Illinois ranked high in the Big Ten and college football in 1923

Illinois played USC in the 2008 Rose Bowl, but the choice was controversial, as the Illini had lost multiple games that season and were not Big Ten champions. The Illini have not been consistently successful over the past 60 years of college football. In the early and middle years of the 20th century, the Fighting Illini were much more prosperous, winning a pair of Rose Bowls in the 20 years following World War II and creating great programs under legendary coach Robert Zuppke in the first third of the 20th century.

In terms of an individual achievement, Illinois football’s greatest moment is Red Grange’s epic 1924 win over Michigan. However, in terms of a team effort that belongs more to the program than to one man, Illinois football’s greatest moment was the completion of a perfect season in 1923 led by Grange. Illinois went 8-0, the Illini’s most recent perfect season. Illinois also went undefeated and untied in 1914 and 1910, but 1923 was the most impressive perfecto of the three. The last time Illinois went undefeated was in 1951, going 9-0-1, but one tie prevented the Illini from being perfect.

It’s been a long time coming, but Illinois was a legitimate college football powerhouse in the first third of the 20th century. The Illinois teams of 1923 and 1924 brought the Illini their greatest glory and their most pervasive level of national college football relevance.

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