Top 25 in 25: Illinois Football Season Preview

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We’re counting down the final 25 days before the college football season by previewing every one of our preseason top 25 teams! With 15 days left until week zero, we continue our previews with my No. 15 team in the country – the Illinois Fighting Illini.

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Projected Record: 10-2 (7-2)

Ceiling/Floor: 11-1/7-5

Projected Wins: Western Illinois, Duke, Western Michigan, Indiana, USC, Purdue, Rutgers, Maryland, Wisconsin, Northwestern

Projected Losses: Ohio State, Washington

Most Intriguing Game: at Indiana (Week 4)

Illinois is coming off a strong 2024 season where they finished 10-3 after a 5-7 season in 2023, and I believe they could be even better in 2025 with lots of great returning production. I initially had the Illini even higher in my rankings, but due to their poor SNAP Rating from last year, I bumped them down a few spots because they may not have been quite as good as their record said. They also have a handful of toss-up games that could keep them from contending for a playoff spot if the ball doesn’t bounce the right way, including trips to Duke, Indiana and Washington, along with a date with USC at home.

With quarterback Luke Altmeyer, a great trio of running backs and all five starters on the offensive line returning, the Illini offense should pick up right where it left off from a year ago, where they scored 38 points in each of their last three regular season games. The biggest question mark is if they’ll have good enough pass-catchers to replace Zakhari Franklin and Pat Bryant.

Head Coach Bret Bielema had one of the top defenses in the conference last year, and it should be more of the same in 2025. All-American Xavier Scott headlines what should be an elite Illini secondary, the biggest x-factor to make the defense jump from good to great is to improve the defensive line though, but if Edge rusher Gabe Jacas can keep developing, that will help that matter.

The first month of the season will likely define Bielema’s squad this year, as the matchups with Duke, Indiana and USC all come before October. If Illinois can find a way to win at least two of those games, they will be right in the thick of playoff contention, but two or more losses in that stretch and the season could turn for the worst real quick in multiple ways.

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