The release of the first AP Top 25 is somewhat of a symbol that Illinois football is back.
It was an exciting Monday afternoon, as the Illini are officially entering the 2025 season as the No. 12 team in the country. The AP voters decided that the Orange and Blue’s performance last season, and the returning talent this year, is good enough for us to be inside the top 12 in the country.
I have my eyes set on higher goals than just starting the season ranked. Not only do I believe Illinois should be ranked in the AP Top 25, but I think there is a chance we can climb, and climb, and climb throughout the season.
But, the big question remains, how high can Illinois climb? More importantly, when is the first time we can see the Illini with a top 10 ranking in 2025?
Illinois’ start to the Big Ten season could help us crack the top 10 in the AP Top 25
Will the first game of the season do it for the Illini? No, honestly, we won’t move a single spot regardless of the number of points we put up against Western Illinois.
I actually thought the Duke game in week two, on the road, might get some love from the AP Top 25. That might not be the case, though. Duke is technically the No. 41 team in the country, as they got six votes to be in the AP Top 25.
With a win over Duke, Illinois might move up the rankings one spot, at most. That won’t get us over the hump.
The next game against Western Michigan isn’t going to do it either. Much like the Western Illinois game, the Broncos won’t help Illinois’ case in the AP Top 25.
And then Illinois gets to the Big Ten season. I think there is a solid chance we enter game four of the 2025 season either No. 11 or No. 12. That is expected. But the fourth game of the season, the first in the Big Ten slate, is against Indiana.
This game is on the road in Bloomington, and the Hoosiers open the season ranked No. 20 in the country. Indiana was the darlings of the college football world last season, but it is time to put them in their place.
If Illinois can go 3-0 in the non-conference and then take down Indiana in the first game of the Big Ten schedule, that would put us inside the top 10. We haven’t seen that high of a ranking since the 2001 season. This could be a special run for the Orange and Blue.