The 1997 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Ron Turner, the Fighting Illini compiled a 0–11 record (0–8 in conference games), finished last out of eleven teams in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 368 to 119.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Mark Hokestra (1,029 passing yards), running back Robert Holcombe (1,253 rushing yards, 36 points scored) and wide receiver Lenny Willis (465 receiving yards).
As of 2025, the 1997 Illinois team was the last Big Ten football team that failed to register a single win.
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
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