Illinois finishes regular season at #21 in the AP Top 25

[bucshon]

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois football team moved up one spot to #21 in this week's AP Top 25. The Fighting Illini are also ranked #21 in this week's Coaches Poll.

Illinois (9-3, 6-3 Big Ten) won nine or more regular-season games for the eighth time in program history. The Illini won nine games for the first time since 2007, which was also the last time Illinois finished the regular season ranked in the AP Top 25 (#15).

This is the 13th time in program history that Illinois has finished the regular season ranked in the AP Top 25. It marks the third time in the last 30 years that the Illini have finished the regular season as a ranked team (2001 #8, 2007 #15).

The Illini finished the regular season on a three-game winning streak, including a 38-28 win over Northwestern at Wrigley Field on Saturday. It was Illinois' fifth win while ranked this season, the program's most since 1990.

Illinois, which won three games in November for the first time since 2007, will now wait for its postseason fate. The College Football Playoff and bowls announce pairings on Sunday, Dec. 8.

Illinois' History in the Final Regular Season AP Poll

2024 — #21
2007 — #15
2001 — #8
1990 — #16
1989 — #11
1983 — #4
1963 — #3
1959 — #13
1953 — #7
1951 — #4
1950 — #13
1946 — #5
1944 — #15

 

[BigWill]

This is premium content. Please subscribe to view.