Illinois has put itself in the conversation, but a trip into the AP Top 25 still looks like a stretch.
The Illini opened the year unranked, handled UAB 42-23 in Week 1, and still came away without a number next to their name. They did, though, pick up six votes in the latest AP Top 25 poll, which keeps them close enough to matter. Now comes a home game against Duke on Saturday, and the question is whether a strong win - even by two scores - would be enough to push Illinois into the rankings.
The problem for the Illini isn’t just what happens in Champaign. It’s the traffic jam of unranked teams sitting ahead of them in the voting.
Boise State, Florida, Michigan, Arizona, Memphis, South Carolina, Western Michigan, Pittsburgh, Navy and UCLA all earned more AP votes than Illinois this week. That means Illinois can win well and still get boxed out if enough of those teams also take care of business.
Duke isn’t a pushover. The Blue Devils fit into that same rough tier as Illinois, somewhere in the top-35 range, but they’re not a heavyweight. Duke did beat Tulane, a team that reached the College Football Playoff last year, but neither program is being treated like a CFP threat this season.
That’s why Illinois would likely need more than just a clean win. It would take something lopsided to really force the issue.
Even then, the math is rough. Michigan and Arizona both face ranked opponents this week, with Michigan playing Oklahoma and Arizona going to BYU.
Boise State and Memphis meet each other, and the winner of that one is positioned to jump into the rankings. Michigan and Arizona are also in strong shape to stay ranked if they beat their opponents, and even a loss might not knock BYU or Oklahoma out of the poll unless one of them gets blown out.
Illinois also needs help from the top 25 itself. For the Illini to crack Monday’s updated rankings, No.
21 Iowa would have to lose to Iowa State and No. 23 Missouri would have to fall to Kansas.
One of those upsets feels possible. Both?
That’s a tougher sell.
And that still wouldn’t be enough on its own. Illinois would also need Michigan, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Navy and UCLA to lose. Michigan and Arizona are both in difficult spots, but counting on Pittsburgh, Navy and UCLA all to stumble too is asking a lot.
So while Illinois has a real shot to keep climbing, a spot in the official Top 25 still feels out of reach for now. The more realistic landing spot next week is somewhere inside the unofficial top 30.
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For a program that has leaned on toughness, depth and daily competition, McCoy looks like the kind of addition that helps shape practice as much as game day. Even with limited playing time in his previous college career, he gives Illinois another body in the gym and another voice in the room, which can matter over the grind of a season. The broader takeaway is clear: Underwood is still prioritizing the pieces that strengthen the program beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
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Collin Dixon Just Gave Illinois A Breakout Fans Can Dream On
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The hot start only added to what he flashed the week before against UAB, when he finished with two touchdowns and 70 receiving yards. For an offense looking for reliable explosive plays, Dixon is giving the Illini something more than a one-off breakout, and now the question is how far this kind of pace can carry when defenses start building a plan around him. [Read more 🡒]