Illinois will be ranked in the top 15 of the Preseason Coaches Poll for the first in 35 years.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

August 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — The 67 head coaches in college football who are participating in this year’s Top 25 coaches poll think very highly of Bret Bielema’s program leading into this 2025 season.

Illinois football team will begin the 2025 season ranked No. 12 in the US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll. The poll was announced by USA TODAY on Monday morning and Illinois will begin this upcoming season in the coaches poll top 15 for the first time in 35 years, when John Mackovic’s Illini squad also checked in at No. 12 following a 10-win season in the previous year.

“Some people give expectations, and that's great, but for us at Illinois we have to earn them,” Bielema said on July 22 in Las Vegas during Big Ten Football Media Day. “We have to have a chip on our left shoulder and our right shoulder. The way we've earned these expectations will be the way we earn success this year. We'll do it on a daily basis with our teammates and our coaches. I have a coaching staff that retains my offensive, defensive and special teams coordinator for the last three years. I have the starting quarterback for the last three years. Those are the things that get me excited.”

The No. 12 preseason ranking is tied for the second-highest in program history since the preseason coaches poll began in 1978, behind only Illini teams in 1985 (No. 10) and the 1990 team. The Fighting Illini are ranked in the Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time since 2008 when Ron Zook’s team was coming off the nine-win campaign that culminated in a Rose Bowl berth.

Illinois returns 16 starters from last season — tied for the most in the nation — and 18 starters from last year's Citrus Bowl starting lineup that finished No. 16 in the final coaches poll. Last year's team tied the program record for wins with 10 and tied the program record for ranked wins with four. The Fighting Illini capped one of the best seasons in program history by beating South Carolina 21-17 in the Citrus Bowl.

Among the returners are QB Luke Altmyer and OLB Gabe Jacas, who were voted by the media to the Big Ten's Preseason Honors list of the top 15 players in the conference. Jacas had 74 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks last season to lead the Illinois defense, while Altmyer threw for 2,717 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2024. Altmyer was also named Monday to the preseason watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football.

Illinois kicks off the 2025 football season at home against Western Illinois on Friday, Aug. 29, at 6:30 p.m. CT on Peacock.