# List of Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the Illinois Fighting Illini football program since the team's conception in 1890. The list documents season-by-season records, and conference records from 1890 to the present.

## Seasons

| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches$^#$ | AP$^°$ |
| Scott Williams (Independent) (1890) ||||||||
| 1890 | Scott Williams | 1–2 | | | | | |
| Robert Lackey (Independent) (1891) ||||||||
| 1891 | Robert Lackey | 5–1 | | | | | |
| E.K. Hall (Independent) (1892–1893) ||||||||
| 1892 | E.K. Hall | 7–4–1 | | | | | |
| 1893 | E.K. Hall | 3–2–3 | | | | | |
| Louis Vail (Independent) (1894) ||||||||
| 1894 | Louis Vail | 4–3 | | | | | |
| George Huff (Independent) (1895) ||||||||
| 1895 | George Huff | 4–2–1 | | | | | |
| George Huff (Western) (1896–1899) ||||||||
| 1896 | George Huff | 4–2–1 | 0–2–1 | T–6th | | | |
| 1897 | George Huff | 6–2 | 1–1 | 4th | | | |
| 1898 | George Huff | 4–5 | 1–1 | 4th | | | |
| 1899 | George Huff | 3–5–1 | 0–3 | T–6th | | | |
| Fred L. Smith (Western) (1900) ||||||||
| 1900 | Fred L. Smith | 7–3–2 | 1–3–2 | 8th | | | |
| Edgar Holt (Western) (1901–1902) ||||||||
| 1901 | Edgar Holt | 8–2 | 4–2 | 4th | | | |
| 1902 | Edgar Holt | 10–2–1 | 4–2 | 4th | | | |
| George W. Woodruff (Western) (1903) ||||||||
| 1903 | George W. Woodruff | 8–6 | 1–5 | 7th | | | |
| Arthur R. Hall, Justa Lindgren, Fred Lowenthal, & Clyde Matthews (Western) (1904) ||||||||
| 1904 | Hall, Lindgren, Lowenthal, & Matthews | 9–2–1 | 3–1–1 | 4th | | | |
| Fred Lowenthal (Western) (1905) ||||||||
| 1905 | Fred Lowenthal | 5–4 | 0–3 | T–6th | | | |
| Justa Lindgren (Western) (1906) ||||||||
| 1906 | Justa Lindgren | 1–3–1 | 1–3 | 5th | | | |
| Arthur R. Hall (Western) (1907–1912) ||||||||
| 1907 | Arthur R. Hall | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3rd | | | |
| 1908 | Arthur R. Hall | 5–1–1 | 4–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1909 | Arthur R. Hall | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3rd | | | |
| 1910 | Arthur R. Hall | 7–0 | 4–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1911 | Arthur R. Hall | 4–2–1 | 2–2–1 | T–4th | | | |
| 1912 | Arthur R. Hall | 3–3–1 | 1–3–1 | T–6th | | | |
| Robert Zuppke (Western) (1913–1941) ||||||||
| 1913 | Robert Zuppke | 4–2–1 | 2–2–1 | 5th | | | |
| 1914 | Robert Zuppke | 7–0 | 6–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1915 | Robert Zuppke | 5–0–2 | 3–0–2 | 5th | | | |
| 1916 | Robert Zuppke | 3–3–1 | 2–2–1 | T–4th | | | |
| 1917 | Robert Zuppke | 5–2–1 | 2–2–1 | T–5th | | | |
| 1918 | Robert Zuppke | 5–2 | 4–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1919 | Robert Zuppke | 6–1 | 6–1 | 1st | | | |
| 1920 | Robert Zuppke | 5–2 | 4–2 | 4th | | | |
| 1921 | Robert Zuppke | 3–4 | 1–4 | 8th | | | |
| 1922 | Robert Zuppke | 2–5 | 2–4 | 6th | | | |
| 1923 | Robert Zuppke | 8–0 | 5–0 | 1st | | | |
| 1924 | Robert Zuppke | 6–1–1 | 3–1–1 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1925 | Robert Zuppke | 5–3 | 2–2 | T–4th | | | |
| 1926 | Robert Zuppke | 6–2 | 2–2 | T–6th | | | |
| 1927 | Robert Zuppke | 7–0–1 | 5–0 | T–1st | | | |
| 1928 | Robert Zuppke | 7–1 | 4–1 | 1st | | | |
