Projecting Illinois Football's 2025 AP Poll Preseason Ranking

What will the Illini, who appear poised to be featured in the preseason AP Poll for the first time since 2008, be ranked?

Sep 28, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema stands on the field during a warmup prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

In just seven days, the first 2025 College Football AP poll will be released, and the expectation is Illinois will be featured – which would mark the first time the Illini have found themselves in the preseason AP Poll since 2008.

But where exactly Bret Bielema’s club will be listed remains a mystery. So for you, dear reader, Illinois on SI is putting together our best-educated guess.

What college football experts are saying

ESPN is higher than any other sports outlet on Illinois, with Mark Schlabach pegging the Illini at No. 11 in the country. On the flip side, College Football News projects the Illini at 23rd. Phil Steele lists Illinois at No. 17 in his preseason rankings.

Averaging out the three puts Illinois right at No. 17, but we have a quick exercise before we ultimately make our final decision. Here are four teams (plus Illinois) that have been re-ordered, re-ranked and leapfrogged over one another in different preseason projections.

GAME-WINNING HOUSE CALL ON FOURTH DOWN 🏠☎️

We’re revisiting Luke Altmyer’s game-winning TD pass to Pat Bryant on fourth down for @IlliniFootball last season 👀#B1GFootball pic.twitter.com/MPJ4OLycaQ

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) April 7, 2025

Blind comparison

Team	2024 Record	Final AP Ranking	Returning Starters	Returning Quarterback?
Team 1	11-3	No. 7	17	Yes
Team 2	10-3	No. 18	8	No
Team 3	8-5	N/A	13	No
Team 4	10-3	No. 16	16	Yes
Team 5	8-5	N/A	12	Yes

Ranking those teams in order, the list naturally goes Team 1 Team 4, Team 5, Team 2, then Team 3. Obviously those parameters don’t cover quite everything. Incoming high school recruits – including the nation’s top prospect for one of those teams – aren’t factored into this exercise, nor are transfer portal additions or overall experience. But this is a start.

Team reveal

Team	2024 Record	Final AP Ranking	Returning Starters	Returning Quarterback?
Arizona State	11-3	No. 7	17	Yes
Miami	10-3	No. 18	8	No
Michigan	8-5	N/A	13	No
Illinois	10-3	No. 16	16	Yes
Texas Tech	8-5	N/A	12	Yes

Considering Illinois is clearly behind the Big Ten trio of Penn State, Ohio State and Oregon, along with SEC powerhouses Texas, Georgia, LSU and Alabama, the ACC’s premier program in Clemson and the national-runner up in Notre Dame, the Illini are at best No. 10. But arguments can be made for a handful of other SEC squads (Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Oklahoma), as well as Arizona State, BYU, Miami, Utah, Iowa State and more in that 10th spot. 

Preseason rankings are far from an exact science and closer to a semi-educated shot in the dark – especially once you move outside the top 10. We’ll slot Arizona State ahead of Illinois, along with Texas A&M. Then, considering AP voters' tendency to heavily favor SEC programs, we’ll assume two other SEC squads are voted ahead of Illinois, which would put Bielema’s squad at No. 14 – a fair preseason assessment.

Illinois on SI’s prediction: Illinois lands at No. 14 in preseason AP poll

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