The Illinois football program is one of the most talked-about storylines in college football this offseason. It's for good reason, too.
Bret Bielema has his team rolling. Illinois returns 16 of 22 starters from a season ago, while also maintaining its quarterback, Luke Altmyer, and its respective offensive and defensive coordinators, Barry Lunney Jr. and Aaron Henry.
To make matters even more interesting, Illinois draws seven home games at Memorial Stadium and nearly finished unbeaten at home last season if it weren't for a 25-17 loss to P.J. Fleck's Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The home schedule sees a significant step up in competition, however, as the Illini get the luxury of welcoming defending national champion Ohio State into Champaign, along with hosting the USC Trojans two weeks prior. A victory in one or both of those games could go a long way in determining their College Football Playoff fate.
CBS Sports' Cody Nagel has bought into the Champaign hype, although a 15-year drought could trip Illinois up: back-to-back winning seasons.
Nagel elevated Bielema from No. 10 to No. 7 in his Big Ten coaches rankings list from this past season, indicative of the team's five-win turnaround from a frustrating 5-7 year in 2023.
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"Bret Bielema jumped into the top 25 of the Power Four coach rankings after leading Illinois to its first 10-win season since 2001," Nagel wrote. "In four seasons, Bielema has compiled a 28-22 record with the Fighting Illini. Now, entering Year 5, Bielema has positioned Illinois as a popular preseason pick to reach the College Football Playoff."
Nagel adds that bettors should tread lightly when picking Illinois to qualify for the College Football Playoff, though, given its inconsistent postseason success.
For now, the hype will eventually die out as the season draws closer to fruition.