# 1985 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 1985 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the 1985 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Mike White, the Illini compiled a 6–5–1 record and finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference. Illinois was invited to the Peach Bowl, where the Illini lost to Army.
The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Jack Trudeau with 2,938 passing yards, running back Thomas Rooks with 718 rushing yards, and wide receiver David Williams with 1,047 receiving yards.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 7 | No. 6 USC* | No. 11 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | L 10–20 | 76,369 |
| September 14 | Southern Illinois* | No. 19 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | W 28–25 | 76,330 |
| September 21 | at No. 18 Nebraska* | No. 20 | Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE | L 25–52 | 76,149 |
| October 5 | No. 5 Ohio State | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (Illibuck Trophy) | W 31–28 | 76,343 |
| October 12 | at Purdue | | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (rivalry) | L 24–30 | 68,837 |
| October 19 | at Michigan State | | Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI | W 30–17 | 76,438 |
| October 26 | Wisconsin | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | W 38–25 | 76,395 |
| November 2 | No. 4 Michigan | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | T 3–3 | 76,397 |
| November 9 | at No. 6 Iowa | | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | L 0–59 | 66,120 |
| November 16 | Indiana | | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | W 41–24 | 78,805 |
| November 23 | at Northwestern | | Dyche StadiumEvanston, IL (rivalry) | W 45–20 | 33,054 |
| December 31 | vs. Army* | | Atlanta–Fulton County StadiumAtlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) | L 29–31 | 29,857 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |||||||

## Game summaries
### No. 6 USC

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 6 Trojans | 14 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| No. 11 Fighting Illini | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
In a game that some considered a possible Rose Bowl preview, the Illini were doomed by 6 turnovers and found themselves in a 14–0 very early in the game. Illinois pulled to within 20–10 on a Chris White field goal early in the fourth quarter, but USC used ball control to grind out the clock – including 22 minutes of possession in the second half – and gain a big road win in the season opener for both teams.

### At No. 18 Nebraska

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 20 Fighting Illini | 0 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 25 |
| • No. 18 Cornhuskers | 14 | 10 | 21 | 7 | 52 |

### No. 5 Ohio State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 5 Buckeyes | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
| • Fighting Illini | 14 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 31 |

### No. 4 Michigan

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 4 Wolverines | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Fighting Illini | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
On November 2, 1985, Illinois played Michigan to a 3–3 tie at Memorial Stadium. Each team kicked a field goal in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Michigan drove the length of the field, but fullback Gerald White fumbled at the Illinois 12-yard line, with the Illini recovering at the nine-yard line. Illinois then drove the length of the field and, with time running out, Chris White lined up for what would have been a game-winning 37-yard field goal. Dieter Heren tipped the ball, which hit the cross-bar and bounced back, and the game ended in a tie. After the game, head coach White said, "I don't remember feeling worse after a game. . . . I'm devastated."

### At No. 6 Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fighting Illini | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • No. 6 Hawkeyes | 35 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 59 |

### Vs. Army (Peach Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Fighting Illini | 3 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 29 |
| • Cadets | 7 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 31 |