It may not seem like it based on recent history, but the Illinois Fighting Illini is one of the most accomplished football programs in Big Ten history. Lately, it’s been a little easier to find cheap Illinois football tickets, but the Illini were once one of the Big Ten’s biggest heavyweights. More importantly, the Fighting Illini look to be on the rise, hoping to fight their way back to the top, which has made last-minute Illinois football tickets a hot commodity in the Prairie State.

The Zuppke Dynasty

Illinois rose to prominence as a football program under head coach Robert Zuppke. The German-born coach took over in 1913 and led the Illini to an undefeated record and a national championship in his second season. That championship was far from a fluke, as Zuppke would lead Illinois to three more national championships during his nearly 30-year tenure with the Fighting Illini.

A Ray of Light

Zuppke was followed at Illinois by Ray Eliot, who played under Zuppke and coached the Illini for 18 seasons. During that time, Eliot led Illinois to three conference titles, and the first two Rose Bowl wins in program history. The second Rose Bowl win following the 1951 season awarded the Fighting Illini their fifth national championship in program history and cemented Eliot’s legacy as one of the most important figures in Illinois history.

A Little Lovie

Success was sporadic for Illinois during the second half of the 20th century. Despite a few Big Ten titles, the Illini suffered through a lot of losing seasons, with those struggles carrying into the 2000s. However, head coach Lovie Smith has provided Illinois with hope for the future. He took over in 2016 and took a few steps backward before taking a big leap forward in 2019, creating optimism that the Fighting Illini will have brighter days ahead.