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1968 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
| 1968 Illinois Fighting Illini football |
|---|
| Big Ten Conference |
| 1–9 (1–6 Big Ten) |
| Jim Valek (2nd season) |
| Ellis Rainsberger (2nd season) |
| Rich Johnson |
| Carson Brooks |
| Tony Pleviak |
| Memorial Stadium |
The 1968 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 1968 Big Ten season. In their second year under head coach Jim Valek, the Illini compiled a 1–9 record (1–6 in conference games), finished in a tie for eighth place in the Big Ten, and were outcored by a total of 333 to 107.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Bob Naponic (813 passing yards, 39.0% completion percentage), fullback Rich Johnson (973 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry), and wide receiver Doug Dieken (21 receptions for 223 yards). Johnson was also selected as the team's most valuable player.
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 21 | Kansas* | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | L 7–47 | 46,359 | |
| September 28 | Missouri* | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | L 0–44 | 48,127 | |
| October 5 | at Indiana | Seventeenth Street StadiumBloomington, IN (rivalry) | L 14–28 | 50,996 | |
| October 12 | at Minnesota | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | L 10–17 | 49,864 | |
| October 19 | at No. 6 Notre Dame* | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN | L 8–58 | 59,075 | |
| October 26 | No. 2 Ohio State | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (Illibuck) | L 24–31 | 56,174 | |
| November 2 | at No. 6 Purdue | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (rivalry) | L 17–35 | 62,321 | |
| November 9 | at No. 7 Michigan | Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (rivalry) | L 0–36 | 56,775 | |
| November 16 | Northwestern | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | W 14–0 | 42,099 | |
| November 23 | Iowa | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | L 13–37 | 35,055 | |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |
Team photo of the 1968 Illinois Fighting Illini.
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