| 1929 | Robert Zuppke | 6–1–1 | 3–1–1 | 2nd | | | |
| 1930 | Robert Zuppke | 3–5 | 1–4 | 8th | | | |
| 1931 | Robert Zuppke | 2–6 | 0–6 | T–9th | | | |
| 1932 | Robert Zuppke | 5–4 | 2–4 | 7th | | | |
| 1933 | Robert Zuppke | 5–3 | 3–2 | 5th | | | |
| 1934 | Robert Zuppke | 7–1 | 4–1 | 3rd | | | |
| 1935 | Robert Zuppke | 3–5 | 1–4 | T–9th | | | |
| 1936 | Robert Zuppke | 4–3–1 | 2–2–1 | 6th | | | |
| 1937 | Robert Zuppke | 3–3–2 | 2–3 | 8th | | | |
| 1938 | Robert Zuppke | 3–5 | 2–3 | 7th | | | |
| 1939 | Robert Zuppke | 3–4–1 | 3–3 | 6th | | | |
| 1940 | Robert Zuppke | 1–7 | 0–5 | 9th | | | |
| 1941 | Robert Zuppke | 2–6 | 0–5 | 9th | | | |
| Ray Eliot (Western) (1942–1952) ||||||||
| 1942 | Ray Eliot | 6–4 | 3–2 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1943 | Ray Eliot | 3–7 | 2–4 | 6th | | | |
| 1944 | Ray Eliot | 5–4–1 | 3–3 | 6th | | | 15 |
| 1945 | Ray Eliot | 2–6–1 | 1–4–1 | 7th | | | |
| 1946 | Ray Eliot | 8–2 | 6–1 | 1st | W Rose | | 5 |
| 1947 | Ray Eliot | 5–3–1 | 3–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1948 | Ray Eliot | 3–6 | 2–5 | 8th | | | |
| 1949 | Ray Eliot | 3–4–2 | 3–3–1 | T–5th | | | |
| 1950 | Ray Eliot | 7–2 | 4–2 | 4th | | 11 | 13 |
| 1951 | Ray Eliot | 9–0–1 | 5–0–1 | 1st | W Rose | 3 | 4 |
| 1952 | Ray Eliot | 4–5 | 2–5 | T–6th | | | |
| Ray Eliot (Big Ten) (1953–1959) ||||||||
| 1953 | Ray Eliot | 7–1–1 | 5–1 | T–1st | | 7 | 7 |
| 1954 | Ray Eliot | 1–8 | 0–6 | 10th | | | |
| 1955 | Ray Eliot | 5–3–1 | 3–3–1 | 5th | | | |
| 1956 | Ray Eliot | 2–5–2 | 1–4–2 | T–7th | | | |
| 1957 | Ray Eliot | 4–5 | 3–4 | 7th | | | |
| 1958 | Ray Eliot | 4–5 | 4–3 | 6th | | | |
| 1959 | Ray Eliot | 5–3–1 | 4–2–1 | T–3rd | | 12 | 13 |
| Pete Elliott (Big Ten) (1960–1966) ||||||||
| 1960 | Pete Elliott | 5–4 | 3–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1961 | Pete Elliott | 0–9 | 0–7 | T–9th | | | |
| 1962 | Pete Elliott | 2–7 | 2–5 | 8th | | 18 | |
| 1963 | Pete Elliott | 8–1–1 | 5–1–1 | 1st | W Rose | 4 | 3 |
| 1964 | Pete Elliott | 6–3 | 4–3 | T–4th | | 16 | |
| 1965 | Pete Elliott | 6–4 | 4–3 | 5th | | | |
| 1966 | Pete Elliott | 4–6 | 4–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| Jim Valek (Big Ten) (1967–1970) ||||||||
| 1967 | Jim Valek | 4–6 | 3–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 1968 | Jim Valek | 1–9 | 1–6 | T–8th | | | |
| 1969 | Jim Valek | 0–10 | 0–7 | 10th | | | |
| 1970 | Jim Valek | 3–7 | 1–6 | T–9th | | | |
| Bob Blackman (Big Ten) (1971–1976) ||||||||
| 1971 | Bob Blackman | 5–6 | 5–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1972 | Bob Blackman | 3–8 | 3–5 | T–6th | | | |
| 1973 | Bob Blackman | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | | | |
| 1974 | Bob Blackman | 6–4–1 | 4–3–1 | 5th | | | |
| 1975 | Bob Blackman | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1976 | Bob Blackman | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–3rd | | | |
| Gary Moeller (Big Ten) (1977–1979) ||||||||
| 1977 | Gary Moeller | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–8th | | | |
| 1978 | Gary Moeller | 1–8–2 | 0–6–2 | 9th | | | |
| 1979 | Gary Moeller | 2–8–1 | 1–6–1 | 9th | | | |
