Illinois Slides Just One Spot in AP Poll After UConn Loss, Stays in Striking Distance of Top 10
In the world of early-season college hoops, the AP Top 25 can be unforgiving. One off night, and you’re tumbling down the rankings like a missed box-out on a buzzer-beater.
Just ask Houston, Florida, and Alabama - all of whom took losses last week and each dropped at least four spots in the latest poll. So when Illinois lost by 13 to UConn and only slipped from No. 13 to No.
14? That’s what you call a soft landing.
Let’s be clear: Illinois didn’t do itself any favors in that 74-61 loss to the Huskies at Madison Square Garden. The Illini struggled to find rhythm, especially from beyond the arc - a familiar theme in their biggest games dating back to last season.
Against UConn, it wasn’t just the shooting woes. They were outmuscled on the boards, outworked in the hustle stats, and outmaneuvered in the halfcourt.
It was the kind of performance that usually earns a team a steeper drop in the rankings.
But context matters. A week ago, Illinois took a five-spot hit after falling to Alabama, sliding from No. 8 to No.
- That game - played at Chicago’s United Center, essentially a second home for the Illini - was competitive throughout.
Illinois hung tough with the then-No. 11 Crimson Tide but shot itself in the foot at the free throw line.
That loss felt more like a missed opportunity than a meltdown, yet the voters responded as if it were the latter.
No. 14 pic.twitter.com/UyPsrPo1pH
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) December 1, 2025
Fast forward to this week. The UConn game was a different story.
The Huskies looked every bit the No. 5 team in the country, and Illinois never quite found the answers. So while this most recent loss was arguably more concerning, the one-spot dip in the rankings feels like a correction - a recalibration of last week’s overcorrection.
And for Illinois, staying at No. 14 keeps them within reach of the top 10, with a big opportunity looming.
That opportunity comes Saturday, when the Illini face off against No. 13 Tennessee in Nashville (7 p.m.
CT, ESPN). It’s a chance to reset the narrative, right the ship, and reassert themselves as a top-tier team.
Beat the Vols, and Illinois could be knocking on the door of the top 10 again.
Across the Big Ten, the poll brought a mix of movement and momentum. Michigan made the biggest leap, jumping four spots to No. 3, while Michigan State followed suit, climbing to No.
- Indiana also moved up three spots to No. 22, and USC cracked the rankings for the first time this season at No.
- On the flip side, UCLA took the biggest hit among conference teams, falling from No. 18 completely out of the Top 25.
And if you're wondering whether the Big Ten is ready to dominate this season - well, the jury’s still out. But the depth is there.
Just outside the rankings sit Iowa, UCLA, and Nebraska, all receiving votes and waiting for their shot. The conference may not have fully taken shape yet, but the pieces are in place.
Here’s how the AP Top 25 looks this week:
AP Top 25 (Week 5):
1.
Purdue
2.
Arizona
3.
Michigan
4.
Duke
5.
UConn
6.
Louisville
7.
Michigan State
8.
Houston
9.
BYU
10.
Iowa State
11.
Gonzaga
12.
Alabama
13.
Tennessee
14.
Illinois
15.
Florida
15.
North Carolina
17.
Vanderbilt
18.
Kentucky
19.
Let's fly. pic.twitter.com/D3Yp00kHpJ
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 28, 2025
Texas Tech
20.
Auburn
21.
Kansas
22.
Indiana
23.
St. John’s
- USC
- Arkansas
For Illinois, the message is clear: the margin for error is slim, but the ceiling remains high. The pieces are there.
Now it’s about putting them together - and doing it against elite competition. Saturday’s matchup in Nashville could tell us a lot about where this team is headed.