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Illinois Ranked #24 in AP Top 25

bucshon

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Staff
Sep 16, 2006
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois football program is back in the top 25, coming in at #24 in Sunday's AP Top 25. Illinois is in the top 25 for the first time since 2022, when the Illini reached as high as #14 and were ranked for four consecutive weeks in October and November.

The Fighting Illini have knocked off Eastern Illinois, #19 Kansas, and Central Michigan to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2011. Illinois is off to 3-0 start with a top-20 win for the first time in 50 years (1974).

#24 Illinois is back in action on Friday night at #22 Nebraska for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff on FOX. It will be the Illini's first ranked vs. ranked game since 2008 when #21 Illinois fell 38-24 at #12 Penn State.

More Illini Top 25 Notes
• Sept. 15 is the earliest Illinois has been ranked since 2008.
Bret Bielema is the first Illini coach to earn Top 25 rankings in two of his first four seasons since Ron Zook in 2007 and 2008.
• Illinois and Nebraska will meet as ranked foes for the first time since Sept. 21, 1985 when #17 Nebraska knocked off #20 Illinois, 52-25, in Lincoln.
• Since 1942, Illinois has compiled a 81-50-2 (.620) record when ranked in the AP Top 25.
• Illinois was one spot outside of this week's Coaches Poll, coming in at #26. Nebraska is #22 in this week's Coaches Poll.
 
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