# 1989 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The 1989 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1989 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach John Mackovic the Fighting Illini compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the Big Ten. Illinois was invited to the Florida Citrus Bowl, where the Illini beat Virginia.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 2:30 pm | at No. 5 USC* | No. 22 | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | ABC | W 14–13 | 54,622 |
| September 16 | 2:30 pm | at No. 8 Colorado* | No. 10 | Folsom FieldBoulder, CO | CBS | L 7–38 | 46,747 |
| September 23 | 1:00 pm | Utah State* | No. 20 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | | W 41–2 | 61,553 |
| October 7 | 2:30 pm | Ohio State | No. 18 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (Illibuck Trophy) | ABC | W 34–14 | 69,088 |
| October 14 | 1:00 pm | at Purdue | No. 16 | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (rivalry) | | W 14–2 | 41,101 |
| October 21 | 11:30 am | at Michigan State | No. 13 | Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI | ESPN | W 14–10 | 76,216 |
| October 28 | 1:00 pm | Wisconsin | No. 8 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | | W 32–9 | 64,856 |
| November 4 | 2:30 pm | at Iowa | No. 8 | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | ABC | W 31–7 | 67,700 |
| November 11 | 2:30 pm | No. 3 Michigan | No. 8 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | ABC | L 10–24 | 73,069 |
| November 18 | 2:30 pm | Indiana | No. 12 | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (rivalry) | ABC | W 41–28 | 53,368 |
| November 25 | 2:00 pm | at Northwestern | No. 11 | Dyche StadiumEvanston, IL (rivalry) | | W 63–14 | 31,017 |
| January 1 | 12:30 pm | vs. No. 16 Virginia* | No. 11 | Florida Citrus BowlOrlando, FL (Florida Citrus Bowl) | ABC | W 31–21 | 60,016 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||||

## Game summaries
### At USC
### Ohio State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Ohio St | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Illinois | 7 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 34 |
at Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
* Date: October 7
* Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
* Game weather: Sunny, 54 °F (12 °C)
* Game attendance: 69,088
* Referee: Gil Marchman
* TV: ABC
* Box Score
Game information :
First quarter
ILL – Howard Griffith 1-yard run (Doug Higgins kick), 1:01. Illinois 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 45 yards, 1:59.
Second quarter
OSU – Carlos Snow 7-yard run (Pat O'Morrow kick), 13:31. Tie 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 2:30.
ILL – Doug Higgins 26-yard field goal, 9:07. Illinois 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 49 yards, 4:24.
Third quarter
ILL – Howard Griffith 5-yard run (Chris Siambekos kick), 8:57. Illinois 17–7. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 3:49.
OSU – Jeff Graham 66-yard punt return (Pat O'Morrow kick), 4:22. Illinois 17–14.
ILL – Mike Bellamy 34-yard pass from Steve Williams (Chris Siambekos kick), 3:30. Illinois 24–14. Drive: 3 plays, 60 yards, 0:52.
Fourth quarter
ILL – Chris Siambekos 36-yard field goal, 14:49. Illinois 27–14. Drive: 7 plays, 11 yards, 2:26.
ILL – Ken Thomas 36-yard run (Chris Siambekos kick), 3:27. Illinois 34–14. Drive: 10 plays, 99 yards, 4:17.
Top passers
OSU – Greg Frey – 13/25, 137 yards, INT
ILL – Jeff George – 12/20, 130 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
OSU – Carlos Snow – 21 rushes, 97 yards, TD
ILL – Howard Griffith – 20 rushes, 117 yards, 2 TD
Top receivers
OSU – Jeff Graham – 5 receptions, 71 yards
ILL – Mike Bellamy – 10 receptions, 152 yards, TD :

### At Purdue

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Illinois | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Purdue | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
at Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
* Date: October 14, 1989
* Game attendance: 41,101
Jeff George made his first appearance at Purdue since transferring following the 1986 season
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Illinois | Passing | Jeff George | 24/42, 254 Yds, TD |
| Illinois | Rushing | Howard Griffith | 24 Rush, 94 Yds, TD |
| Illinois | Receiving | | |
| Purdue | Passing | Jeff Lesniewicz | 9/22, 82 Yds |
| Purdue | Rushing | | |
| Purdue | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | ILL | PUR |
| 1 | 9:49 | 16 | 80 | | Illinois | Frank Hartley 3-yard touchdown reception from Jeff George, kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 4 | 12:13 | | | | Purdue | Safety, Craig Davisson blocked punt by Brian Menkhausen out of end zone | 7 | 2 |
| 4 | 0:36 | | 80 | | Illinois | Howard Griffith 1-yard touchdown run, kick good | 14 | 2 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 14 | 2 |

### Florida Citrus Bowl (vs. Virginia)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 11 Fighting Illini | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 16 Cavaliers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |

## Awards and honors

* vJeff George, Sammy Baugh Trophy

## Team players in the NFL

| Player | Round | Pick | Position | Club |
| Jeff George | 1 | 1 | Quarterback | Indianapolis Colts |
| Mike Bellamy | 2 | 50 | Wide receiver | Philadelphia Eagles |