1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 13
Record5–3–1 (4–2–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPBill Burrell
CaptainBill Burrell
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1958
1960 →
1959 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Wisconsin $ 5 2 0 7 3 0
Michigan State 4 2 0 5 4 0
Purdue 4 2 1 5 2 2
No. 13 Illinois 4 2 1 5 3 1
Northwestern 4 3 0 6 3 0
Iowa 3 3 0 5 4 0
Michigan 3 4 0 4 5 0
Indiana 2 4 1 4 4 1
Ohio State 2 4 1 3 5 1
Minnesota 1 6 0 2 7 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1959 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1959 Big Ten Conference football season In their 18th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Illini compiled a 5–3–1 record and finished in a tie for third place in the Big Ten Conference.[1] After the season, guard Bill Burrell was selected as the team's most valuable player and also received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Big Ten's most valuable player.[2]

  1. ^ "1959 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  2. ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.