# 1995 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 1995 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A football season. Illinois finished the season 5–5–1 (3–4–1 in Big Ten play) in Lou Tepper's fourth season as head coach.
The Illini's 3–3 tie with Wisconsin on November 25 is the last tie in FBS history as the NCAA implanted an overtime system following the season that eliminated the possibility of a tie.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 2:30 pm | No. 13 Michigan | No. 25 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, Illinois (rivalry) | ABC | L 14–38 | 70,193 |
| September 9 | 9:00 pm | at No. 24 Oregon* | | Autzen StadiumEugene, Oregon | SCC | L 31–34 | 44,201 |
| September 16 | 11:30 am | No. 17 Arizona* | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, Illinois | ESPN | W 9–7 | 57,134 |
| September 23 | 1:00 pm | East Carolina* | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, Illinois | | W 7–0 | 60,545 |
| October 7 | 12:00 pm | at Indiana | | Memorial StadiumBloomington, Indiana (rivalry) | ESPN2 | W 17–10 | 38,098 |
| October 14 | 11:00 am | Michigan State | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, Illinois | Creative | L 21–27 | 65,653 |
| October 28 | 11:00 am | No. 8 Northwestern | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, Illinois (Sweet Sioux Tomahawk) | Creative | L 14–17 | 65,425 |
| November 4 | 11:30 am | at Iowa | | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, Iowa | ESPN | W 26–7 | 70,397 |
| November 11 | 2:30 pm | at No. 2 Ohio State | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, Ohio (Illibuck) | ABC | L 3–41 | 92,639 |
| November 18 | 1:00 pm | Minnesota | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, Illinois | | W 48–14 | 45,521 |
| November 25 | 2:30 pm | at Wisconsin | | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, Wisconsin | Creative | T 3–3 | 76,750 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Season summary
### Michigan

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Michigan | 7 | 3 | 21 | 7 | 38 |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: September 2, 1995
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 70,193
* Box Score

### At Oregon

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 7 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 31 |
| Oregon | 7 | 0 | 13 | 14 | 34 |
at Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
* Date: September 9, 1995
* Game time: 9:00 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 44,201
* TV: ESPN
* Box score and Game recap

### Arizona

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Arizona | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: September 16, 1995
* Game time: 11:30 a.m. CST
* Game attendance: 57,134
* Box Score

### East Carolina

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| East Carolina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Illinois | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: September 16, 1995
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 60,545
* Box Score

### At Indiana

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Indiana | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
* Date: October 28, 1995
* Game time: 11:30 a.m. CST
* Game attendance: 38,098
* TV: ESPN
* Box score and Game recap
Game information :
First quarter
IND - FG Manolopoulos 45
ILL - FG B Scheuplein 46
Second quarter
ILL - McDonald 25 pass from Weaver (B Scheuplein kick)
IND - Stoner 65 pass from Dittoe (Manolopoulos kick)
Third quarter
ILL - Douthard 14 pass from Weaver (Mcdonald kick)
Fourth quarter
no scoring
Top Rushers
ILL - Havard - 17 rushes, 50 yards
IND - Batts - 20 rushes, 56 yards
Top Passers
ILL - Weaver - 16/28, 213 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
IND - Dittoe 10/22, 148 yards, 1 TD
Top Receivers
ILL - Douthard 5 receptions, 52 yards
IND - Stoner 5 receptions, 123 yards :

### Michigan State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Michigan State | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 27 |
| Illinois | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: October 14, 1995
* Game time: 11:00 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 65,653
* Box Score

### Northwestern

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northwestern | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Illinois | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: October 28, 1995
* Game time: 11:00 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 65,425
* TV: SCC
* Box Score

### At Iowa

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 26 |
| Iowa | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
* Date: October 28, 1995
* Game time: 11:30 a.m. CST
* Game attendance: 70,397
* TV: ESPN
* Box score and Game recap

