1939 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1939 Illinois Fighting Illini football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	3–4–1 (3–3 Big Ten)
Head coach	Robert Zuppke (27th season)
MVP	William Lenich
Captain	Melvin Brewer
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium

1939 Big Ten Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 15 Ohio State $	5	–	1	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
No. 9 Iowa	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	1	–	1
No. 20 Michigan	3	–	2	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Purdue	2	–	1	–	2			3	–	3	–	2
Northwestern	3	–	2	–	1			3	–	4	–	1
Illinois	3	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	1
Minnesota	2	–	3	–	1			3	–	4	–	1
Indiana	2	–	3	–	0			2	–	4	–	2
Wisconsin	0	–	5	–	1			1	–	6	–	1
Chicago	0	–	3	–	0			2	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1939 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1939 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 27th season under head coach Robert Zuppke, the Illini compiled a 3–4–1 record and finished in sixth place in the Big Ten Conference. Bill Lenich was selected as the team's most valuable player.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
September 30	Bradley*	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	T 0–0
October 14	at USC*	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA	L 0–26
October 21	Indiana	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	L 6–7
October 28	at Northwestern	Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL (rivalry)	L 0–13
November 4	No. 2 Michigan	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 16–7
November 11	Wisconsin	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 7–0
November 18	at No. 8 Ohio State	Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH (Illibuck Trophy)	L 0–21
November 25	at Chicago	Stagg Field Chicago, IL	W 46–0
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game