1948 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
| 1948 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Big Nine Conference |
| Record | 3–6 (2–5 Big Nine) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Jim Valek |
| Captain | Herb Siegert |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Michigan $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Northwestern | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Minnesota | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1948 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Nine Conference during the 1948 Big Nine season. In their seventh year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled a 3–6 record (2–5 in conference games), finished in eighth place in the Big Nine, and were outscored by a total of 140 to 135.[1] Illinois was ranked at No. 23 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System ratings for 1948.[2]
End James Valek was selected as the team's most valuable player.[3] Four Illinois players received first-team honors on the 1948 All-Big Nine Conference football team: guard Herb Siegert (AP-2, INS-2, UP-2); end Walt Kersulis (AP-2, UP-2); end Tony Klimek (INS-2); and Dwight Eddleman (INS-2).[4][5][6][7]
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 25 | Kansas State* | W 40–0 | 29,593 | ||
| October 2 | at Wisconsin | L 16–20 | 45,000 | [8] | |
| October 9 | No. 5 Army* |
| L 21–26 | 71,119 | |
| October 16 | at No. 11 Minnesota | L 0–6 | 62,066 | ||
| October 23 | Purdue |
| W 10–6 | 56,451 | |
| October 30 | at No. 1 Michigan | L 20–28 | 85,872 | ||
| November 6 | Iowa |
| W 14–0 | 41,502 | |
| November 13 | Ohio State |
| L 7–34 | 65,732 | [9] |
| November 20 | at No. 7 Northwestern | L 7–20 | 47,000 | ||
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References
- ^ "1948 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ^ "Michigan, Irish Finish 1-2 in Litkenhous Ratings". Wilmington Morning News. December 15, 1948. p. 32 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ "All Big 9 Gridders". Lawrence Daily Journal-World (AP story). November 23, 1948. p. 10.
- ^ "Wolves Land 4, Illini None On First All-Big 9 Eleven". Daily Illini. November 23, 1948.
- ^ "All Big Nine". Record Eagle, Traverse City, Michigan. November 23, 1948. p. 15.
- ^ "INS Big Nine Honorees". Milwaukee Sentinel (INS story). November 21, 1948. p. B2.
- ^ "Badgers Tally in Last 3 Minutes to Shade Illini: Self Climaxes Thriller With 2 Yard Plunge". The Pantagraph. October 3, 1948. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Buckeyes Roll Over Illini". Wisconsin State Journal. United Press. November 14, 1948. p. 38. Retrieved October 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.