| Year: | 1988 |
| Team: | Illinois Fighting Illini |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Record: | 6–5–1 |
| Conf Record: | 5–2–1 |
| Head Coach: | John Mackovic |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Off Coach: | Gene Dahlquist |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Lou Tepper |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Mvp: | Keith Jones |
| Captain: | Glenn Cobb, Mark McGowan |
| Stadium: | Memorial Stadium |
| Bowl: | All-American Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | L 10–14 vs. Florida |
The 1988 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach John Mackovic, the Illini compiled a 6–5–1 record, finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, and lost to Florida in the 1988 All-American Bowl.[1]
The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Jeff George with 2,257 passing yards, running back Keith Jones with 1,108 rushing yards, and Steve Williams with 523 receiving yards.[2]