1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football 1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.jpg 285 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 4 3 8–1–1 5–1–1 Pete Elliott 4th Dick Butkus Mike Taliaferro Dick Deller Memorial Stadium Big Ten championRose Bowl champion Rose Bowl W 17–7 vs. Washington The 1963 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 1963 Big Ten season. In their fourth year under head coach Pete Elliott, the Fighting Illini compiled an 8–1–1 record (5–1–1 in conference games), won the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 153 to 89. They concluded the season with a 17–7 victory over Washington in the 1964 Rose Bowl. The Illini's sole loss was a 14–8 defeat against Michigan. They were ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll.1963 Illinois Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 26, 2025 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1963-schedule.html Illinois center and linebacker Dick Butkus was selected as the team's most valuable player, won the 1963 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's most valuable player, and was honored as a unanimous first-team player on the 1963 All-America team.Fighting Illini Football Record Book University of Illinois 2015 December 29, 2016 155 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf November 29, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201129040612/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf dead2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2014 December 16, 2015 7 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf December 22, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141222163944/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf dead Tackle Archie Sutton was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) as a second-team All-American.Staubach Leads Youthful NEA All-Americans Evening Independent, St. Petersburg, FL December 2, 1963 14A https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19631202&id=VFdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7FYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6942,94054 The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Mike Taliaferro (434 passing yards, 41.8% completion percentage), fullback Jim Grabowski (491 rushing yards, 4.2 yards per carry), and wide receiver Bill Pasko (131 receiving yards).1963 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 26, 2025 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1963.html The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. Schedule 1963 AP September 28 w y California Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 10–0 42,357 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-flint-journal-illinois-stops-califor/189678449/ The Flint Journal Illinois stops California, 10–0, in grid opener September 29, 1963 March 18, 2026 Newspapers.com October 5 w Northwestern 4 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 10–9 51,286 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-illini-dazzle-cats-in-109-tri/193666877/ The Hammond Times Illini dazzle Cats in 10–9 triumph October 6, 1963 March 18, 2026 Newspapers.com October 12 t y Ohio State 8 Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH Illibuck 20–20 84,712 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-picayune-ohio-state-ties-illin/193668133/ The Times-Picayune Ohio State ties Illinois on 49-yard FG, 20–20 October 13, 1963 March 17, 2026 Newspapers.com October 19 w 7 Minnesota Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 16–6 61,229 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-terre-haute-tribune-61229-fans-see/193633185/ The Terre Haute Tribune 61,229 fans see Illini top Gophers October 20, 1963 March 18, 2026 Newspapers.com October 25 w y y 4 UCLA Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA 18–12 24,616 Illinois defeats U.C.L.A. by 18–12 https://www.proquest.com/docview/116346823 New York Times October 26, 1963 116346823 November 2 w 2 Purdue Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 41–21 61,796 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-decatur-daily-review-illinois-explod/193667717/ Decatur Sunday Herald and Review Illinois explodes to crush Purdue, 41–21 November 3, 1963 March 17, 2026 Newspapers.com November 9 l 2 Michigan Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 8–14 55,810 https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-michigan-upsets-il/193669082/ Enquirer and News Michigan upsets Illini, 14–8 November 10, 1963 March 17, 2026 Newspapers.comMichigan KOs Illinois, 14 to 8 Detroit Free Press Lyall Smith November 10, 1963 1D, 3D https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14919770/michigan_kos_illinois_14_to_8/ Newspapers.com'M' Humbles Fumbling Illinois, 14–8 The Michigan Daily Mike Block November 10, 1963 1, 7 https://digital.bentley.umich.edu/midaily/mdp.39015071754332/537 Bentley Historical Library November 16 w y 8 Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI 17–7 65,418 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-la-crosse-tribune-stubborn-illinois/193666433/ The La Crosse Tribune Stubborn Illinois beats Wisconsin 17–7 November 17, 1963 March 18, 2026 Newspapers.com November 28 w y 8 Michigan State 4 Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI 13–0 74,342 https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-courier-and-press-illini-muff/193668750/ The Evansville Courier Illini muffle Spartans, 13–0, for Rose Bowl berths November 29, 1963 March 18, 2026 Newspapers.com January 1 w y y 3 Washington Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl 17–7 96,957 https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-illini-whips-huskies/189675568/ The Arizona Daily Star Illini whips Huskies, 17–7 January 2, 1964 March 18, 2026 Newspapers.com Schedule/Results (1963 Illinois) https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/215332 National Collegiate Athletic Association NCAA Statistics March 18, 2026 Players Dick Butkus - center/linebacker Jim Grabowski - running back Sammy Price - running back Gregg Schumacher - end Archie Sutton - tackle Mike Taliaferro - quarterback Wylie Fox - lineman Rich Callaghan - end (offense & defense) Awards and honors Dick Butkus (Linebacker) Chicago Tribune Silver Football Consensus First-Team All-American (linebacker) All-American (center) Archie Sutton (Tackle) All-American (tackle) Roster PlayerPositionBill PaskoEndNeal AndersonJim PlankenhornOffensive Tackle, PlacekickerAl WheatlandHalfbackMike Taliaferro (co-captain)QuarterbackDick Deller (co-captain)GuardRon FearnFullbackMike DundyDefensive backDave AndersonJim WarrenHalfbackSammy PriceHalfbackGary EickmanTackleJim WainwrightLynn StewartOffensive TackleBob EasterOffensive TackleDee RutherfordDick ButkusCenter/LinebackerTodd GabbettGuardRich CallaghanEnd (offense & defense)Fred CustardoQuarterback, PlacekickerLarry JustizTony ParolaBarry DeistLes FeuquayDick DorrHal WinelandKen SchreinerGuardMario CamanaroPaul UptonBill MinorGuardHugh WoodsonGregg SchumacherEndDennis SenkowskiBruce CapelArt McCaskillWayne PaulsonHalfbackDave MuellerGeorge DonnellyDefensive BackDick KeeDick HochleutnerCharles GalbreathWylie FoxGuardTerry FairbanksJim GrabowskiHalfbackKai AndersonDick FitzgeraldRon AcksFullback, LinebackerMike SummersKen NietupskiTackleWayne StrauchJoe WolfeEd WalshJack MaggioreOffensive LinemanDave DeWolfBill FarrellJim UnrathSteve KimbellRoyce NeiszJohn WillisArchie SuttonOffensive TackleBob PetkusDon HansenLinebackerEddie RussellDave RussellDave PowlessGuardDale GrecoJohn WalkerBernie McCabeEd TerrillBill HarperBrian DuniecGuardEd WashingtonOffensive Tackle Head coach: Pete Elliott (3rd year at Illinois) References Illinois Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons Category:Rose Bowl champion seasons Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Illinois Fighting Illini football