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5 reasons Dick Butkus will forever be an Illinois football GOAT

By Rees Woodcock

Oct 12, 2019; Champaign, IL, USA; A statue of former Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Dick Butkus is seen outside of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center adjacent to Memorial Stadium before the game against the Michigan Wolverines. Mandatory Credit: Michael Allio-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2019; Champaign, IL, USA; A statue of former Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Dick Butkus is seen outside of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center adjacent to Memorial Stadium before the game against the Michigan Wolverines. Mandatory Credit: Michael Allio-USA TODAY Sports /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – OCTOBER 12: NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus is seen during the Illinois Fighting Illini and Michigan Wolverines game at Memorial Stadium on October 12, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

3. Won Illinois a Rose Bowl

The Illinois football program doesn’t exactly have the longest or most fruitful history of bowl games. In recent memory, we have only made two bowl games in the past eight seasons.

While recent struggles are evident, there was a time when the Illini were one of the feared teams in college football. In the 1940s and early 1950s, the Illinois football team won two Rose Bowl games. This was a pretty big deal, as the team was playing some incredible football.

After the Rose Bowl win in 1951, Illinois went on a dry spell. 11 straight seasons of mediocre football followed, and this put the Illinois football program in a dark place. A year before Dick Butkus got onto campus, the Illini went 0-9 and were outscored that 1961 season 53-289.

Butkus joined the Illini and things instantly became better. We won a couple of games and the defense only gave up 234 points that season. This momentum led in to the 1963 campaign.

Illinois entered the year unranked, as they had won two games in the previous two seasons combined. A win over No. 4 Northwestern and a tie against No. 8 Ohio State launched the Illini into the No. 7 spot in the rankings. The only loss that season would be to Michigan 14-8.

Finishing the season 7-1-1, and beating No. 4 Michigan State, enabled Illinois to make the Rose Bowl. Butkus and the Illini only allowed seven points against Washington and would come away with a Rose Bowl win, 17-7. Illinois only gave up a total of 96 points during that 1963 season.

The legend of Butkus spans so many different corners, but the fact he led us to our last Rose Bowl win is something special. He turned this program around in the 1960s, and for that, he is forever an Illinois football GOAT.

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