The 2009 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head football coach was Ron Zook. The Illini played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. This was Ron Zook's fifth season as the Illini head coach. The Illini finished the season 3–9 (2–6 Big Ten). The Illini failed to live up to the lofty preseason expectations, receiving almost enough votes in the AP Poll to be ranked (and were said to be the unofficial #26 ranked team in the AP Poll because of this), and even were considered[by whom?] a dark horse candidate for the Big Ten championship. But after their blowout loss to Missouri, they failed to receive any votes, and failed to show any improvement until the Michigan State game, which followed blowout losses to Penn State and Ohio State, but by late in the season, they were able to upset Michigan and Minnesota while also giving Cincinnati a game.
2009 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
Record | 3–9 (2–6 Big Ten) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Mike Schultz (1st season) |
Offensive scheme | Spread option |
Co-defensive coordinator | Dan Disch (3rd season) |
Co-defensive coordinator | Curt Mallory (3rd season) |
Captains |
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Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 5 Ohio State $ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Iowa % | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 9 Penn State | 6 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northwestern | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 16 Wisconsin | 5 | – | 3 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 4 | – | 4 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan | 1 | – | 7 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 1 | – | 7 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schedule
editDate | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 5 | 2:30 pm | vs. Missouri* | ESPN | L 9–37 | 64,215[1] | |
September 12 | 6:00 pm | Illinois State* | BTN | W 45–17 | 62,347[2] | |
September 26 | 2:30 pm | at No. 13 Ohio State | ABC/ESPN | L 0–30 | 105,219[3] | |
October 3 | 2:30 pm | No. 13 Penn State |
| ABC/ESPN2 | L 17–35 | 62,870[4] |
October 10 | 11:00 am | Michigan State |
| BTN | L 14–24 | 62,870[5] |
October 17 | 6:00 pm | at Indiana | BTN | L 14–27 | 42,358[6] | |
October 24 | 11:00 am | at Purdue | ESPN2 | L 14–24 | 47,349[7] | |
October 31 | 2:30 pm | Michigan |
| ABC/ESPN2 | W 38–13 | 60,119[8] |
November 7 | 11:00 am | at Minnesota | BTN | W 35–32 | 50,805[9] | |
November 14 | 11:00 am | Northwestern |
| ESPNC | L 16–21 | 60,523[10] |
November 27 | 11:00 am | at No. 5 Cincinnati* | ABC | L 36–49 | 35,106[11] | |
December 5 | 11:30 am | Fresno State* |
| BTN | L 52–53 | 48,538[12] |
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References
edit- ^ "Missouri Tigers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. September 5, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois State Redbirds vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. September 12, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Box Score". ESPN. September 26, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illni Box Score". ESPN. October 3, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Michigan State Spartans vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. October 10, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Indiana Hoosiers Box Score". ESPN. October 17, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Purdue Boilermakers Box Score". ESPN. October 24, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Michigan Wolverines vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. October 31, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers Box Score". ESPN. November 7, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. November 14, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Cincinnati Bearcats Box Score". ESPN. November 27, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ "Fresno State Bulldogs vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Box Score". ESPN. December 5, 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2010.