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American college football season
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 .[ 1]
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.[ 2]
Schedule
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance September 7 No. 6 USC * No. 11 L 10–20
September 14 Southern Illinois * No. 19 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL W 28–25
September 21 at No. 18 Nebraska * No. 20 L 25–52
October 5 No. 5 Ohio State W 31–28
October 12 at Purdue L 24–30
October 19 at Michigan State W 30–17
October 26 Wisconsin Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL W 38–25
November 2 No. 4 Michigan Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL T 3–3
November 9 at No. 6 Iowa L 0–5966,120
November 16 Indiana Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL W 41–24
November 23 at Northwestern W 45–20
vs. Army * L 29–3129,857
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
Game summaries
USC
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
1–7
1972
L 20–55
[ 3]
at Nebraska
Illinois at Nebraska
1
2 3 4 Total
No. 20 Fighting Illini
0
10 0 15
25
• No. 18 Cornhuskers
14
10 21 7
52
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
2–5–1
1953
T 21–21
Ohio State
Ohio State at Illinois
1
2 3 4 Total
Buckeyes
0
14 14 0
28
• Fighting Illini
14
0 7 10
31
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
20–49–4
1984
L 38–45
[ 4]
at Michigan State
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
12–11–1
1984
W 40–7
Michigan
1
2 3 4 Total
Wolverines
0
0 3 0
3
Fighting Illini
0
0 3 0
3
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
19–51
1984
L 18–26
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."[ 5]
at Iowa
Illinois at Iowa
1
2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini
0
0 0 0
0
• No. 6 Hawkeyes
35
14 0 10
59
Date: November 9Location: Kinnick Stadium ,Iowa City, Iowa Game start: 1:05 p.m. CST Elapsed time: 3:20Game attendance: 66,120Game weather: Mid 40s° F, Cloudy, rain, Wind NE 10-15 mphReferee: Otho Kortz
Scoring summary 1 11:54 IOWA R. Smith 49-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 7-0
1 10:16 IOWA Hudson 1-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 14-0
1 7:28 IOWA R. Smith 43-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 21-0
1 4:36 IOWA Ronnie Harmon 46-yard run (Houghtlin kick)IOWA 28-0
1 0:59 IOWA Hudson 10-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 35-0
2 5:16 IOWA Flagg 1-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 42-0
2 2:31 IOWA Helverson 9-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 49-0
4 13:12 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 37-yard field goal IOWA 52-0
4 8:21 IOWA Goodman 16-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 59-0
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
30–17–2
1984
L 16–21
[ 6]
vs. Army (Peach Bowl)
Illinois vs. Army
1
2 3 4 Total
Fighting Illini
3
13 7 6
29
• Cadets
7
14 7 3
31
Overall record
Last meeting
Result
3–3–1
1959
W 20–14
[ 7]
References
^ "1985 Illinois Fighting Illini Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015 .
^ "1985 Illinois Fighting Illini Stats" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2015 .
^ "Upsets: UCLA Takes Bosco, and USC Hoists Champaign" . Los Angeles Times . September 8, 1985. Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ "Illinois Leaves Behind Past Failures, Upsets No. 5 Ohio State" . Los Angeles Times . October 6, 1985. Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ "U-M, Illinois fit to be tied" . Detroit Free Press . November 3, 1985. p. D1.
^ "Iowa Hits Illini Early, Often" . Chicago Tribune . November 10, 1985. Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
^ "ARMY'S AIR ATTACK STUNS ILLINI" . New York Times . January 1, 1986. Retrieved January 19, 2020 .
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