1949 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

1949 Illinois Fighting Illini football
ConferenceBig Nine Conference
Record3–4–2 (3–3–1 Big Nine)
Head coach
MVPJohnny Karras
CaptainLyle Button
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
1949 Big Nine Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Ohio State + 4 1 1 7 1 2
No. 7 Michigan + 4 1 1 6 2 1
No. 8 Minnesota 4 2 0 7 2 0
Wisconsin 3 2 1 5 3 1
Illinois 3 3 1 3 4 2
Iowa 3 3 0 4 5 0
Northwestern 3 4 0 4 5 0
Purdue 2 4 0 4 5 0
Indiana 0 6 0 1 8 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1949 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Nine Conference during the 1949 Big Nine season. In their eighth year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled a 3–4–2 record (3–3–1 in conference games), finished in fifth place in the Big Nine, and outscored opponents by a total of 149 to 140.

Halfback Johnny Karras was selected as the team's most valuable player. Karras and guard Charles Gottfried received first-team honors on the 1949 All-Big Nine Conference football team.

The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.