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- Last time Illinois was good at football
- Illinois football rankings 2001
- Illinois football roster 2001
- Who coached Illinois football in 2001?
- Did Illinois win a bowl game in 2001?
The Illinois Fighting Illini are off to a strong start this season and giving fans a rare reason to get excited.
Led by head coach Bret Bielema, veteran quarterback Luke Altmyer and a top-five scoring defense, this team has Illini fans feeling like it’s 2001 all over again.
That’s because the last time Illinois reached this level of success, the team finished 10-2 and earned a BCS bowl bid.
Here’s a look back at one of the most dominant teams in program history.
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Last time Illinois was good at football
It’s hard to believe, but 2001 was the last time Illinois was nationally relevant, meaning ranked inside the top 10. The Illini have come close a few times since, peaking at No. 13 in 2007, No. 16 in 2011 and No. 14 in 2022. They also finished last season ranked No. 16.
Outside of those moments, Illinois has endured mostly below-.500 or mediocre seasons. Since that 2001 finish, the Illini have managed just one nine-win season (2007) and a pair of 7-6 campaigns (2010 and 2011). Otherwise, losing seasons have piled up as the program cycled through coaches including Ron Zook, Tim Beckman and Lovie Smith.
Since Bret Bielema’s arrival in 2021, however, things have begun to improve in Champaign. Aside from a pair of 5-7 seasons in 2021 and 2023, Illinois went 8-5 in 2022 and reached 10 wins last season — its first double-digit win total since 2001.
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Illinois football rankings 2001
Illinois started the preseason unranked, finishing 5-6 the year prior. The Illini didn't get ranked until after their Week 3 34-10 victory over Louisville, which entered ranked 25th.
Although Illinois earned a No. 22 ranking, it didn't last long, as the next week, the Illini lost 45-20 on the road against No. 17 Michigan. Illinois then remained unranked until late October, after sitting at 6-1 after Week 7, when the AP Poll ranked them 22nd. Illinois cracked the Top-15 after its Week 9 38-13 win at No. 20 Purdue, then jumped to 12th after beating Penn State at home 33-28 a week later.
Illinois cracked the top-10 after beating a ranked Ohio State team on the road 34-22 in Week 10. The last week of the regular season in late November, Illinois, the Illini got as high as eighth, thanks to teams like No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 11 Michigan losing in the last week of the regular season.
Illinois won their first and only Big Ten title in football that season, defeating Northwestern 34-28.
| Week | AP Rank | Game/Result |
| Preseason | NR | -- |
| Week 1 | NR | W, 44-17 @Cal |
| Week 2 | NR | W, 17-12 vs. Northern Illinois |
| Week 3 | NR | W, 34-10 vs. No. 25 Louisville |
| Week 4 | No. 22 | L, 45-20 @ No. 17 Michigan |
| Week 5 | NR | W, 25-14 vs. Minnesota |
| Week 6 | NR | W, 35-14 @Indiana |
| Week 7 | NR | W, 42-35 vs. Wisconsin |
| Week 8 | No. 22 | BYE |
| Week 9 | No. 21 | W, 38-13 @ No. 20 Purdue |
| Week 10 | No. 15 | W, 33-28 vs. Penn State |
| Week 11 | No. 12 | W, 34-22 @ No. 25 Ohio State |
| Week 12 | No. 10 | W, 34-28 vs. Northwestern (Big Ten Championship) |
| Week 13 | No. 8 | -- |
| Week 14 | No. 8 | -- |
| Week 15 | No. 7 | L, 47-34 vs. LSU |
| Final | No. 12 | -- |
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Illinois football roster 2001
On offense, Illinois was led by senior starting quarterback Kurt Kittner, 1000-yard receiver Brandon Lloyd and running backs Antoineo Harris and Rocky Harvey.
Defensively, Illinois was known for its ballhawk secondary, getting 18 interceptions on the year, which led the country.
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Kurt Kittner, QB
Kittner earned the starting job at Illinois as a true freshman in 1998. His best season came as a senior in 2001, when he threw for 2,994 yards and 23 touchdowns, both tops in the Big Ten. He also had 13 interceptions that year.
He still holds the school records for career touchdown passes (64) and pass attempts (1,205).
Kittner was selected in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons and spent four years in the league, mostly on practice squads.
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Brandon Lloyd, WR
Lloyd saw action as a true freshman in 1999, gaining 454 yards receiving with two touchdowns. He missed the 2000 season entirely after suffering a broken femur but rehabbing in time for the 2001 season.
He came back stronger than ever, catching 60 passes for 1,006 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 16.8 yards per catch. He had another 1,000-yard season in 2002 and was drafted in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent 11 seasons in the NFL with the 49ers, Washington, Denver Broncos and other teams.
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Antoineo Harris, Rocky Harvey and Carey Davis, RB
Illinois had a trio of running backs it turned to on offense during the 2001 season. The group was led by Antoineo Harris, who had 167 carries for 626 yards and six touchdowns, which led the team.
Harvey finished second behind him, getting 578 yards on the ground and four scores. He added 208 yards receiving on the year, too.
Davis had 454 yards with a touchdown on the ground, getting another 250 yards receiving with three scores.
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Eugene Wilson, Christian Morton, Muhammad Abdullah, DB
Illinois' secondary was one of the best in the country, getting 13 takeaways in the air all season in 2001. Safety Eugne Wilson had six interceptions on the season. Cornerback Christian Morton had four interceptions, including two that were returned for touchdowns. Muhammad Abdullah added three interceptions.
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Who coached Illinois football in 2001?
Illinois was coached in 2001 by Ron Turner, who had been in Champaign since 1997. Before becoming head coach at Illinois, he was a longtime college assistant dating to the 1980s, with stops at Pitt, USC, Texas A&M and Stanford.
He served as head coach at San Jose State in 1992, leading the Spartans to a 7-4 record. From 1993 to 1996, he worked for the Chicago Bears as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
Turner finished with a 35-57 overall record at Illinois and later coached FIU from 2013 to 2016, while also bouncing around the NFL during the 2010s.
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Did Illinois win a bowl game in 2001?
Unfortunately, the Fighting Illini's dream season ended on a low note. Playing in the Sugar Bowl against No. 12 LSU in front of a very pro Tiger crowd, Illinois went down 27-0 late in the second quarter.
Although the final score read 47-34, this game was pretty much a blowout throughout. Illinois lost 47-34.
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