The 1963 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1963 Big Ten season. In their fourth year under head coach Pete Elliott, the Fighting Illini compiled an 8–1–1 record (5–1–1 in conference games), won the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 153 to 89. They concluded the season with a 17–7 victory over Washington in the 1964 Rose Bowl. The Illini's sole loss was a 14–8 defeat against Michigan. They were ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll.
Illinois center and linebacker Dick Butkus was selected as the team's most valuable player, won the 1963 Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's most valuable player, and was honored as a unanimous first-team player on the 1963 All-America team. Tackle Archie Sutton was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) as a second-team All-American.
The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Mike Taliaferro (434 passing yards, 41.8% completion percentage), fullback Jim Grabowski (491 rushing yards, 4.2 yards per carry), and wide receiver Bill Pasko (131 receiving yards).
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Schedule
Players Dick Butkus - center/linebacker Jim Grabowski - running back Sammy Price - running back Gregg Schumacher - end Archie Sutton - tackle Mike Taliaferro - quarterback Wylie Fox - lineman Rich Callaghan - end (offense & defense)
Awards and honors Dick Butkus (Linebacker) Chicago Tribune Silver Football Consensus First-Team All-American (linebacker) All-American (center) Archie Sutton (Tackle) All-American (tackle)
Roster PlayerPositionBill PaskoEndNeal AndersonJim PlankenhornOffensive Tackle, PlacekickerAl WheatlandHalfbackMike Taliaferro (co-captain)QuarterbackDick Deller (co-captain)GuardRon FearnFullbackMike DundyDefensive backDave AndersonJim WarrenHalfbackSammy PriceHalfbackGary EickmanTackleJim WainwrightLynn StewartOffensive TackleBob EasterOffensive TackleDee RutherfordDick ButkusCenter/LinebackerTodd GabbettGuardRich CallaghanEnd (offense & defense)Fred CustardoQuarterback, PlacekickerLarry JustizTony ParolaBarry DeistLes FeuquayDick DorrHal WinelandKen SchreinerGuardMario CamanaroPaul UptonBill MinorGuardHugh WoodsonGregg SchumacherEndDennis SenkowskiBruce CapelArt McCaskillWayne PaulsonHalfbackDave MuellerGeorge DonnellyDefensive BackDick KeeDick HochleutnerCharles GalbreathWylie FoxGuardTerry FairbanksJim GrabowskiHalfbackKai AndersonDick FitzgeraldRon AcksFullback, LinebackerMike SummersKen NietupskiTackleWayne StrauchJoe WolfeEd WalshJack MaggioreOffensive LinemanDave DeWolfBill FarrellJim UnrathSteve KimbellRoyce NeiszJohn WillisArchie SuttonOffensive TackleBob PetkusDon HansenLinebackerEddie RussellDave RussellDave PowlessGuardDale GrecoJohn WalkerBernie McCabeEd TerrillBill HarperBrian DuniecGuardEd WashingtonOffensive Tackle
Head coach: Pete Elliott (3rd year at Illinois)
References