CHAMPAIGN — One of the most anticipated Illinois football seasons is nearly here.
The No. 12-ranked Fighting Illini open the season on Aug. 29 at home against Western Illinois. Coach Bret Bielema brings most of his starters back from a 10-win season in 2024, which ended with a big win in the Citrus Bowl.
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Before the first kickoff of 2025, here are some bold predictions we made for the Illini.
1. Illinois football will make the College Football Playoff
Let’s get this one out of the way. Illinois will win its tossup games, tangle with Ohio State, and sneak into the final at-large spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
Big Ten elites like Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon seem like locks to make the CFP field of 12. The Illini are right behind, needing to take care of business against teams like Indiana, USC and Washington — while also hoping runners-up in leagues like the ACC and Big 12 don’t overperform and earn their leagues an at-large berth.
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2. ESPN College GameDay will come to Champaign
I’m calling it here. Illinois and Ohio State will be highly ranked and highly motivated when they meet on Saturday, Oct. 11 inside Memorial Stadium in Champaign. The matchup will be too much for ESPN to ignore — assuming the Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas isn’t more tempting.
If ESPN makes the trek to Champaign, it will be the iconic weekly show’s first trip to Memorial Stadium and only Illinois’ third time as part of the show, according to NCAA.com archives. In 2010, GameDay visited Chicago for the Illinois vs. Northwestern game. In 2008, GameDay was in Pasadena, California, for Illinois vs. USC in the Rose Bowl Game.
Ohio State is no stranger to GameDay, though. The Buckeyes have a record 67 appearances and have hosted a record 26 times.
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3. Luke Altmyer will contend for the Heisman Trophy
I absolutely love the Illini’s swagger, and a lot of that comes from coach Bret Bielema and quarterback Luke Altymer. They are easy to like.
A former Ole Miss player, Altmyer apparently turned down a big payday this offseason to return to the Illini, calling it a “difficult” decision, but one made easier by the support of Bielema and his teammates.
Altmyer’s numbers didn’t flash last season when he finished with 2,717 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions. But expect the numbers to improve and his leadership to earn him a spot in the Heisman talks.
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4. Illinois will set a program record for NFL Draft picks
Bret Bielema has had plenty of players drafted into the NFL, with 14 picked in the draft since 2021. Twice, his teams have had four picked in a single year (2022 and 2023).
The 2025 team will surpass all of Bielema’s previous ones — and every Illini team since the draft went to seven rounds in 1994.
Illinois will have six players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, surpassing a program record set in 2003. Edge rusher Gabe Jacas, defensive back Xavier Scott and tackle J.C. Davis top the list, while I expected three other Illini to get the call next April: Center Josh Kreutz, quarterback Luke Altmyer and defensive lineman James Thompson.
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And that doesn’t even include other players who could play their way onto the NFL radar.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois football bold predictions: How Illini will shock in 2025
