Illini Football 2025

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#53      
Illini4Christ
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#57      
MDchicago
#59      
Fighter of the Nightman
Let's finish this season off in style! I posted in the game thread that I hoped we had a good showing of fans at this one, as it would send a loud message that our fan base should make us attractive to bowls and that we should be talked about in the same breath as the Iowas and Wisconsins of the world in this regard. And it got me thinking that honestly we already DO travel really well when we get in a decent bowl game. These are totally just my guesses based on photos and videos I have seen of these games, but I would honestly guess we have had these splits of the crowd in our "good" bowl games since 2000, obviously assuming a rather simplistic two-team split for the sake of this exercise.

2001-02 Sugar Bowl - Attendance of 77,688. Guessing 35% Illini fans. 27,100+ Illini fans.
2007-08 Rose Bowl - Attendance of 93,923. Guessing 35-40% Illini fans. 32,900 to 37,600 Illini fans.
2022-23 ReliaQuest Bowl - Attendance of 35,797. Guessing 50% Illini fans. ~17,900 Illini fans.
2024-25 Citrus Bowl - Attendance of 47,129. Guessing 45-50% Illini fans. 21,200 to 23,600 Illini fans.

The Music City Bowl has averaged around 45k to 50k the last several years (ignoring a big spike one year when Tennessee was in it...), so that is sort of the "par." If we sell our half, that would be another showing of 20,000+ Illini fans. Hopefully we do, and we should be proud of our fan support!
 
#62      
phats22
when was last time we were ranked at year end (obviously getting ahead of myself here)?
 
#69      
Dan
Last time Illinois started & finished the season ranked in AP Poll: 1990 (#11 preseason, #25 final poll)

Last time Illinois finished the season ranked in back-to-back years in AP Poll: 1989 (#10) & 1990 (#25)

In fact in the history of the AP Poll (1936-present) looks like IL has started & finished ranked in same season only 4 times (1950, 1951, 1989, 1990).

[link]

Final AP Poll comes out Tuesday morning January 20th. Go Illini
 
#70      
FGCUIllini
I am guessing we end up somewhere between #21 and #24 in the final AP poll, possibly higher in the coaches' poll between #18 and #22.
 
#71      
phats22
Dan said:
Last time Illinois started & finished the season ranked in AP Poll: 1990 (#11 preseason, #25 final poll)

Last time Illinois finished the season ranked in back-to-back years in AP Poll: 1989 (#10) & 1990 (#25)

In fact in the history of the AP Poll (1936-present) looks like IL has started & finished ranked in same season only 4 times (1950, 1951, 1989, 1990).

[link]

Final AP Poll comes out Tuesday morning January 20th. Go Illini
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#72      
thefalcon5
Overall: a B+ season. Perhaps too harsh, but this roster had the talent to win two more games than it did.

Nonetheless, an all time year for Illinois for the second time in two years. I refuse to take that for granted. BB has been as big a home run hire has there’s been in the past decade outside of Cig. We are a relevant, perennial top 25 team. I’d imagine <5% of the fan base would believed we’d be were we are now when he was hired.

Very interesting next year coming. Would love to keep the 8+ win seasons coming, I fear some regression, but Bret’s proven me wrong most years here’s been here.
 
#73      
illinoistradition
thefalcon5 said:
Overall: a B+ season. Perhaps too harsh, but this roster had the talent to win two more games than it did.

Nonetheless, an all time year for Illinois for the second time in two years. I refuse to take that for granted. BB has been as big a home run hire has there’s been in the past decade outside of Cig. We are a relevant, perennial top 25 team. I’d imagine <5% of the fan base would believed we’d be were we are now when he was hired.

Very interesting next year coming. Would love to keep the 8+ win seasons coming, I fear some regression, but Bret’s proven me wrong most years here’s been here.
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I do think the schedule is even more favorable next year with our home/away split in conference. I believe it lends itself well to another 8-4 record, depending on our portal acquisitions. It's wonderful to be able to say that!
 
#74      
illinifan1987
Dan said:
Last time Illinois started & finished the season ranked in AP Poll: 1990 (#11 preseason, #25 final poll)

Last time Illinois finished the season ranked in back-to-back years in AP Poll: 1989 (#10) & 1990 (#25)

In fact in the history of the AP Poll (1936-present) looks like IL has started & finished ranked in same season only 5 times (1950, 1951, 1989, 1990, 2025).

[link]

Final AP Poll comes out Tuesday morning January 20th. Go Illini
Click to expand...
FIFY
I'm going with #21 for our final rank
 
#75      
lstewart53x3
thefalcon5 said:
Overall: a B+ season. Perhaps too harsh, but this roster had the talent to win two more games than it did.

Nonetheless, an all time year for Illinois for the second time in two years. I refuse to take that for granted. BB has been as big a home run hire has there’s been in the past decade outside of Cig. We are a relevant, perennial top 25 team. I’d imagine <5% of the fan base would believed we’d be were we are now when he was hired.

Very interesting next year coming. Would love to keep the 8+ win seasons coming, I fear some regression, but Bret’s proven me wrong most years here’s been here.
Click to expand...
By the 247 talent composite, the is one the least talented rosters in the P4 (ranked in 60’s, 2nd lowest in the B1G).

To win 19 games, along with two SEC bowl wins in two seasons with this roster is incredible.
 
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