This isn’t your average college football ranking.
My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it’s my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:
- Who do I think is good?
- Why do I think they’re good?
- What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?
Here is a look at where Illinois lands in my Ultimate 136
Illinois ranking: 16
Last year’s ranking: 87
Top player: LB Gabe Jacas: Named to both the Lott Impact Trophy and Bronco Nagurski Trophy preseason watch list; was one of nine Power 4 players to record 8+ sacks and 3+ forced fumbles last season.
RJ’s take: Bret Bielema coached the Illini to their first 10-win season since 2001 last year and must be counted as a program capable of contending for the Big Ten title in 2025, especially with the unprecedented Year 1 success of Indiana — for which all turnarounds will be measured.
Bielema avoids Michigan, Penn State and Oregon on the schedule, and that’s not nothing given the bevy of experience returning to play for him — 19 starters are back in Champaign. If you didn’t know that, I wonder if he simply hasn’t tweeted about it yet?
Illinois Win Total Odds: Over 8.5 (+144) Under 8.5 (-178)
Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school’s rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young, and I’ll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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