122

|Weather=

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=

}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter=1 |QuarterEntries=3 |Time=12:03 |Team=ILL |Event=Chris Siambekos 47-yard field goal|Score=ILL 3–0}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=5:24 |Team=MICH |Event=Jim Harbaugh 13-yard run (Mike Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 7–3}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=0:11 |Team=ILL |Event=Brian Menkhausen 3-yard run (Siambekos kick)|Score=ILL 10–7}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Quarter=2 |QuarterEntries=5 |Time=9:38 |Team=MICH |Event=Gillette 20-yard field goal |Score=TIE 10–10}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=4:13 |Team=MICH |Event=Bob Perryman 1-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 17–10}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=2:15 |Team=MICH |Event=Paul Jokisch 41-yard pass from Harbaugh (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 24–10}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=0:26 |Team=MICH |Event=Gillette 52-yard field goal |Score=MICH 27–10}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=0:00 |Team=ILL |Event=Siambekos 44-yard field goal |Score=MICH 27–13}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Quarter=3 |QuarterEntries=3 |Time=10:55 |Team=MICH |Event=Harbaugh 1-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 34–13}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=8:12 |Team=MICH |Event=Perryman 25-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 41–13}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=4:27 |Team=MICH |Event=Thomas Wilcher 8-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 48–13}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Quarter=4 |QuarterEntries=3 |Time=13:03 |Team=MICH |Event=Chris Zurbrugg 1-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 55–13}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=10:10 |Team=MICH |Event=Zurbrugg 1-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 62–13}}

{{AFB game box scoring entry |Time=2:26 |Team=MICH |Event=Taylor 6-yard run (Gillette kick) |Score=MICH 69–13|LastEntry=yes}}

{{cite news|title=MSU rocks and U-M rolls: Michigan nails Illini – 69-13|newspaper=The Detroit Free Press|author=Tommy George|date=November 2, 1986|pages=1D, 12D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43584837/msu_rocks_and_um_rolls_michigan_nails/|via=Newspapers.com |access-date=July 23, 2022}}

=No. 16 Iowa=

{{AFB game box start

|Title=Iowa at Illinois

|Visitor=No. 16 Hawkeyes

|V1=3 |V2=7 |V3=0 |V4=6

|Host=Fighting Illini

|H1=0 |H2=0 |H3=7 |H4=13

|Date=November 8

|Location=Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois

|StartTime=

|TimeZone=CST

|ElapsedTime=

|Attendance=75,190

|Weather=

|Referee=

|TVAnnouncers=

|TVStation=

}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |FirstEntry=yes |Quarter=1 |Time= |Team=IOWA |Event=Houghtlin 36-yard field goal |Score=IOWA 3–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=2 |Time= |Team=IOWA |Event=Hudson 2-yard run (Houghtlin kick) |Score=IOWA 10–0}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=3 |Time= |Team=Illinois |Event=Pierce 54-yard pass from Menkhausen (Siambekos kick) |Score=IOWA 10–7}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Quarter=4 |QuarterEntries=4 |Time= |Team=Illinois |Event=Menkhausen 1-yard run (Siambekos kick) |Score=Illinois 14–10}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Time= |Team=Illinois |Event=Siambekos 29-yard field goal |Score=Illinois 17–10}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Time= |Team=Illinois |Event=Siambekos 42-yard field goal |Score=Illinois 20–10}}

{{AFB Game Box Scoring Entry |Time= |Team=IOWA |Event=Harmon 3-yard run (pass failed) |Score=Illinois 20–16 |LastEntry=yes}}

{{cite news |date=November 10, 1986 |title=Illinois Remembers To Pay Back Iowa |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/11/10/illinois-remembers-to-pay-back-iowa/ |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=July 23, 2022 }}

References

Illinois

Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons

Illinois Fighting Illini football