# 1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1963 Big Ten Conference football season. In their fourth year under head coach Pete Elliott, the Illini compiled an 8–1–1 record, finished in first place in the Big Ten Conference, were ranked #3 in the final AP Poll, and defeated Washington in the 1964 Rose Bowl. The sole loss was a 14-8 defeat against Michigan.
Illinois center/linebacker Dick Butkus was selected as the team's most valuable player, won the 1963 Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the Big Ten's most valuable player, and was honored as a unanimous first-team player on the 1963 College Football All-America Team. Tackle Archie Sutton was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as a second-team All-American.
Quarterback Mike Taliaferro led the team with 450 passing yards while Jim Grabowski led the team with 616 rushing yards. Gregg Schumacher led the team with 133 receiving yards.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 28 | California* | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | W 10–0 | 42,357 |
| October 5 | No. 4 Northwestern | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | W 10–9 | 51,286 |
| October 12 | at No. 8 Ohio State | | Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (Illibuck Trophy) | T 20–20 | 84,712 |
| October 19 | Minnesota | No. 7 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | W 16–6 | 61,229 |
| October 25 | at UCLA* | No. 4 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | W 18–12 | 24,616 |
| November 2 | Purdue | No. 2 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | W 41–21 | 61,796 |
| November 9 | Michigan | No. 2 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | L 8–14 | 55,810 |
| November 16 | at Wisconsin | No. 8 | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI | W 17–7 | 65,418 |
| November 28 | at No. 4 Michigan State | No. 8 | Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI | W 13–0 | 74,342 |
| January 1 | vs. Washington* | No. 3 | Rose BowlPasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) | W 17–7 | 96,957 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |||||||

## 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

| Player | Position |
| Bill Pasko | End |
| Neal Anderson | |
| Jim Plankenhorn | Offensive Tackle, Placekicker |
| Al Wheatland | Halfback |
| Mike Taliaferro (co-captain) | Quarterback |
| Dick Deller (co-captain) | Guard |
| Ron Fearn | Fullback |
| Mike Dundy | Defensive back |
| Dave Anderson | |
| Jim Warren | Halfback |
| Sammy Price | Halfback |
| Gary Eickman | Tackle |
| Jim Wainwright | |
| Lynn Stewart | Offensive Tackle |
| Bob Easter | Offensive Tackle |
| Dee Rutherford | |
| Dick Butkus | Center/Linebacker |
| Todd Gabbett | Guard |
| Rich Callaghan | End (offense & defense) |
| Fred Custardo | Quarterback, Placekicker |
| Larry Justiz | |
| Tony Parola | |
| Barry Deist | |
| Les Feuquay | |
| Dick Dorr | |
| Hal Wineland | |
| Ken Schreiner | Guard |
| Mario Camanaro | |
| Paul Upton | |
| Bill Minor | Guard |
| Hugh Woodson | |
| Gregg Schumacher | End |
| Dennis Senkowski | |
| Bruce Capel | |
| Art McCaskill | |
| Wayne Paulson | Halfback |
| Dave Mueller | |
| George Donnelly | Defensive Back |
| Dick Kee | |
| Dick Hochleutner | |
| Charles Galbreath | |
| Wylie Fox | Guard |
| Terry Fairbanks | |
| Jim Grabowski | Halfback |
| Kai Anderson | |
| Dick Fitzgerald | |
| Ron Acks | Fullback, Linebacker |
| Mike Summers | |
| Ken Nietupski | Tackle |
| Wayne Strauch | |
| Joe Wolfe | |
| Ed Walsh | |
| Jack Maggiore | Offensive Lineman |
| Dave DeWolf | |
| Bill Farrell | |
| Jim Unrath | |
| Steve Kimbell | |
| Royce Neisz | |
| John Willis | |
| Archie Sutton | Offensive Tackle |
| Bob Petkus | |
| Don Hansen | Linebacker |
| Eddie Russell | |
| Dave Russell | |
| Dave Powless | Guard |
| Dale Greco | |
| John Walker | |
| Bernie McCabe | |
| Ed Terrill | |
| Bill Harper | |
| Brian Duniec | Guard |
| Ed Washington | Offensive Tackle |
* Head coach: Pete Elliott (3rd year at Illinois)