The 2025 college football season is just around the corner. The Big Ten is home to each of the last two College Football Playoff champions in Michigan and Ohio State. Could the conference go for a threepeat? The first coaches’ poll listed six of the conference’s 18 programs in the top 25, with five more receiving votes and just missing the cut. While the inclusion of Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, and Indiana was expected due to each program’s recent success, one such program is sitting at number 12, garnering some respect.
Brett Bielema’s Illinois Fighting Illini are situated as the 12th-best team in the nation, at least according to the coaches. If that ranking holds for the preseason AP Poll, it will be the program’s best preseason ranking since 1990. Last year, Illinois won 10 games, tying the program record with four other seasons. This year, Bielema is shooting for more.
Illinois is an ‘Under-The-Radar’ Title Contender
In any given year, only a handful of teams are even remotely good enough to challenge for a title. With the expanded CFP, fans forever debate the inclusion of a three-loss SEC vs. a three-loss Big Ten team. Ohio State won it all as the eighth seed, giving all perceived underdogs something to emulate. Given its blueprint may be a bit different than programs like Illinois, but the goal remains the same.
Yardbarker‘s Chris Peterson highlighted five under-the-radar teams that could challenge for a title in 2025. Alongside Kansas State, Michigan, South Carolina, and Florida, Peterson believes Illinois has what it takes:
“Illinois has one of the best head coaches in the Big Ten in Bret Bielema and quite possibly the best quarterback in Luke Altmyer. The Fighting Illini, who won the Citrus Bowl last season, have the third-most returning production, according to ESPN. Combine that with a nasty defense and a favorable schedule, and a deep playoff run isn’t just a pipe dream.”
The Stars Aligning
When it comes to replicating how Michigan and Ohio State won it all, most fans and analysts point to Penn State and its returning core. As Peterson said, Illinois is flying under the radar with a similar approach.
While the Fighting Illini don’t have the sheer talent pool to select from, it does have continuity from last year’s impressive squad and a somewhat favorable schedule. Luke Altmyer is one of the top signal-callers returning to the Big Ten but he will have to make it work with new weapons out wide. Both of Illinois’s top receivers graduated, and now, sophomore Collin Dixon, junior Malik Elzy, and West Virginia transfer Hudson Clement get to shine.
The Fighting Illini defense was 31st in the nation in scoring defense, only allowing 21.7 points per game. The unit returns one of the top corners in the game in Xavier Scott and the Big Ten’s second-best defender in terms of sacks in linebacker Gabe Jacas.
Then, there is the schedule. Illinois faces two of the conference’s CFP participants from last year, and one of them (Ohio State) is in Champaign. It has a weak non-conference schedule, with the marquee matchup being at Duke. In-conference, Illinois drew USC, Purdue, Washington, Ohio State, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Indiana, Rutgers, and Maryland.
10-2 is well within the realm of possibilities for the Fighting Illini, which should be good enough to be in the at-large conversation. If Illinois can upset Ohio State or even take down Indiana or Washington, its resume would stack up favorably.
ESPN also released its list of 32 teams that should be able to fight for a title this year. Illinois was left off the list. Don’t sleep on the Fighting Illini.
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