The 1946 Illinois Fighting Illini football team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 1946 college football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Ray Eliot and playing their home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois, the Illini won the Big Ten Conference title and completed an 8–2 season with a 45–14 win over UCLA in the Rose Bowl. The team's captain was center Mac Wenskunas. Guard Alex Agase was voted the team's Most Valuable Player and received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's MVP.