Wild weekend AP Top 25 ramifications for the Illinois football program

It was a pretty good weekend for the Illinois football team, and we didn’t even play a game.

In the past, a bye week was a relief as the Illini couldn’t lose a game. We needed the bye week to have some safe haven from the wrath of a tough schedule and dashed hopes.

This season has bucked that trend. Illinois is a good team, currently ranked No. 24 in the country and heading into a Purdue game next weekend that will hopefully move us to 5-1 on the season.

Even without playing a game, Illinois could see a boost in the updated AP Top 25 poll that comes out on Sunday afternoon due to a wild weekend.

Short-term help for Illinois football

• Washington over #10 Michigan

In the immediate need, Washington’s win over No. 10 Michigan could help Illinois move up in the AP Top 25.

Michigan was ranked No. 9 in the country to start the season. They were then beaten by Texas in week two. A loss on the road to an unranked Washington program to move to 4-2 should drop the Wolverines substantially.

This loss comes just a week after Michigan narrowly beat Minnesota at home. Michigan dropped from No. 10 to No. 17 with the loss to a top-five Texas program. I am thinking they could drop from No. 10 to sub-No. 20 on Sunday. Look for Illinois to jump Michigan.

• Minnesota over #11 USC

USC started 2024 with a bang by beating No. 13 LSU. Since then, the Trojans are 2-2 and have dropped two out of the last three contests.

The Trojans only dropped two spots from No. 11 to No. 13 after losing to Michigan on the road. I think they could be dealt a gut punch on Sunday with a loss to an unranked Minnesota program.

I expect USC to drop from No. 11 to somewhere in the 20s. It wouldn't surprise me to see Illinois jump the Trojans in the new AP Top 25.

• SMU over #22 Louisville

Louisville has now dropped back-to-back contests. They could afford to lose to a ranked Notre Dame program, but falling to SMU at home is bad for the Cardinals.

Illinois was only a couple of spots behind Louisville to start the week. We will surely jump them when the new polls are released on Sunday.

Long-run help for Illinois football

• Arkansas over #4 Tennessee

There are a couple of games that could impact Illinois down the road. Arkansas’ win over No. 4 Tennessee could end up being big for the Orange and Blue.

Tennessee isn’t going to drop below the top 15 after the loss, but a loss is another tally against them when it comes to the College Football Playoff. The Vols have Georgia and Alabama still on the schedule, so if they drop both of those games, that gives them three losses. I doubt a team with three losses makes the postseason.

• #25 Texas A&M over #9 Missouri

The Texas A&M win over Missouri is another intriguing result. In the short term, this result actually probably hurts Illinois.

I imagine the Aggies will jump Illinois in the newest AP Top 25. This is a good win for them, but this victory could also help the Illini in the long run.

Both Texas A&M and Missouri now have a loss. The Tigers have four out of the final seven games on the road, and they play at Alabama and against Oklahoma. The Aggies don’t have an easy schedule on the way out either. They take on LSU and hit the road against Texas.

Now that both Texas A&M and Missouri have losses, they can’t afford to lose more. I could see both programs dropping at least two more games, and that would knock them out of the College Football Playoff.