Illinois Fighting Illini
Record in Title Games: 007-012-01 (.350)
Record in Title Defenses: 005-002 (.714)
Longest Run of Title Game Victories: 4 Wins
Highlights and Lowlights
Illinois had their greatest success after winning the title in their last game in 1919. They managed 4 successful title defenses to start the year in 1920 (the game against Drake not counting as they were not a 1A school) before losing to Wisconsin. It would be almost 70 years before they would recapture the title, with another year ending victory in 1989.
Record of Title Games
| 1919 | 22-Nov | Illinois | 9 | Ohio State | 7 |
| 1920 | 9-Oct | Illinois | 41 | Drake | 0 |
| 1920 | 16-Oct | Illinois | 20 | Iowa | 3 |
| 1920 | 23-Oct | Illinois | 7 | Michigan | 6 |
| 1920 | 30-Oct | Illinois | 17 | Minnesota | 7 |
| 1920 | 6-Nov | Illinois | 3 | Chicago | 0 |
| 1920 | 13-Nov | Wisconsin | 14 | Illinois | 9 |
| 1921 | 22-Oct | Wisconsin | 20 | Illinois | 0 |
| 1936 | 24-Oct | Northwestern | 13 | Illinois | 2 |
| 1937 | 9-Oct | Notre Dame | 0 | Illinois | 0 |
| 1940 | 12-Oct | Southern California | 13 | Illinois | 7 |
| 1947 | 11-Oct | Army | 0 | Illinois | 0 |
| 1962 | 27-Oct | Southern California | 28 | Illinois | 16 |
| 1968 | 26-Oct | Ohio State | 31 | Illinois | 24 |
| 1969 | 25-Oct | Ohio State | 41 | Illinois | 0 |
| 1972 | 21-Oct | Michigan | 31 | Illinois | 7 |
| 1975 | 8-Nov | Ohio State | 40 | Illinois | 3 |
| 1981 | 7-Nov | Michigan | 70 | Illinois | 21 |
| 1989 | 1-Jan | Illinois | 31 | Virginia | 21 |
| 1990 | 8-Sep | Arizona | 28 | Illinois | 16 |
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