Patrick Embleton Executive Director of Personnel and Recruiting | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Patrick Embleton Executive Director of Personnel and Recruiting | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois football team is currently ranked #20 in the AP Top 25 and #21 in the Coaches Poll. The Illini are preparing for a challenging game against the top-ranked Oregon team on Saturday.
Illinois, with a record of 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, has started strong this season. This marks the second time in Bret Bielema's four-year tenure that Illinois has achieved a 6-1 start, having previously done so in 2022. The Fighting Illini have secured three wins against AP Top 25 teams for only the third time in their history, with previous occurrences in 1983 and 1990.
The upcoming match will be Illinois' 16th encounter with a #1-ranked team. Their last victory over such an opponent was against Ohio State in 2007. Historically, Illinois holds a record of three wins and twelve losses against teams ranked #1, with victories occurring in 1950 (Ohio State), 1956 (Michigan State), and the aforementioned win at Ohio State.
Illinois has maintained its position in the rankings for six consecutive weeks. This streak matches their longest since the team was similarly ranked for six weeks during the 2007 season.
The game between #20 Illinois and #1 Oregon is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
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