Illinois football will try to take the next step into the College Football Playoff in 2025, building on its turnaround 10-win season that ended with a victory in the Citrus Bowl.
The Fighting Illini are heading into coach Bret Bielema‘s fifth season after the fourth one concluded when they defeated South Carolina on New Year’s Eve in Orlando, Florida.
Illinois opens the 2025 season against Western Illinois on Aug. 30 in Champaign.
Here is where the Illini are ranked in the early rankings:
USA TODAY: No. 13
“Eighteen returning starters from a 10-win squad will make 2025 one of the program’s most anticipated seasons in years,” wrote Paul Myerberg and Erick Smith. “Whether Illinois contends for the playoff may come down to whether it can rebuild at WR without this season’s top two targets and find new starters to replace three seniors on the DL. With QB Luke Altmyer back to lead the offense, an experienced OL, all-conference LBs and a very strong secondary, the Illini have a friendly schedule and are going to be a tough out in a tough Big Ten.
ESPN: No. 13
“The Illini are coming off a breakthrough year under coach Bret Bielema, producing the program’s first 10-win season since the 2001 squad went 10-2 and played in the Sugar Bowl,” wrote ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. “Now, the challenge is putting together back-to-back successful seasons — Illinois hasn’t had consecutive winning campaigns since going 7-6 in 2010 and 2011. All of the pieces are there for the Illini to run it back in 2025, especially after (J.C.) Davis, (Xavier) Scott and others decided to return. (Pat) Bryant and (Zakhari) Franklin will be missed on the perimeter. Bielema added West Virginia’s leading receiver, Hudson Clement, and Ball State’s Justin Bowick from the portal. All five starters are coming back on the offensive line. The Illini surrendered 21.7 points per game in 2024, but they should be better with so many starters returning. Illinois plays three difficult road games at Indiana, Washington and Wisconsin, and hosts USC and Ohio State at home.”
LOOKING AHEAD: 4 questions for Illinois football after its turnaround 2024 season
On3: No. 7
“(Bret) Bielema was right,” Andy Staples wrote. “We messed up by leaving Illinois off when we made our Way, Way, Way Too Early 2025 Top 10, but in our defense we didn’t yet know how many key players planned to put off the NFL for a year to return to Champaign. With QB Luke Altmyer, offensive lineman J.C. Davis, DB Xavier Scott and linebacker Gabe Jacas back, the Illini have an incredible veteran core leading the way.”
Sporting News: No. 13
“Here is one of the offseason hype teams of 2025,” wrote Bill Bender. “Bret Bielema returns a lot of production from a 10-win team, including quarterback Luke Altmyer, leading rusher Josh McCray and Aidan Loughery and a veteran offensive line. There are a few holes at receiver, but the defense will be strong again with linebacker Gabe Jacas — who had eight sacks — coming back along with its top tackler in safety Matthew Bailey. USC (Sept. 27) and Ohio State (Oct. 11) both visit Memorial Stadium. Is this the break-through year for the Illini?”
END: Illinois football rankings in final coaches, AP Top 25 polls after turnaround 2024 season
CBS Sports: No. 9
“Bret Bielema likes to antagonize folks (see: Shane Beamer and the Citrus Bowl). He also likes to pound the rock. The Illinois coach is building his program into a legitimate Big Ten player,” wrote Dennis Dodd. “Quarterback Luke Altmyer (2,700 yards) returns to a team that won 10 games for the first time in 23 years. A manageable schedule means the Illini should be in playoff contention.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Where Illinois football is ranked in early 2025 rankings