### At Ohio State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Ohio State | 14 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 41 |
at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
* Date: November 11
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Overcast, 37 °F (3 °C)
* Game attendance: 92,639
* Referee: Steve Pamon
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
OSU – Pepe Pearson 4-yard run (Josh Jackson kick), 8:27. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 99 yards, 2:25.
OSU – Dimitrious Stanley 14-yard pass from Bobby Hoying (Josh Jackson kick), 1:35. Ohio St 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 4:51.
Second quarter
OSU – Josh Jackson 20-yard field goal, 10:09. Ohio St 17–0. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 5:20.
Third quarter
ILL – Bret Scheuplein 42-yard field goal, 10:44. Ohio St 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 58 yards, 4:10.
OSU – Eddie George 64-yard run (Josh Jackson kick), 10:24. Ohio St 24–3. Drive: 1 play, 64 yards, 0:13.
OSU – Eddie George 13-yard run (Josh Jackson kick), 3:07. Ohio St 31–3. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 3:11.
OSU – Eddie George 13-yard pass from Bobby Hoying (Josh Jackson kick), 0:58. Ohio St 38–3. Drive: 2 plays, 10 yards, 0:41.
Fourth quarter
OSU – Josh Jackson 26-yard field goal, 8:31. Ohio St 41–3. Drive: 12 plays, 43 yards, 6:20.
Top passers
ILL – Johnny Johnson – 11/18, 101 yards, INT
OSU – Bobby Hoying – 8/13, 109 yards, 2 TD, INT
Top rushers
ILL – Robert Holcombe – 14 rushes, 28 yards
OSU – Eddie George – 36 rushes, 314 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
ILL – Steve Harvard – 3 receptions, 27 yards
OSU – Rickey Dudley – 2 receptions, 53 yards :

### Minnesota

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Minnesota | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Illinois | 10 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 52 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: November 18, 1995
* Game time: 1:00 pm CST
* Game attendance: 45,521
* Box score
Game information :
Sources: Box score and Game recap
First quarter
ILL - 9:46-Cushing 40 pass from J. Johnson (Scheuplein kick)
ILL - 7:00-Scheuplein 44 FG
Second quarter
ILL - 14:23-M. Johnson 2 run (Scheuplein kick)
MIN - 3:06-Atwell 40 pass from Sauter (Chalberg kick)
ILL - 0:56-J. Johnson 6 run (Scheuplein kick)
Third quarter
ILL - 6:00-Scheuplein 29 FG
MIN - 1:10-Cooper 2 pass from Sauter (Chalberg kick)
Fourth quarter
ILL - 13:37-Dulick 6 pass from J. Johnson (Scheuplein kick)
ILL - 9:55-Rice 27 fumble return (Scheuplein kick)
ILL - 7:18-Holcombe 29 run (Scheuplein kick)
Top Rushers
MIN - Rafael Cooper - 29 rushes, 94 yards
MIN - Javon Jackson - 5 rushes, 34 yards
ILL - Robert Holcombe - 24 rushes, 206 yards, 1 TD
ILL - Ty Douthard - 8 rushes, 48 yards
Top Passers
MIN - Cory Sauter - 34/21, 242 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs
ILL - Johnny Johnson - 22/11, 174 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving
MIN - Johnny Woodson - 6 receptions, 74 yards
MIN - Tutu Atwell - 4 receptions, 62 yards, 1 TD
ILL - Jason Dulick - 4 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD
ILL - Matt Cushing - 2 receptions, 51 yards, 1 TD :

### At Wisconsin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin
* Date: November 25, 1995
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
* Game attendance: 76,750
* Box Score

## 1996 NFL Draft

Two of the top three overall picks in the 1996 NFL draft were from Illinois.
| Player | Round | Pick | Position | Club |
| Kevin Hardy | 1 | 2 | Linebacker | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Simeon Rice | 1 | 3 | Defensive end | Arizona Cardinals |
| Ken Blackman | 3 | 69 | Guard | Cincinnati Bengals |

## Awards and honors

* Kevin Hardy, Butkus Award