1 week Ago
Sign up for our daily Illini football newsletter here Greetings from "Can't Wait For Saturday," your morning morsel of college football, courtesy of longtime Illini beat writer, AP Top 25 voter and Heisman state rep Bob Asmussen. He'll give you his views each day on the game he loves *** Hot off the presses, here is my Associated Press Top 25 ballot this week. (The full poll will be released Sunday afternoon): TEAM PREV.
1. Ohio State 1 2. Alabama 2 3.
Texas 3 4. Alabama 4 5. Mississippi 5 6.
Missouri 10 7. Oregon 6 8. Miami 11 9.
Tennessee 12 10. Southern California 14 11. Penn State 8 12.
Utah 13 13. Oklahoma 15 14. Oklahoma State 17 15.
Kansas State 18 16. Michigan 9 17. Notre Dame 7 18.
Louisville 19 19. Arizona 20 20. Clemson 24 21.
LSU 21 22. Texas A&M 23 23. Iowa State -- 24.
Illinois -- 25. Nebraska -- -- I went into the weekend with little thought of adding Illinois to my ballot. But a home win against ranked Kansas -- and losses toward the bottom of the rankings -- convinced me Bret Bielema's team deserved a spot.
-- Also new is a team Illinois plays in two weeks: Nebraska. Like Illinois against Kansas, Matt Rhule's guys got revenge against a team that rolled them in 2023, Colorado. If Illinois and Nebraska take care of business next Saturday, they will meet Sept.
20 both at 3-0. -- Iowa State replaces Iowa, which it upset Saturday in Iowa City. Matt Campbell won't pay for a meal in Ames for the next year.
-- Just missing this week's ballot were Northern Illinois and Boston College. They move to the front of the line for next week's considered list..
