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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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