The 1986 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their seventh year under head coach Mike White, the Fighting Illini compiled a 4–7 record (3–5 in conference game), tied for sixth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 299 to 189. The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Shane Lamb (1,414 passing yards, 50.7% completion percentage), running back Keith Jones (534 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry), wide receiver Stephen Pierce (43 receptions for 602 yards), and kicker Chris Siambekos (61 points, 19 of 20 extra points, 14 of 19 field goals).