CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After one week outside of the AP Top 25, the Illinois football team is back in the rankings at #23. Illinois also moved up two spots to #23 in this week's USA TODAY US LBM Coaches Poll.
Illinois (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) has put together one of the top resumes in college football to date. The Illini's strength of schedule is ranked #6 in the nation and #2 in the Big Ten, according to ESPN, while Illinois' strength of record metric is 13th-best in the nation.
Illinois is in the AP Top 25 for the eighth time this season. It is the Illini's 25th appearance in the AP top 25 during Bret Bielema's five seasons in Champaign, the third-most weeks ranked under a head coach in program history.
Following its first off weekend of the season, Illinois is back in action Saturday at Washington. The Illini and Huskies are scheduled to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
