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Revisiting the Illini’s bitter past with NCAA scandals: Part I, The History

Steven Godfrey’s riveting account of the Ole Miss scandal and the weird FBI probe into college basketball inspired us to take a look back at the times the Illini found themselves in the NCAA’s crosshairs.

The crippling 1960s Slush Fund Scandal

In the 1960s, the Illini had re-emerged as a force in football, winning the 1964 Rose Bowl. Then, in 1966, Illini basketball was off to a promising start, after beating Kentucky in Lexington, and on its way to challenging for a Big Ten title.

The good times came to a screeching halt in December of 1966 when then University of Illinois president, David Henry, was made aware of a slush funded by Illini Boosters.