The 1951 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois during the 1951 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 10th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Illini compiled a 9–0–1 record, finished in first place in the Big Ten Conference, was ranked #4 in the final AP Poll, and defeated Stanford 40–7 in the 1952 Rose Bowl. The lone setback was a scoreless tie with Ohio State. Illinois defeated Stanford 40 to 7 in the 1952 Rose Bowl, the first nationally televised college football game. The team was named co-national champion by Boand, which split its selection with Georgia Tech.