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Illinois football behind Nebraska in Big Ten power rankings? What?

Big Ten power rankings are always fun to look at, but sometimes they make big mistakes when laying out the teams.

By Rees Woodcock

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
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
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Illinois football is on pace to have one of the best seasons in program history.

The statement above isn’t hyperbole. The Illini aren’t just 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten. Illinois has beaten quality teams throughout their start to the 2024 season, and that is why we find ourselves ranked inside the AP Top 25 for the fourth straight week.

But not all people are impressed by the Orange and Blue. Michael Cohen of Fox Sports doesn’t think that highly of the Illini.

Cohen published his Big Ten power rankings on Monday. At the top is Ohio State, followed by Oregon and Penn State. This is a quality top three, and I don’t disagree with him one bit. But things start going off the rails after that.

Indiana is the No. 4 team, which is fine. While the Hoosiers haven’t played the toughest schedule, I understand putting them at No. 4.

The next logical move would be Illinois, right? Nope. Cohen has the 5-1 Nebraska Cornhuskers filling this spot in his ranking.

Illinois football should be higher in the Big Ten Power rankings due to head-to-head

In a normal season, I wouldn’t mind Illinois being No. 6 in the Big Ten power rankings. That is a massive improvement from years past when it was a hope and prayer for us to get into the top 10, let alone No. 6.

This isn’t a normal season, though. Illinois has played well, and our only loss was to Penn State on the road. This wasn’t a blowout either. The Illini kept the game close and were competitive.

Despite the quality loss, which would have been a Quad 1 game in college basketball, the Illini still fall behind Nebraska. This is a Cornhuskers team that has one loss. Do you know who that one loss was to?

Illinois.

So, why in the world is Nebraska ranked ahead of a team that they lost to? On paper, Big Ten power rankings don’t matter one bit. They won’t help anyone win a game. But if you are going to produce Big Ten power rankings, don’t get lazy. Do your research. There is no reason Illinois should be behind Nebraska.

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