Did College Football News Undervalue Illinois Football in Preseason Rankings?

The college football experts tend to be quite high on Illinois heading into the 2025 season. ESPN has the Illini at No. 11 in its most recent rankings, while Phil Steele has Bret Bielema’s squad a bit lower at 17th. The general consensus is that Illinois is, at the bare minimum, a top-20 squad with realistic CFP hopes and even sleeper potential for a Big Ten title. 

But not everyone agrees. In the recent preseason rankings released by College Football News, the Illini landed at 23rd in the country, trailing not just Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon – which was expected – but even Michigan, USC, and Indiana. 

On one hand, there is a realistic argument that the hype on Illinois is a tad overblown. Last year, the Illini needed a last-second miracle to escape the likes of a historically bad Purdue squad at home. Not to mention the anxiety-inducing victories over Rutgers and Nebraska. There was certainly a bit of good fortune that led to Illinois’ 10-3 season. 

On the flip side, the Illini return a nation-leading 16 starters from last year, led by experienced quarterback Luke Altmyer. Both Kaden Feagin and Aidan Laughery are impactful running backs. And the defense, headlined by defensive back Xavier Scott and outside linebacker Gabe Jacas, is a force to be reckoned with.