| Mike White (Big Ten) (1980–1987) ||||||||
| 1980 | Mike White | 3–7–1 | 3–5 | T–6th | | | |
| 1981 | Mike White | 7–4 | 6–3 | T–3rd | | | |
| 1982 | Mike White | 7–5 | 6–3 | 4th | L Liberty | | |
| 1983 | Mike White | 10–2 | 9–0 | 1st | L Rose | 10 | 10 |
| 1984 | Mike White | 7–4 | 6–3 | T–2nd | | | |
| 1985 | Mike White | 6–5–1 | 5–2–1 | 3rd | L Peach | | |
| 1986 | Mike White | 4–7 | 3–5 | T–6th | | | |
| 1987 | Mike White | 3–7–1 | 2–5–1 | 8th | | | |
| John Mackovic (Big Ten) (1988–1991) ||||||||
| 1988 | John Mackovic | 6–5–1 | 5–2–1 | T–3rd | L All-American | | |
| 1989 | John Mackovic | 10–2 | 7–1 | 2nd | W Citrus | 10 | 10 |
| 1990 | John Mackovic | 8–4 | 6–2 | T–1st | L Hall of Fame | 24 | 25 |
| 1991 | John Mackovic | 6–6 | 4–4 | 4th | L John Hancock | | |
| Lou Tepper (Big Ten) (1992–1996) ||||||||
| 1992 | Lou Tepper | 6–5–1 | 4–3–1 | 4th | L Holiday | | |
| 1993 | Lou Tepper | 5–6 | 5–3 | T–4th | | | |
| 1994 | Lou Tepper | 7–5 | 4–4 | T–5th | W Liberty | | |
| 1995 | Lou Tepper | 5–5–1 | 3–4–1 | T–7th | | | |
| 1996 | Lou Tepper | 2–9 | 1–7 | T–9th | | | |
| Ron Turner (Big Ten) (1997–2004) ||||||||
| 1997 | Ron Turner | 0–11 | 0–8 | 11th | | | |
| 1998 | Ron Turner | 3–8 | 2–6 | 7th | | | |
| 1999 | Ron Turner | 8–4 | 4–4 | T–6th | W MicronPC | 25 | 24 |
| 2000 | Ron Turner | 5–6 | 2–6 | T–9th | | | |
| 2001 | Ron Turner | 10–2 | 7–1 | 1st | L Sugar$^†$ | 12 | 12 |
| 2002 | Ron Turner | 5–7 | 4–4 | T–5th | | | |
| 2003 | Ron Turner | 1–11 | 0–8 | 11th | | | |
| 2004 | Ron Turner | 3–8 | 1–7 | 11th | | | |
| Ron Zook (Big Ten) (2005–2011) ||||||||
| 2005 | Ron Zook | 2–9 | 0–8 | 11th | | | |
| 2006 | Ron Zook | 2–10 | 1–7 | T–10th | | | |
| 2007 | Ron Zook | 9–4 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L Rose$^†$ | 18 | 20 |
| 2008 | Ron Zook | 5–7 | 3–5 | T–8th | | | |
| 2009 | Ron Zook | 3–9 | 2–6 | 9th | | | |
| 2010 | Ron Zook | 7–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | W Texas | | |
| 2011 | Ron Zook | 7–6 | 2–6 | 5th (Leaders) | W Kraft Fight Hunger | | |
| Tim Beckman (Big Ten) (2012–2014) ||||||||
| 2012 | Tim Beckman | 2–10 | 0–8 | 6th (Leaders) | | | |
| 2013 | Tim Beckman | 4–8 | 1–7 | 5th (Leaders) | | | |
| 2014 | Tim Beckman | 6–7 | 3–5 | T–5th (West) | L Heart of Dallas | | |
| Bill Cubit (Big Ten) (2015) ||||||||
| 2015 | Bill Cubit | 5–7 | 2–6 | T–5th (West) | | | |
| Lovie Smith (Big Ten) (2016–2020) ||||||||
| 2016 | Lovie Smith | 3–9 | 2–7 | 6th (West) | | | |
| 2017 | Lovie Smith | 2–10 | 0–9 | 7th (West) | | | |
| 2018 | Lovie Smith | 4–8 | 2–7 | 7th (West) | | | |
| 2019 | Lovie Smith | 6–7 | 4–5 | 4th (West) | L Redbox | | |
| 2020 | Lovie Smith | 2–6 | 2–6 | 7th (West) | | | |
| Bret Bielema (Big Ten) (2021–present) ||||||||
| 2021 | Bret Bielema | 5–7 | 4–5 | 5th (West) | | | |
| 2022 | Bret Bielema | 8–5 | 5–4 | T–2nd (West) | L ReliaQuest | | |
| 2023 | Bret Bielema | 5–7 | 3–6 | T-4th (West) | | | |
| 2024 | Bret Bielema | 10–3 | 6–3 | T-5th | W Citrus | 16 | 16 |
| Total: | Total: | 645–625–50 | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||||
| $^†$Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. $^#$Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ||||||||