Robert L. Blackman was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Denver (1953–1954), Dartmouth College (1955–1970), the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign (1971–1976), and Cornell University (1977–1982), compiling a career college football head coaching record of 168–112–7. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1987.

The Illinois Fighting Illini football program represents the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. The Fighting Illini are a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and compete in its West Division. Illinois claims five national championships and 15 Big Ten championships.