Illinois’ recent football history has been checkered, at best, although the recent hiring of veteran NFL coach Lovie Smith shows that the Fighting Illini are serious about gridiron success. Illinois does have some football glory to draw on from its past, however.
Tailback Howard Griffith was a star in the Illinois backfield. On September 22, 1990 against Southern Illinois, he ran wild. Griffith scored an NCAA single-game record eight touchdowns, scoring from 3, 5, 5, 5, 7, 18, 41 and 57 yards out. That record has stood for 25 seasons, and it wouldn’t be stunning if it stood for 25 more, given college coaches’ reluctance to keep star players in games that are totally out of hand.
