Curt Cignetti just delivered Indiana football its first-ever national championship, and now he’s making headlines again-this time for a different reason. The Hoosiers' head coach, fresh off the biggest win in program history, showed some love to a Big Ten rival in the final US LBM Coaches Poll of the 2025 season.
Cignetti ranked Illinois at No. 16 in his final ballot-the highest spot the Fighting Illini received from any of the 62 coaches who voted. That’s a notable nod from a coach who just climbed the sport’s highest mountain. While Illinois didn’t crack the top of the rankings overall, they still earned enough respect to land in the final top 25 on exactly half of the coaches' ballots.
And Cignetti wasn’t alone in recognizing what Bret Bielema’s team accomplished this season. Coaches from across the country-Power Five and Group of Five alike-gave Illinois a spot in their top 25. Here's how the support broke down:
- Dave Aranda (Baylor) slotted the Illini at No. 17.
- Tyson Helton (Western Kentucky), Zach Kittley (Florida Atlantic), and Dan Lanning (Oregon) all placed them at No. 18.
- Jedd Fisch (Washington) had them at No. 19.
- Sonny Dykes (TCU) went with No. 20.
- A trio of coaches-David Braun (Northwestern), Jamey Chadwell (Liberty), and Rhett Lashlee (SMU)-had Illinois at No. 21.
- Five more coaches, including Manny Diaz (Duke), GJ Kinne (Texas State), Brian Newberry (Navy), Lance Leipold (Kansas), and Kirby Smart (Georgia), all slotted the Illini at No. 22.
- The No. 23 spot was another popular landing zone, with Jeff Brohm (Louisville), Jason Candle (Toledo), Pete Lembo (Buffalo), Matt Rhule (Nebraska), Jay Sawvel (Wyoming), and Mark Stoops (Kentucky) all placing Illinois there.
- Illinois also appeared at No. 24 on ballots from Bob Chesney (James Madison), Ryan Day (Ohio State), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), and Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois).
- Rounding out the list, five coaches put Illinois at No. 25: Troy Calhoun (Air Force), Ryan Carty (Delaware), Kalen DeBoer (Alabama), Luke Fickell (Wisconsin), Clark Lea (Vanderbilt), and Mike Locksley (Maryland).
Notably, Bielema himself does not vote in the Coaches Poll, but clearly, his peers took notice of what Illinois put together this season. Whether it was their physical brand of football, growth over the course of the year, or some key wins that turned heads, Illinois earned respect from across the coaching landscape.
And when a national champion like Cignetti ranks you inside his top 20, it’s a strong signal that something’s building in Champaign.